Wear it, share it. Is there a creative way you like to wear your pareo that isn’t shown here? Post your photos on our Facebook wall. (You never know – you could even be featured on our blog.)

Long or Short Skirt
The quickest and easiest option, it’s ideal for hiding hips while showing as little or as much leg as you want.

Bandeau Dress
Shows off your beautiful neckline, elegantly hides any lower “trouble” zones.

Crossover Halter Dress
Provides more coverage on top while adding drama to your neckline. Keeps your middle under wraps too.

Twist Front Halter Dress
A little more playful, it brings modern style with secret sensibility – balancing a fuller bust, softly shading hips or a little tummy bulge.

One shoulder Dress
It doubles as a dress to instantly transition from pool to party mode.
Note: requires a bit of flexibililty or you may want to ask your BFF to help.

Shrug
Flowy and carefree, it hides those little imperfections gracefully and tastefully.

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The post Pareo Tying 101 appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

First Date
“They work well for taking lunch along…”

The Big Day
“We purchased this one as a bridesmaid gift…”

It’s a Boy
“I give this bag as baby gifts. Pink for girls and blue for boys, monogrammed with the baby’s name.”

Freshman Move-in
“Perfect graduation gift!”

Golden Anniversary
“For the beach we love having pockets for sunglasses, suntan lotion, paperbacks and other doo-dads…”

Have a story or photos you’d like to share?
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(Please keep any images under 12 Mb.)

The post On Our 50th Anniversary, A Canvas Tote That’ll Be Around For Yours. appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

In those days, the airlines let you check two bags and carry on one more – no charge. Which is how I ended up with one (large) suitcase filled with nothing but shoes. And received a hard lesson in why they call it “luggage.”

Thirty years later, one of my favorite games is to see how minimally I can pack, so the airlines don’t get any more of my money than is absolutely necessary. I call it the “Check-free Challenge.” The goal is simple: to pack everything I need for a long weekend (or even a week) in a rolling carry-on that fits in the overhead, and a shoulder bag that goes under the seat. Sound impossible? Not if you follow a few simple guidelines:

1. Pick one color. Neutral is best (black and navy are personal faves), but if you have a particular color that comprises a lot of your wardrobe, go with that. The key is to make it a color you can coordinate. Establishing a base color simplifies everything – right down to your accessories.

2. Keep the coordinates simple, too. If you have navy pants and a navy skirt, you can mix in tops in lots of other colors: white, red, turquoise, hot pink. Pick one or two and go with them. Stripes or prints add interest. Knit tops pack small.

3. Pack items that do double duty. A swim cover-up can work as a dress, a knit tunic or even a nightgown.

4. Keep the footwear assortment simple. Wow – typing that is hard. But I got it down to three pairs of shoes on my last trip – from the full suitcase of years ago. I’ve become a huge fan of tan or beige shoes. They pretty much disappear on your feet – so they go with everything. Follow the “double duty” principle here, too. A pair of cute little soft-soled flats (like Gatas) can be worn while sight-seeing, taking a bike tour – or even golfing. (I never take single-purpose shoes on vacation, anymore – unless the trip involves a special event.)

5. Accessories take up almost no space, at all. Scarves, jewelry – even a crushable hat – can be tucked into your bag. They’ll help you get even more mileage out of your basic pieces.

6. Wear the heaviest (or bulkiest) stuff on the plane. If you think you’ll need a cardigan sweater or you want to take jeans, don’t pack them – wear them. And since the passengers are likely to be different, wear the same outfit there and back. Nobody will be the wiser.

Above all, plan what you’re going to take well in advance, so you can make sure everything’s clean and in good repair. Make a list. Be disciplined – don’t deviate. The mission creep that occurs during the pre-flight packing frenzy will cause nothing but trouble.

First and foremost, leave the shoe-filled suitcases to the princesses – who have others to carry them. Bon voyage!

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The post The Check-free Luggage Challenge appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

It’s well known that primitive man did not wear pants. This saved laundry time but exposed him to endless nicks and cuts when chasing lunch through the primeval woods and was a distraction to coworkers when he got up in front of meetings to draw powerpoint slides on cave walls.

When chinos came around, primitive man was so happy he bought them in seven colors, which looked real sharp to primitive woman, and they lived happily ever after.

In his dreams.

Actually chinos were popularized in the 1800s, by which time man was (only slightly) less primitive. The Brit’s borrowed the idea from troops in India, but early chinos were stiff and wrinkled and coarse and dull in color, so clothiers improved them and improved them and improved them some more until the ultimate chinos were finally arrived at, and these are those.

With broken-in comfort, multiple fits, wrinkle-free fabrics, endless utility and expectations met. Guaranteed. Period.®

There’s even a comfort waist that expands and contracts, depending upon whether you catch your lunch in the primeval woods today.

Either way, you’ll look great in the attempt.

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The post Prehistoric Pants – Or, Does That Come In Cave Gray? appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

The Lands’ End lighthouse has been intricately stitched on all Lighthouse Collection styles to symbolize our promise to be a beacon for what’s real.

Logo Evolution

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The post The Lighthouse Collection – A Beacon For What’s Real appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

Calling 1996! Check out that cell phone.

