Some things in life are just as good as you remember them. Caramel apples, for one. The Parent Trap. Falling asleep in the back of a car. And, it turns out, Lands’ End. I carried a Lands’ End backpack into fourth grade and I tossed a Lands’ End tote bag in the trunk of my car for a weekend away last month. Your mom knew what she was doing when she shopped that catalogue over the phone decades ago.
What makes Lands’ End so good? The quality. That’s obvious. And the lack of any real tether to trends or fads, which keeps the brand — or at least its core offerings, like sweaters and sheets — from being stuck in a moment in time. It feels cool to wear something that’s impossible to identify. No one has ever come up to me while I’ve been running down Orchard Street to pick up tailoring with a matcha balanced against my chin, and asked, “Hey, is that navy-blue poplin pajama set you’re wearing with boat shoes Lands’ End?” The brand flies under the radar. Which, to me, is exactly where I prefer to exist as a shopper.
There are cornerstones that make Lands’ End — which is based in the Midwest and was founded in 1963 to sell sailboat equipment for racing sailors — well, Lands’ End. The sheets, which have been covered on the Strategist before, are iconic for a reason. The canvas totes go head-to-head with L.L. Bean’s totes and, depending whom you ask, might just be a cut above them. The Lands’ End you buy now stands a strong chance of becoming an eventual heirloom. Here, I’ve compiled a collection of my favorites (and if you’re looking for more Lands’ End inspiration, check out how its fashion director, Amanda Kraemer, styles the pieces).
The stripes on these rugby shirts keep things from feeling too preppy, and the shirts are a more-interesting alternative to wearing a hoodie to dinner. If you’re in between sizes, size up. (The shirt runs a little oversize, but a tiny rugby shirt is a pet peeve of mine.)
I try a lot of sheets: expensive, the kind that run Instagram ads, linen flax from Portugal, you name it. My husband, who has famously indifferent feelings toward our homewares, asked immediately where these were from. “They feel like a hotel,” he mused. In layman’s terms: The sheets wash brilliantly and feel cool on the skin. Nothing delights me more than saying, “Can you believe they’re Lands’ End?”
Sometimes, white towels get a little boring. This striped set feels like a utilitarian art piece in our tiny NYC bathroom. Plus I’ve washed them every week and they just keep getting softer. I had my last set of Lands’ End towels for nine years and expect no less for these.
Bike shorts are out. Men’s pajama shorts are in. I wear mine with the matching top or another big button down. They’re so much more comfortable than women’s pajamas, which often feature “flattering” cuts that create pulling and bunching unnecessarily. Order a size up for a truly lounge-worthy fit.
Here’s the matching shirt that’s chic enough to stand on its own. Order it with a contrasting monogram on the pocket and give it as a gift.
Trust me on the XL size if you’re a weekend overpacker like me. If you order with a zipper top, you can securely stack yours on top of your suitcase, too. I prefer the all-black with a cream monogram.
Who said raincoats have to be corny? This pullover is equal parts efficient at keeping you dry and actually cute. The material is textured without feeling stiff, making it ideal for throwing in the wash after a day on the trails. And the massive front pocket turns out to be quite useful.
These come in regular, petite, and tall for those looking to try out corduroy for the fall. These pants have just the right amount of stretch to look vintage but feel comfortable. Coupled with the slight stretch in the material, the zipper, in place of a button fly, makes the pants easy to wear.
This shirt makes me feel dressed up for work with zero effort. Now that I think about it, I’d even wear this with the pajama shorts and some ballet flats.
Other brands are making trendier versions of these boots, but these feel like the kind you could buy today and rewear through whatever -core comes next.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
