The Perfect White Linen Shirt

The perfect white shirt must be one of the most important pieces of clothing in any man’s and even many women’s wardrobe and one of the most versatile. Even with potentially fewer days in the office and more casual work dressing somehow the white shirt is still by far our most popular shirt and most bridegroom’s choice of wedding shirt. I am always excited when a new white emerges from one of our Swiss or Italian mills as many customers like to try a few weights or weaves in order to find their perfect white, depending on their lifestyle, climate or just personal preferences.

Linen shirts now play an important role in formal as well as casual Summer dressing, so it follows that we must also be offering the perfect white linen shirt to wear with everything, even weddings when wearing a linen suit. One of the comments we have often about our linen shirts is how much people love the structured collar, as so many have the flat lying, unstructured appearance. Even a slightly more substantial lining in the cuffs creates a more attractive linen shirt. A button cuff, one for casual or two for slightly more formal works well, but customers are also choosing double cuffs which I really like.

So the perfect white linen shirt must begin with the most beautiful linen of course, in my opinion the Italian is the finest. And then the cut and make whether bespoke or ready to wear, good lining and collar structure as mentioned, small, neat single stitched seams and finished with real iridescent mother of pearl buttons sewn on with lots of thread so you never have to suffer the indignity of a missing button. And to finish your white linen Summer dressing, boxer shorts would be the icing on the wedding cake!

From us all at Emma Willis we wish you a very happy weekend.

Best wishes,