The best linen shirts to make styling a breeze

Drake's

• Sizes: XS-XL
• Colours: Green

To those whose style approach veers towards an Ivy League silhouette, Drake’s is the place to provide your linen shirt. Famed for its sharp, collegiate-cued pieces, the Savile Row-based brand brings a fun spin to the traditional staple through a popping green shade. Cladding this spread-collar design, its bold hue is nicely contrasted with a white button placket yet keeps a casual tone through its front pocket detail. A grade style ensured.

• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Colours: Ecru

Cut for a relaxed fit to elegantly drape across your silhouette, Mr Porter's latest in-house linen shirt promises to bring just the right amount of flamboyance to your summer style game. This is courtesy of two core features: its warm ecru shade, and the broad camp collar which excellently nods to tailoring touches from the seventies. Leave this one unbuttoned and layer your best white vest underneath for a little dose of sex appeal.

• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Colours: Khaki, white, navy (+3 more)

Searching for a sophisticated linen shirt which doesn't break the bank? We suggest taking a trip to Mango for this louche linen style. Nodding to the codes of a workwear uniform through its muted khaki shade, its relaxed shape is detailed with a lightweight collar, a rounded hem and buttoned cuffs. If you're interested in embracing this style in full, good news: there's a pair of Bermuda shorts to match.

• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Colours: Blue

Paul Smith never fails to impress in the style categories of suits and shirts. Recently released into the latter, this short-sleeved linen number is a brilliant example of the British designer's bolder wardrobe offerings, as it's printed with an eye-catching abstract motif across its frame. Centred by a relaxed loop collar, fixed with pearlescent buttons and detailed with side vents for an extra bit of movement, layer it over your best pair of relaxed tailored trousers for effective holiday attire.

• Sizes: XS-XL
• Colours: Green, beige

Cos once again confirms that its signature minimalist style can be incredibly effective through this short-sleeved shirt. Rib-knitted through a breathable blend of linen and cotton, its relaxed silhouette is aided by roomy raglan sleeves and a boxy body – topped with a pointed collar for the finish. Whether worn buttoned or open, its a straight-up style win for summer.

• Sizes: XS-XXXL
• Colours: Navy, beige, pink (+7 more)

When it comes to quality menswear pieces, few luxury brands are faithful to the word as much as Loro Piana. Case in point? This ‘André Arizona’ shirt. Assembled in Italy from a premium linen fabric, it's cut for a loose and breezy feel to accommodate higher temperatures and is topped with a spread collar which can be worn with or without stays. We suggest matching your base layer to its midnight-blue shade for a charming monochrome move.

• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Colours: Brown, white, navy

In it for the longevity? Opt for a simple linen shirt that has never — and is unlikely to ever — go out of style. A good example: this short sleeve design from Ralph Lauren’s Polo label. Shaped with a convertible collar, it falls with a slightly loose fit to flatter all body types and is embroidered with the brand’s signature polo player logo at the top of its chest pocket. Its available in three timeless shades, but we suggest the beige to see you through summer.

• Sizes: S-XXXL
• Colours: Orange

Stripes for summer? They may be an obvious choice in print, but they're an exceptionally elegant one – especially if embraced through this Brunello Cucinelli shirt. Clad in a popping orange edition of the elongating motif, this short-sleeved style is assembled from a linen and lyocell blend, and features a relaxed camp collar at the top of its placket. If you've got a trip to Italy coming up, this one is calling.

• Sizes: S-4XL
• Colours: White, Black

Marks & Spencer has been serving well-made (and affordable) menswear staples for as long as we can remember, making it a smart port of call for a linen shirt to last. Our top choice from the current selection? This grandad collar design. Topped with this timeless and simplistic fastening, its lightweight frame falls to a relaxed shape and incorporates an easy-to-iron finish. For just £40, you can’t go wrong.

• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Colours: Navy, red

This Italian linen is extra light and extra breathable, making it ideal for even the glorious humidity of Sicily. In stripe or melange neutrals, Sunspel has followed its own lead in creating a perfect staple here.

• Sizes: Made to order
• Colours: White

If your style inclinations revolve around 1970s-induced silhouettes, London-based brand Lawton has just the shirt for you. Timeless in texture and daring in detail (its centre features a striking 7.2cm open collar, reminiscent of the decade), it’s fitted with a floating canvas construction and is stitched to the specificities of your silhouette through made-to-order production. An impeccable personal piece to last a lifetime, layer its grand collar over your best black suit and base the look with heeled boots for straight up sex appeal.

• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Colours: Stone, light blue, navy

A roomy short sleeved shirt with a Cuban (or camp) collar? This is the piece you've seen in a million archive photos of Italian and Greek gentlemen going about their business in the oppressive heat of August. A piece with cultural heft in a breathable weft.

• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Colours: Navy, blue, beige, pink (+4 more)

While you may know Ralph Lauren for its cotton shirts in particular, the shirting connoisseur also uses linen to impeccable ends. Really, the overall look of the linen RL shirt is not so different from the classic cotton equivalent, so if it’s consistency in your wardrobe you’re seeking and Ralph Lauren is already in heavy rotation, this is the linen shirt pick for you.

• Sizes: S-XL
• Colours: Black, beige

Searching for a stylish linen shirt which won't break the bank? Arket is your top port of call. Specifically, for this simple (but, rest assured, effective) black design: cut for a comfortably loose fit and detailed with a resort collar, front pocket and troca buttons down the front – the latter containing non-textile parts of animal origin. Effortless and ethical, we suggest keeping your surrounding layers black or beige for enduring appeal.

• Sizes: XS-XXXL
• Colours: Blue, Beige, Black, Khaki (+6 more)

Loro Piana’s pieces are synonymous with luxury – a fact proven by the brand’s staple linen shirt. Using the highest quality slub linen in the creation of this design (which comes in a whopping ten shades), it’s cut to a comfortable fit and fastens with mother-of-pearl buttons sourced from New Caledonia. These details, combined with its open camp collar, make it the perfect upper layer to see you through sunny days.

• Sizes: S-XXL
• Colours: Blue

Ever the master of classic (and well crafted) menswear staples, Paul Smith’s latest take on the linen shirt is a must to elevate your everyday attire. Assembled from a navy shade of the texture, it’s structured with a spread collar and falls with a regular fit – therefore working well both tucked in and out of trousers. If you want our advice, let it flow naturally over your kecks to show off its curved hem and create a more insouciant effect.

• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Colours: Navy, blue, beige, olive (+2 more)

You can’t go wrong with navy. Cut from organic linen and fastening with contrasting white buttons, this shirt offers a little more breeze and comfort than its cotton-blend counterparts. Style with chinos for cloudy climates or knee-length shorts for a summer’s day.