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The warmer it gets, the less effort getting dressed should take, and that is the whole case for linen. It’s lightweight, it breathes, and it softens every time it goes through the wash, so a linen shirt bought in October feels better by February. The usual complaint is that it creases and needs looking after. The fix is to stop fighting the creases and choose cuts that are meant to look relaxed.
That’s the thinking behind the new Connor linen collection for spring and summer. It runs from pure linen shirts through cotton linen blend pants and shorts to a full cotton linen suit, and for a limited time, all Connor’s shirts are currently two for $100 (linen included!). Here are the four pieces that do the most work, and how to put them together.
The Connor Linen Pieces at a Glance
- Weekends, dinners and everything between: Hamilton Linen Shirt
- Travel days and warm evenings: Cabana Linen Blend Pant
- Hot days and the beach run: Cheston Linen Blend Short
- Summer weddings, races and events: Harper Cotton Linen Suit
1. The Everyday Hero: Hamilton Linen Shirt
If you buy one piece from the range, make it the Hamilton Linen Shirt. It’s 100 per cent linen in a classic fit that sits clean across the shoulders, with a regular collar that keeps it neat enough for a dinner booking. Connor makes it in five colours: White, Light Blue, Black, Dark Green and Chocolate.
The appeal is range. Wear it untucked over shorts on a Saturday, tucked into chinos for dinner, or open over a white tee as a light layer when the evening cools down. At $69.99 it’s already well priced for pure linen, and with Connor’s two for $100 offer on shirts, adding a second colour to the rotation makes more sense than not.
- Fabric: 100 per cent linen
- Fit: Classic fit, regular collar
- Price: $69.99, or two linen shirts for $100
- Colours: White, Light Blue, Black, Dark Green, Chocolate
- Sizes: XS to 3XL
2. The Holiday Pant: Cabana Linen Blend Pant
Shorts aren’t always the answer, and the Cabana Linen Blend Pant is what you reach for when it’s too warm for chinos but the occasion asks for full length. It’s a textured linen blend in a relaxed fit with a drawstring waist, so it’s comfortable on a long flight and still looks deliberate at the other end.
Sand is the easiest colour to wear with every Hamilton shade, and Connor also makes it in Light Brown, Chocolate and Navy. Pair it with a white tee and slip-on loafers, or with the Hamilton in Light Blue for the classic summer combination.
- Fabric: Textured linen blend
- Fit: Relaxed fit, full length, drawstring waist
- Price: $69.99, or two linen pants for $100
- Colours: Sand, Light Brown, Chocolate, Navy
- Sizes: 28 to 42
3. The Weekend Short: Cheston Linen Blend Short
The Cheston Linen Blend Short is the piece that gets the most wear between now and March. It’s a lightweight linen and cotton blend in a regular fit, with a drawstring waist and a smarter finish than a board short, so it works at a barbecue as well as on the walk to the beach.
It comes in Sand, Charcoal and Chocolate at $59.99. Wear it with a Hamilton for a smart casual weekend look, or with a plain tee when the brief is simply staying cool.
- Fabric: Linen and cotton blend
- Fit: Regular fit, drawstring waist
- Price: $59.99
- Colours: Sand, Charcoal, Chocolate
- Sizes: 28 to 42
4. The Event Suit: Harper Slim Cotton Linen Textured Suit
Summer brings weddings, the races and long lunches that ask for a jacket, and a wool suit is the wrong tool for a 30 degree day. The Harper range is Connor’s answer: a slim cotton linen blend with a textured finish that breathes and keeps its shape. The Harper Slim Cotton Linen Textured Suit Jacket has a notch lapel and flap pockets, and pairs with the matching Harper Slim Cotton Linen Dress Pant.
The jacket is $149.99 and the pant $69.99, so the full suit comes in at $219.98. There’s also a $59.99 Harper waistcoat in Sand if you want a three piece for a wedding. The real value is that the pieces split up: the jacket over a Hamilton and the Cabana pant, or the dress pant with a linen shirt, gets you two or three more outfits out of the one purchase.
- Fabric: Cotton linen blend, textured finish
- Fit: Slim, notch lapel, flap pockets
- Price: Jacket $149.99, dress pant $69.99, waistcoat $59.99
- Colours: Sand, Sage Green, Chocolate
- Jacket sizes: 34 to 50, depending on colour
How to Build a Summer Wardrobe with Linen
The trick with linen is to buy pieces that work with each other rather than outfits. Start with two Hamilton shirts in colours you’ll actually wear, say White and Light Blue, which is exactly what the two for $100 offer is built for. Add one pair of Cabana pants and one pair of Cheston shorts in Sand, and you’ve got a week of summer outfits from four items, because every shirt goes with both bottoms.
For travel, the same logic means packing less. A linen shirt for the day and the Harper jacket for dinner covers most holidays, and both pack down without much fuss. On creases, relax: linen is supposed to look lived in, and it softens with every wash. Hang it to dry, give it a quick steam if the occasion calls for it, and otherwise let it be. Browse the full Connor linen range to fill the gaps.
Connor Linen Collection FAQs
The Hamilton Linen Shirt is $69.99. All Connor shirts are currently two for $100, which brings two Hamiltons down to $50 each.
It’s made from 100 per cent linen in a classic fit with a regular collar, and comes in White, Light Blue, Black, Dark Green and Chocolate in sizes XS to 3XL.
The Harper range is a slim cotton linen blend with a textured finish. The jacket is $149.99, the matching dress pant is $69.99 and a waistcoat is available for $59.99.
Not as much as its reputation suggests. Linen softens with every wash and is meant to look relaxed, so a few creases are part of the look. Follow the care label on each garment.
Summer dressing should be the easy part of summer. A couple of linen shirts, a pair of pants, a pair of shorts and one suit for the events will cover most of what the season throws at you. Start with the Connor linen collection and build from there.
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