SPRING MUST-HAVE: THE WHITE LINEN SUIT

Since Theory knows a thing or two about a well-made suit, I shouldn’t have been surprised that this white linen beauty fit like a damn glove right off the rack. And yet, I gazed upon the ensemble in all its perfectly-tailored double-breasted glory with childlike wonder, mouth agape.

If there exists a more perfect warm-weather suit than this white linen masterpiece, I triple-dog-dare you to find it. The cut of the jacket, the wide leg flow of the pants, the tonal buttons, the fact that it comes in another glorious wear-everywhere color so that I can buy a second one and alternate wearing them every other day for the next four months solid… it’s all nearly too good to be true.

Since New York City becomes a humid deathtrap from June through September, I’m considering these linen separates a generous gift from the fashion gods. There is nothing more soul-crushing than having to wear clothes on the subway in July, but since showing up to the office naked is ill-advised, I’m telling you, linen is the next-best thing. Thanks to these light, airy, breathable separates, I look forward to emerging from the bowels of New York looking more humanoid, and less like a puddle.

Despite wearing the jacket and pants together as a full suit in today’s photos, my mind is swimming with the styling possibilities of each piece on its own. For a casual summer day at the office, I look forward to pairing the white linen blazer with jeans and a favorite tee. I can also see it looking ultra chic with cut-off shorts or a mini skirt for dinner with girlfriends or Sunday brunch. And as for the pants?

The possibilities are similarly endless. There are few things in my closet that I’ll wear more frequently this summer than linen wide legs, but as a creature of habit, I expect I’ll be wear them at least 985 times with a classic striped button-down like this one.


No matter how you style it, I’d recommend going up one size in both the jacket and the pants, because when it comes to light-colored linen, you don’t want it snug. You may recognize my bag from this week’s Monday Memo, and you can plan on seeing it on constant rotation for the next many months. I’m always drawn to black accessories, even in the summer months, so the addition of the circular tortoise handle had me at hello. If you love the geometric shape of the bag as much as I do, get a load of all of the gorgeous colors and variations here.

If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you know that Theory has been a favorite brand since day one. Nobody does quality, timeless workwear better than they do, but I have to say that I’ve also been particularly drawn to their casual pieces as well this season. Since leaving their store last week I haven’t been able to get this perfect shirtdress out of my mind. I mean, if we’re talking about things you’ll absolutely LIVE IN this Spring and Summer, this shirtdress is Exhibit A.

Since I could probably go on for days about every perfect item in their spring collection, I’ll leave you with the below round up of some additional favorites. I mean, this jumpsuit? These gingham pants?! Theory just gets it.