15 Breezy Linen Pants That Are a Better Choice Than Shorts (2024)

Most linen pants on Amazon are unfortunately a horror of tearing after a few wears, looking like pajamas, inseam too long, or fabric too wrinkly. So I was glad to discover Sailwind's elevated performance take that is also durable and everyday-friendly.

These drawstring linen pants come with a straight fit to be easily worn under a button-down shirt like suit trousers. They're made mostly of linen, alongside rayon and viscose which I've tested to be also breathable and soft—and the fabric also comes with a bit of stretch for comfort on the go. The style is also very versatile: I've worn them with sandals to the beach, or just to grab a cup of joe at your local café.

Say goodbye to embarrassing sweat patches and hello to a dapper everyday fit that also has your wallet covered. After trying these affordable 100% linen pants, I now wear them as my go-to linen pants for casual summer occasions like running errands or going to a restaurant. The relaxed straight fit lets the air in to keep the legs cool, while the no-fuss elastic drawstring waist offers a nice minimalist styling touch.

However, in my experience, I didn’t get too much stretch out of them, so I mostly sport them to travel light.

I’ve dealt with meh linen pants before, which is why when I first put these J.Crew trousers on, I was blown away by the instant coolness my legs felt—not only that, I could still feel the air touching my skin as if I were wearing shorts. Now that’s a good pair of linen slacks.

And I love that its airy weave is washed to sport a softer, vintage feel that looks handsome and is versatile to style. They do come with a looser-than-normal fit—which helps the air circulating inside the fabric—so I often have to tighten the drawcord when wearing them, but that’s no biggie.

Donning these yoga-pants-like linen slacks is the style equivalent of a cool cucumber lounging by the pool, unfazed by the red-hot heat. Not only is Ably's linen fabric extra light and breathable, it is also engineered to be odor-free, stain-resistant, and even quick-drying to really keep your legs cool and dry.

If you're concerned that these trousers look too much like pajamas, our testing of them by wearing them to the office or with button-down shirts shows that they still will look elevated under that laid-back, comfortable fit.

Everlane's linen pants are selling out fast because they elevate your summer wardrobe to a new height of breezy brilliance at under $100. What we love most about them is the elasticated waistband which is made with a drawstring. So many drawstring linen pants we've tested have either waistband that is too tight or too loose, but Everlane's is practically perfect—it fits just right and requires little to no adjusting.

On the other hand, these linen pants are not wrinkly or look too easygoing for more formal occasions, so their versatility for dressing up or down is also surefire.

Instead of looking flowy and all carefree, these 100% linen pants cinch it up with a slim fit to let you look elevated while feeling fresh and crisp, making them best for smart casual occasions like at a bar or a dinner party. They also come in plenty of striped or checked patterns that should easily spruce up your fits.

However, having worn them since the summer of 2022, I notice that these line pants are made without any stretch and will feel a bit tight on beefy thighs, so I wouldn’t recommend traveling too heavy or too far in them.

What I love most about Ben Sherman’s linen pants is their tapered fit, which easily makes them look elevated no matter what you put on top of it—even if it's only a t-shirt or hoodie.

While the linen blend of these trousers leans heavy on the cotton side, the fabric definitely feels breathable in our testing. Better yet, the pant's ankle cut shows just enough skin while always letting my legs breathe. I wear these with no-show socks—the only way to do it, really.

Linen pants can easily look too lounge-y, beach-y, and wrinkly, but Charles Tyrwhitt's craft has managed to turn the vacation trouser style into an office wardrobe must-have by giving it a slim, tailored cut.

In addition, from our testing, these linen slacks remain just as lightweight and breathable thanks to a 100% linen build, and they do retain shape and ward off wrinkles, unlike other linen pants. Better yet, they don’t look like linen pants at all, so your colleagues or boss won’t side-eye you.

Rise: Linen pants with a low-rise often feature a drawstring and straight/relaxed legs with wide leg openings, making them perfect for beach fits and casual wear for vacation or everyday style. High-rise waist linen pants look more elevated and formal; the legs are usually tapered and slim, with a high ankle cut as well to look sophisticated but still laidback.

Waistband: More often than not, linen pants have an elastic waistband with either a drawstring or a button closure. Drawstring linen pants are often more casual and paired with a low-rise waist; on the other hand, buttoned-closure linen pants are your office-friendly slacks for dressing up since they often look more elevated than the drawstring ones

Occasion: Thanks to the lightweight, breathable nature of linen, linen pants are foolproof for hot weather outfits in summer, or warmer days in the spring and fall. In addition, if you're attending a rooftop party, casual event, beach wedding, summer wedding, or going on vacation in the summer, linen pants are an excellent wardrobe sidekick. Lastly, while you can technically wear linen pants to the office, a pair with a high-rise waist and a button waistband (instead of a drawstring) is preferable.

Linen pants are all about casual and looking laidback, so naturally, styling with them should be just as such. Some of our editors' favorite ways to wear linen pants include sporting them with camp collar shirts or Hawaiian shirts and sandals, slides, or even flip-flops. I personally love to wear linen pants under an unbuttoned short-sleeve shirt and a tank top underneath. Of course, the ritual of casual t-shirts worn tucked into linen pants is a no-brainer.

Should you like to dress up in linen pants—and you in fact can—then topping them off with polo shirts is the best way to go about that. Dress shirts and button-downs will look equally elevated in linen pants if you have the right pair—just make sure to tuck them in. And for a full casual but still formal look, consider wearing linen pants with loafers or boat shoes.