The Dress That Captured a Summer

We spent a sun-soaked summer last year exploring the French Riviera. From sleepy seaside villages to bustling market mornings, every moment felt like a glimpse into a slower, lighter way of living. If you read our last journal entry, you may recall the experience with a particular linen dress.

“...In Beaulieu-sur-Mer, the humid sea air slowed our pace significantly. The heat would settle in by breakfast and our clothes would cling to us thickly. A morning market proved a godsend. While dodging the sun and jumping from one awning’s shade to the next, I stumbled upon a set of linen dresses. The vendor explained that linen is iconic to the Riviera, and for good reason. Linen absorbs moisture without feeling wet. It dries quickly, hangs loosely, and stays cool and breathable no matter the weather. She had dresses in bright white, sky blue, and sand. I asked for my size, and she explained that her dresses are only one size and that no matter your shape or height, they always seem to fit. To my surprise, she was right.

I spent most of the rest of our summer in that dress.”

Since we returned, we’ve been longing for a way to bring a little piece of the Riviera home with us. That’s when we thought of our perfect linen dress, the one that accompanied us through the summer and held so many memories. We brought the dress home with us, and we brought more so we could share it with you too. These are our favorite things about this dress:

The Material

Linen has been around for centuries, spun from flax, one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. In fact, the oldest piece of woven linen ever discovered dates back over 30,000 years, found in a prehistoric cave in modern-day Georgia. The process of turning flax into linen is labor-intensive and time-honored. It requires care and patience, and you can feel that in the fabric itself. There’s a subtle strength to it, a lived-in beauty that doesn’t fade.

Linen is breathable and strong, about 30 percent stronger than cotton. Its fibers are naturally hollow, which is part of what makes it so breathable and lightweight. It allows air to circulate freely, which helps regulate body temperature and keeps you feeling cool even when the sun is high and the air is still.

It absorbs moisture, up to 20 percent of its weight, without feeling damp, and then releases it quickly, which keeps you dry and comfortable throughout the day. It’s also naturally antibacterial and resistant to mildew, which is especially helpful when you're traveling, layering, or simply living in the same dress for days on end.

The Fit

What we love about this particular dress is how it seems to carry the spirit of the Riviera with it. There’s an ease to the cut and the feel. It’s loose without being shapeless, relaxed but still flattering. You don’t need to pin or tuck or adjust anything. You just slip it on and go. It feels good, looks sweet, and works for just about anything.

We can picture it on all kinds of people, in all kinds of places: café tables under striped awnings, boardwalks with baskets full of apricots, backyards, and beaches. Somehow, it always fits. Not just in size, but in mood.

The Feeling

Over time, linen softens, becoming more supple with every wash and every wear. It’s one of the few fabrics that actually gets better the more you live in it. The linen is a beautiful medium weight, not too sheer, with just enough texture to catch the light. It makes you look like you’ve been somewhere lovely, even if you’ve just stepped outside to water the plants. It feels lived in, but still special. Like something you’ll reach for again and again, and somehow keep loving more each time.

It’s become our go-to on warm days, here and at home. And every time we slip it on, it brings us back. To the slow pace. The salty air. The clink of cutlery in a little courtyard. The hum of the sea brushing against the shore. The simple joy of packing a towel, a good book, and some fruit into a basket and heading toward the water.

Now, the Linen Riviera Dress is part of our Summer on the Riviera collection, and it’s still our favorite. Not because it’s complicated or glamorous. It’s not. But because it feels easy. Because it holds the memory of a place. And because when the sun is warm and you want to feel lovely without trying too hard, it’s the first thing we reach for.

You don’t need to be anywhere near the Mediterranean to wear it. This dress works just as well on porches and patios, on neighborhood strolls and weekend getaways. You’ll wear it more than you expect. And you’ll probably wonder how one dress can do so much.

That’s the beauty of linen. And maybe the magic of the Riviera, too.