For me, finding the ideal WFH outfit is a little more complicated than just wearing stretchy shorts and then slapping on a clean sweater or button-front shirt over my workout tees for a Zoom call. A year into this mess, I’ve learned that making an effort to get dressed in the morning makes me more productive. It’s a restrained effort, of course — considering most of my day is spent at the dining room table deleting press releases as they come in, making a big fuss doesn’t feel worth it — but I do try. Let’s just say I look professional, but I won’t be posting any #OOTD anytime soon.
Just as the weather was getting cold, I came across the perfect solution. It’s at once supremely comfortable and makes me feel like I’m at least trying: Land’s End’s Long-Sleeve Slub Button-Down Shirt. Made of cotton-poly blend slub jersey, it resembles an easy, drapey T-shirt with all the aesthetic details of a dress shirt: a collar, buttons, and a left chest pocket. So the bare minimum for making me feel ready for the day has been met. But most button-down shirts are made of woven textiles that are typically stiffer than a knit like jersey, which is super soft and has more give and movement, making it fall nicely on your body. Plus, there are the slubs, or parts of the yarn that are thicker than others. These knotty “imperfections” add a touch more weight, texture, and structure to the shirt.
Think of this piece as a thin, cotton sweater made to look like a button-down shirt. That’s kind of what I’m obsessed with: It marries the comfortable yet slightly sexier vibe of a snug sweater with the professional “go get ’em” attitude of a button-down. Because if I’m trying to rise above an existential crisis brought on by a looming deadline and a pandemic, I want to look like a slightly slutty workhorse. And this shirt lets me achieve that.
Then there’s the amazing price. A few months ago, I paid $24 for the striped burgundy color (on sale). It — along with two versions of blue — is now down to $12 with promo code “great.” We already know that you don’t need to drop a ton on quality jersey sheets. Turns out, the same is true for jersey shirts. If Land’s End’s quality control can be trusted, I should get years of wear out of this shirt. (And I do plan to get plenty of wear out of it. As with my linen shirt obsession, I tend to obsess over articles of clothing until I destroy them. It’s one of the four things that makes me amazing.) I’m keeping my fingers crossed that other human beings might even soon see me wearing it IRL.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
