Linen as overcoat lining

[alden]

I am having a new overcoat made and I have decided to eschew the normal lining used for such garments in favor of linen. The entire coat, including the sleeves, will be lined in Irish linen. The feel of putting on an OC in Winter with the chill of cold acetate lining, led me finally to try this experiment. Like normal lining, linen is smooth. So there should be no problem slipping on the coat over other wool garments. And linen is remarkably warm.

Will let you know how things work out.

Cheers

Michael

[Slewfoot]

Sounds like an interesting idea! One I may have to adopt myself at some point. :^)

[robert_n]

I wonder how an overcoat in very heavy linen would be? 900gms or thereabouts. It would probably have a very Grapes of Wrath look, but dishevelled sits well with me.

[Julian]

A very interesting idea. How do you expect durability to measure up? I can see that being another advantage of linen or am I underestimating the durability of more traditional linings?

- Julian

[hectorm]

I am having a new overcoat made and I have decided to eschew the normal lining used for such garments in favor of linen. The entire coat, including the sleeves, will be lined in Irish linen. The feel of putting on an OC in Winter with the chill of cold acetate lining, led me finally to try this experiment

It's a very safe experiment, Michael. I predict total success provided you have access to linen with a soft hand.
Linen is one of the oldest fabrics known to man, and amongst its many uses, it has been employed for the inside layers of cloth needed for the construction of elaborate fine garments.
Actually I have read that this use was so common once that the word "lining" derives from linen.
The reason why linen was "discontinued" was not lack of smoothness but it's price.
As for me, I have experimented with the lining of a couple of overcoats too (a toggle coat; a robe OC) and I have had them self-lined. They feel cozy but I confess that jackets and trousers get a bit more friction than with bemberg.

[cathach]

There is also beetled linen, which has a smooth glossy surface from being beetled i.e. hit with wooden hammers. The last commercial beetling mill in Europe is in Ireland, at Clarks of Upperlands: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG4EM2H2PPk

[davidhuh]

I am having a new overcoat made and I have decided to eschew the normal lining used for such garments in favor of linen. The entire coat, including the sleeves, will be lined in Irish linen. The feel of putting on an OC in Winter with the chill of cold acetate lining, led me finally to try this experiment

It's a very safe experiment, Michael. I predict total success provided you have access to linen with a soft hand. ... They feel cozy but I confess that jackets and trousers get a bit more friction than with bemberg.

Dear Michael, dear Hectorm,

I agree with both of you at almost every instance. This time however, I'm not convinced. I'm looking forward to your experiment though.

An important purpose of good lining is helping you sliding easily in a coat or overcoat. I was just reminded of this today. It was raining, and I decided to wear my New & Lingwood raincoat (a fully reversible model similar to this one: http://www.newandlingwood.com/runcorn-l ... coat-14320). It took me some effort to adjust it over my flannel coat...

I do love linen, but I don't see its features responding to the requirements of a good lining material.

Cheers, David

[alden]

David

The quality linen I am going to use is light, resistant and very smooth. As such I am not worried about sliding coats off and on. I am also going to try lining a flannel trouser in this linen. If it works out well, I will include this lining linen in the LL book.

Cheers

[alden]

Linen lining in the tweed overcoat was a great success. It feels great. Try it.

Cheers

[Frederic Leighton]

I've done it on my last two orders - it feels fantastic indeed!

[Bwooster]

Any specific recommendations as to linen that works well as OC lining? Quite keen to try myself.

[Bleston]

.

[rlambert]

What colors does the LL linen jacket lining come in, and would it be possible to post photos of them on the forum?

[alden]

rlambert

There is not a book of LL linen lining per se. Some people use the linen from the LL linen books for suits or jackets to line their clothing.

Cheers

[hectorm]

I am having a new overcoat made and I have decided to eschew the normal lining used for such garments in favor of linen.

It's a very safe experiment, Michael. I predict total success provided you have access to linen with a soft hand.
Actually I have read that this use was so common once that the word "lining" derives from linen.

I agree with both of you at almost every instance. This time however, I'm not convinced. I'm looking forward to your experiment though.

Quick update on this thread:
Last week I finally received the product of my first experiment ever with a linen-lined jacket and I´ve been lucky to enjoy a few colder than usual days so I´ve been wearing it.
My preliminary evaluation is that it feels cozy, breathes very well and wears warm. Obviously not as smooth as silk. The linen lining (Tattersall pattern on cream background, leftover of someone´s never commissioned golf plus fours) goes very well with the character of the jacket which is a light herringbone fluffy tweed with a removable chest and neck zipper closure piece. The sleeves were lined with bemberg though, as a compromise following the tailor's advice once we saw that all the thicker linen available had a hand on the rougher side and were concerned with possible friction.