This year’s May Week garden parties were littered with white linen trousers - in fact, I was probably the only girl in my house to refrain from purchasing a pair for the occasion. There was even a sea of white linen trousers in the C-Sunday festivities back in May. But why the obsession with white linen?

This Cambridge staple is apparently on-trend beyond the bubble. The ‘all-white summer’ has been cemented by billionaire Michael Rubin’s annual white party, picked up by numerous news and fashion outlets (including Vogue). White linen trousers stand out in particular, credited as a favourite of ‘French and Italian’ women (see Who What Wear). This feeds into the current American craze for a ‘European summer.’ It is safe to say that white linen trousers are internationally hot for summer 2024.

“It is safe to say that white linen trousers are internationally hot for summer 2024”

However, linen is an enduring summer staple. Linen is loose-fitting, meaning it’s practical for hot weather (skinny jeans and sweat don’t mix). White accentuates a summer tan, and the linen material is absorbent and perfect for the heat. The white linen trouser’s association with popular European holiday destinations makes the wearer seem well-travelled and educated (despite the American ignorance evident in the phrase ‘European summer’).

I can’t help feeling that white linen trousers have a specific appeal that has more to do with class than fashion. I have learned to avoid white, especially for full-length trousers that will drag on the ground. White is impractical to keep clean, and linen is a pain to stay free of creases. Extra upkeep and care are required to ensure linen trousers stay looking crisp and fresh. Not to mention, proper linen is significantly more expensive than cotton, which does not seem to have reached the same level of popularity as its linen counterparts.

So what does white linen really signify? White linen trousers and grass are a match made in hell. The wearer can’t be short on time and resources to keep them clean; just like many other fashion trends, the garment forces one to prioritise the desired look over practicality. Although, of course, class and fashion are never mutually exclusive. The impracticality of white linen trousers speaks as a symptom of privilege. The upkeep will take time and care – or perhaps an au pair. It is no coincidence that the internet has dubbed the white linen as fitting the ‘old money’ aesthetic, and countless influencers can be seen pairing the trousers with monochrome tops and Ralph Lauren jumpers draped uselessly over their shoulders.

“The upkeep will take time and care – or perhaps an au pair”

Maybe I am bitter, or a hypocrite, for launching this criticism towards this almost international fashion staple. I also own garments which require ridiculous upkeep, and white clothing is universally loved in every season (usually in the form of shirts and t-shirts). White linen certainly looks crisp, fresh, and fashionable, as intended, and class is possibly a poor excuse when such advantages are visible. Perhaps what summer 2024 is really seeing is the democratisation of the ‘old money’ white linen; it is suddenly a fashion style conceivable by all. Or, perhaps, I am entirely unaware of the echo chamber of Cambridge fashion I exist within.

Still, pop culture reinforces associations between white and class. Gossip Girl’s ‘white party’ is one example, featuring the notoriously rich Upper East Side crowd in the equally notorious setting of the Hamptons. Either way, for us regular folks, when white is worn the grass stain will stay and the quality will inevitably be lost to the endless washing. Or, maybe, white garments are intended to be disposable pieces? Nevertheless, it isn’t a coincidence that Michael Rubin’s theme is ‘all-white’. It has indisputable connotations of wealth; in their case, enough wealth to disregard the consequences of the stained aftermath.