Learn what to wear under white linen pants and other linen pieces to ensure this premium fabric is presented in the most elegant of ways.
Not all linen clothing is transparent. You can find breathable, airy linen pieces that are not sheer, and for those, it’s not as critical what you wear underneath them—they truly live up to linen’s effortless reputation. However, for see-through linens, you’ll want to be more thoughtful about your undergarments to ensure your outfit looks presentable and classic.
In our blog, we’ll cover what to wear under white linen pants, linen dresses and linen tops so you’ll feel confident and sophisticated for every occasion and season. Whether you’re hoping to make a fashion statement with your undergarments or pull off a more old-money look, we’re sharing our reliable styling ideas.
Is linen clothing see-through?
Not all linen clothing is see-through, but lightweight linens can be. The fresh, breezy feeling of linen that makes us feel like we’re on a yacht comes from the way the fabric is woven. It’s made from a looser weave that leaves space between each yarn, allowing air to freely move through. This can make some linen clothing more sheer, but it also gives the fabric its well-known breathability.
The level of transparency isn’t dependent on colour, so black linen pants could technically be as see-through as white linen pants if they’re both made from delicate, lightweight linen. For those hoping to avoid transparent linen pieces, look for lined clothing crafted from pure midweight or heavyweight linen.
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What to wear under white linen pants?
There are a few questions to answer when choosing the right undergarments for white linen pants.
First, what aesthetic are you hoping to achieve? Understated or eye-catching. What season are you wearing your white linen pants? If it’s summer, you’re obviously going to want to stay cool, so your undergarments should be light and minimal. Meanwhile, during the winter, undergarments can help you add another layer of warmth to your outfit.
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For invisibility: skin-coloured underwear is the safe choice, if you want an elegant look. Make sure to match the colour of the underwear as close to your skin tone as possible so that you won’t be able to see them when wearing transparent white linen pants.
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Don’t wear white undergarments: if you want an understated look when wearing white linen pants, you’ll want to skip white underwear, as it will be seen through the pants.
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Seamless briefs are perfect: these are like the body’s second skin. Quality seamless briefs won’t show through linen trousers and will remain delightfully hidden. Their lack of stitching also means they’ll enhance linen’s softness and breathability rather than detract from it, leaving you feeling cooler and more comfortable.
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Embrace transparency: sheer trousers are very much in. For a fancy soiree, you could play up the sheerness of the trousers, especially if they feature lace or embellishments, by wearing contrasting undergarments. However, that’s not going to work for most people’s day-to-day lives. But you can embrace the transparency of white linen pants for the beach and wear some lovely bikini bottoms under your pants—so practical.
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What to wear under linen dresses?
The beauty of linen dresses is how effortless they are to wear and style. We don’t want to take away their effortless magic by wearing lots of layers or stressing about what to wear underneath them.
Luckily, some linen dresses do all the hard work for you and either come already lined or are made from midweight or heavyweight linen. You can wear almost anything you like under these dresses, and you won’t be able to see it.
That being said, here are our top picks for what to wear under linen dresses:
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For everyday elegance: skin-coloured knickers and bras are the way to go if you’re hoping for an immaculate look that doesn’t show your undergarments. This will allow the spotlight to be on the linen dress and show it off in its best light.
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For special occasions: when you want to look your best, a skin-coloured slip dress is the perfect piece to wear under linen dresses. You can choose from slip dresses with lace embellishments or ones cut from linen, cotton and silk. For a linen maxi dress, a slip helps create a flowing look without seams at the waistline. You’ll notice a sleeker, more professional look, especially with delicate dresses that are fitted to the body and sheer, thanks to how much slips can smooth out panty lines.
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Beach cover-up: there’s almost nothing better for beach days than linen dresses paired with swimwear, both one-pieces and bikinis work well. You can go as bright or neutral as you like with the swimwear, they’ll only add to the holiday vibes of the look even further. Complete the outfit with an oversized straw hat and bucket bag for effortless chic.
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For the cooler months: bring out your linen dresses during the winter season with some clever styling. Tights, leggings, button-down shirts and fitted turtlenecks are layering essentials that will help keep you warm in your linens while still looking stylish. White and black is a classic combination, and you can easily pull it off by wearing a white linen dress with black leggings.
What to wear under linen tops?
Linen tops are the hard workers of the linen world, looking as elegant for a lunch date as for an office meeting. Before adding them to your wardrobe make sure to check if they’re transparent.
Most linen shirts tailored from midweight and heavyweight linen will not be see-through, and so you won’t have to worry about your undergarments. In contrast, airy tops designed for summer from lightweight linens will likely be highly delicate and also sheer, so your undergarments will be more important. Here are our best ideas for what to wear under linen tops:
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For an understated look: skin-coloured seamless undergarments will be invisible when worn under linen tops and also feel lightweight on the skin. Bras without any prints or embellishments will help you pull off a refined look the best.
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For everyday: the versatility of linen tops is almost unmatched, you can style them solo or layer them over your favourite singlets. Play with colours and wear brightly-hued camisoles under an unbuttoned linen shirt and match the camisole’s colour with your linen pants. The contemporary colour combinations that are having a moment right now are khaki + pale blue and terracotta red + white.
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For the cooler months: linen tops are just as perfect for the winter as they are for the summer; the fabric’s natural thermo-regulating properties will help keep you warm as the air temperatures drop. You can style turtlenecks and fitted long-sleeve tops under linen shirts to make this wardrobe essential work for the cooler weather. One styling idea is wearing a beige linen shirt with a trendy brown turtleneck underneath and then finishing off with espresso-coloured trousers.
Conclusion: What to Wear Under White Linen Pants?
You’ve secured a flawless pair of white linen pants, but the work doesn’t stop there. If the pants are transparent then it’s possible for your undergarments to be seen, so you’ll want to be intentional about the styling choices you make.
Linen is a fabric synonymous with elegance, so you’ll want to enhance the sense of elegance even further with the undergarments. To ensure your linens look their best, read our tips on what to wear under white linen pants for an effortlessly elegant look.
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Skin-coloured, seamless underwear: if you’re hoping for an invisible, refined look, then skin-coloured undergarments will help you achieve that. For any linens that are particularly tailored, opt for seamless briefs to guarantee a silky-smooth finish that doesn’t allow any panty lines to be seen.
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For linen dresses: slips are the ideal undergarments for linen dresses, creating a seamless silhouette from top to bottom without any unnecessary lines or stitches taking away attention from the elegance of your dress. Choose slips as close to your natural skin tone as possible for a flawless look. Stay fresh in the summer by picking slips in lightweight natural fabrics like cotton, linen and silk that are a perfect match for linen dresses.
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For linen tops: first decide whether you’d like your undergarments to be visible or invisible. For invisibility, skin-coloured bras are the best choice. You can also use your undergarments as statement pieces and show them off using camisoles or silk singlets.
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For resort wear: linen tops, pants and dresses are essentials for days on the beach and are perfect as cover-ups. You can wear swimsuits and bikinis under a white linen shirt without any worries and look summer-ready in seconds.
