Is loungewear the new normal? Being on lockdown has certainly afforded us all some time to reflect on how we dress at home and what constitutes acceptable attire for working from home. We think our latest loungewear arrivals tick all the style boxes, being comfortable, easy to wear, and even easier to style up for those Zoom calls…
It means you can be 'Zoom appropriate' on your top half, but effortlessly casual (note: that does not mean NSFW!) on your bottom half. Who knows what the post-COVID world looks like, but chances are there will be more remote working and that means more opportunities to dress comfortably at home in loungewear that doesn't make you feel like a slob. Just as 'athleisure' infiltrated the luxury scene, it looks likely that loungewear will begin to influence other fields of menswear. It had already started to happen in tailoring, long before the lockdown. Silhouettes were becoming softer, trousers were coming with jogger-like cuffs, sneakers were bookending suits once again. At Oliver Spencer, we've always championed a less formal approach to tailoring, so we'll be really interested to see how people begin to integrate loungewear into their daily wardrobes.
Critical to loungewear looking and feeling great is the fabric. Better quality cotton jersey will hold its shape over time (and washes) and will also retain its colour. Where we can, we use 100% Supima cotton, which is a very superior grade of cotton. Otherwise, our loungewear consists of organic cotton and ecological blends that incorporate recycled cotton. The result is a very soft handle across the whole collection, from tees and sweats to joggers and pyjamas.
In terms of colour, we've been mindful to use a palette that is easily woven into your day-to-day wardrobe, hence pastel hues such as lilac, to more neutral blue, green and grey tones. They're colours that are stunning on their own but are also easily integrated with your other looks. Our new lilac hue for example, perfectly complements most colours, especially navy, grey and other pastel hues, making it ideal for layering with casual tailoring this summer.
Our half-zip sweats and crew-neck sweats are classic pieces that no wardrobe should be without. These two styles will get so much use in and out of the house and make for excellent warm-up attire to slip into pre-workout. That said, they'll look just as good on you horizontal on the sofa with a good book. If you need to polish up for a Zoom call with your boss or colleagues, we've also created a more tailored unlined jersey jacket. It features a hybrid notch/peak lapel and is cut from a beautifully soft cotton jersey. It pairs well with any of our lounge tees but equally you could wear it with a Grandad shirt for more structure.
To shop our entire loungewear collection, click here. Don't forget to follow us on IG @oliverspencer for more inspiration.
Photography: Thom Corbishley / @thomcorbishley
Assistant: Isabel Doraisamy / @isabeldor