How to Buy Linen Dresses
- 1). Check the care tag, first and foremost. While there are some linen textiles that don't require dry cleaning, many linens do. A dress that needs dry cleaning after every wear can become an expensive proposition. Look for machine-washable linen textiles rather than dry clean-only fabrics if easy maintenance is a must.
- 2). Purchase a linen dress that has a lining. Not only will this mitigate damage from sweat stains and other environmental products, but it will also ensure that the dress drapes and hangs better on the body. A lined dress will also last through more seasons of wear than an unlined garment.
- 3). Look for linen that is softened or pre-washed to avoid getting a scratchy garment. Raw linen fabric is often abrasive to the touch, so look for words that describe the fabric if you're unable to touch the garment itself. Otherwise, always feel the fabric to make sure it's something you can stand to have near your skin.
- 4). When purchasing a brightly colored linen dress, realize that the garment will lose dye over time and fade, much like a pair of denim jeans. To avoid this, buy a dress that's white or natural colored instead, or stick to dry cleaning only.
- 5). Be cognizant of linen customs in different sections of the U.S. when buying linen for a special event. In some southern locales, it's inappropriate to wear linen before Memorial Day and after Labor Day--especially white linen. In other sections of the country, there are no such customs. Even though many of these traditions have fallen by the wayside, some places still hold to these unspoken rules.
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