Ten or fifteen years ago, during hot summer weather, you’d never see me wearing a pair of pants. That was a huge no-no for me. In the summer, all you’d see me in was dresses, skirts, and short shorts. The idea of wearing pants during the summer made me think of having clothes stick to my skin and make me feel icky. But then in 2018, we had a trip planned to India during June-July, when I knew that I’d need to maximize non-sticking clothing as much as possible. So in preparation for that trip, I purchased two pairs of cropped linen pants after hearing about how linen was the perfect warm-weather material for coverage while also keeping cool. Only one of those two pairs has lasted until today, but my love for linen has stayed with me. Now when I think of warm-weather clothing, especially if I am buying something new for myself, all I can think about is linen, linen, and linen… And maybe occasionally some cotton.

Ignorantly though, I actually didn’t really know what “linen” meant back then. I just recently learned that linen is made from flax, a fast growing plant that traps carbon and doesn’t require fertilizer, pesticides, or even much water. Almost the entire flax plant can be used to make clothing, so there’s almost no waste left over. In addition, the majority of flax is grown in Europe and thus processed there into clothing, which means that there are higher standards for safety as well as eco-friendliness.

So this summer, I’ve been wearing my linen pants a lot more often not just to keep cool, but also for leg coverage so that I don’t get unnecessary sun exposure, but also so that I don’t have to keep applying and reapplying sunscreen. I recently got a new pair of wide white cargo pants that are made of cotton, but it’s so lightweight that it almost feels like linen. I wore them the last two days, and they really feel perfect for the 90s-plus F weather we’ve been experiencing. They are wide-legged and long, and funnily enough, they actually give me an elongated look. This says a lot given that I am only 5’3″. I got a few compliments on the pants, and even when Pookster saw me wear them for the first time, she said, “Ooh, new pants? So pretty, mumma!” I had shied away from purchasing white white clothing for years, but then with the helpful tip from our former nanny on magic blue soap, I have realized that with a little maintenance from the beginning, I can actually safely keep my whites super white without the toxic, awful-smelling assistance of bleach!

So linen material, white as a color to wear again, and loose, wide-cut pants are things I’ve embraced in my late 30s that I never really thought I’d care about in my 20s. The main theme, though, is that I’m valuing comfort and hoping that it all still looks good on me. This is what happens with age – prioritizing comfort and versatility above all!