It wasn’t the kind of sleek, stylish briefcase the big money boys carried. It didn’t convey wealth, status or an Ivy League pedigree. If Gordon Gekko had seen you carrying it, he would have snorted in disdain.

No, the Original Attaché was always more about Main Street than Wall Street. It was the bag of choice for teachers, lawyers, contractors, architects – anyone who valued function more than fashion.

It was rough and rugged looking, in 18 oz. Square Rigger cotton canvas – the same stuff old-time sailors hassled from the yardarms around Cape Horn. Incredibly durable, yet pliant enough to stretch for that one extra book, brief or folder you always seemed to need.

We introduced it in 1977, along with an overnighter called the Packet and a suit bag called the Captain’s Wardrobe – the first non-sailing bags we’d ever offered. People weren’t used to the idea of a soft-sided briefcase, but for $18.95, many of them decided to give it a try.

And, quickly got “attache-d” to it. Maybe for the homespun look, maybe for the ingenious features, which included a clip for your keys. But also because it was different. You couldn’t take it on a train or a plane without somebody asking, “Where’d you get it?”

In the disco 80’s, it was a welcome symbol of good sense.

Our customers did more than carry our attaché – they wrote to tell us why they liked it, and how it helped them in their work.

“My attaché is roomy enough to hold all the large volumes I use in my work, and the compartments hold my gadgets out in the field,” said Dr. Robert Bianchi, curator at the Brooklyn Museum.

 

“My attaché has been with me to the Far East five times, around the world once, Europe twice, Mexico once, and logged more domestic miles than I’d care to count,” reported Blair Kennedy from Pennsylvania.

 

And from Connecticut, French teacher Patricia Perry: “Le sac est superbe!”

 

Our attaché even had its admirers in political circles. In 1990, Nebraska Governor Kay Orr told us that she and her staff all carried our attaché: “We just couldn’t find a more roomy, professional or durable bag on the market.”

 

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee wrote in 1996 that it was “the most efficient briefcase in the world, which I carry literally everywhere I go.”

Over the years, we sold over a million Original Attachés. How many of them are still on the job? We’re guessing most. The suckers just don’t seem to wear out.

Are you still carrying your Original Attaché? If so, let us know. Maybe if we hear from enough Original fans, we’ll show your letters to the decision makers here at Lands’ End, and ask them why a product this good ever went away.

It sure was an original.
 
 

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The post The Bag You Got “Attache-d” To appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

As Andrew puts it “You may think we sell rock climbing, but what we really are selling is customer service.” And Joel subscribes to the belief that  “Business is a lot like climbing, in that if you’re not advancing, you’re not going anywhere.”

We went there to do some real-world testing of our new Active Polos and Shirts, figuring that if any team could use the moisture-wicking, antimicrobial, quick-drying performance of these shirts, it would be a bunch of climbers.  And we definitely figured right. From wrangling a dozen or more kids during all-day climbing camps to coaching climbing teams prepping for national competitions to setting routes on the club’s 9000 square feet of climbing walls, the gang at Triangle Rock Club never has a dull moment. As Joel told us, “The staff is always on their feet. In fact there are no chairs for employees on the club’s main floor” (not that they would have time to sit!).

Before we went to see the Triangle team, we were expecting them to give us lots of feedback on the performance features of the Active Collection, and while they all appreciated that (especially in regard to their non-stop work routines) there was one comment that really made us proud. Andrew  – remember, he’s the former Marine –  was asked for an overall opinion, and he had this to say: “Being a former Marine, one of the pieces of that is about being professional. This logo wear helps reinforce the professional look that we ask our staff to maintain in their interactions with our customers.” We couldn’t have summed it up any better.

Have a company that could put our products to the test? We’d love to hear it. Connect with us on Facebook.
 

 

The post Triangle Rock Club Puts Our Active Collection To The Test appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

… when you want to look stylish (and stay covered) as you keep up with little ones: “After 2 kids and the effects of gravity, it is nice to feel confident in a swimsuit again.” (MTmomof2)

Cute. Colorful. Comfortable. Flattering. Versatile.

Our largest swim collection means so much to so many. No other has gained such a loyal following.

And does it ever rake in the rave reviews from real women of all shapes, sizes and ages, grateful to have found a suit that lets them love who they are. It has something for everyone.

Beach Living is for when …

… you’ve just about given up ever finding a suit to fit your figure: “Thank you for making a top by cup sizes – I finally have a suit that fits!” (shann8171)

… you prefer a bit more modesty: “I no longer feel comfortable having my thighs exposed so much when in swimwear. A SwimMini is the perfect solution.” (Happy12be)

From cruises to kayaking, waterparks to water aerobics, beaches to backyards, women have happily paraded their Beach Living favorites. Because they truly love the way it makes them feel.

Beach Living isn’t just a collection, it’s become a state of mind. Like the saying goes, “as relaxing as a day at the beach.”

The post What Is Beach Living Anyway? appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

What we didn’t expect was how many fingers would be clicking away on landsend.com to buy this style when it debuted on our Spring New Arrivals site in early January. It sold out in 2 weeks!

That being said, we’re so sorry if you missed out on purchasing this cardigan.

But if it’s any consolation, our in-house artist, Torie, has been busy painting and illustrating even prettier prints that will be popping up throughout the upcoming seasons – so keep your eyes peeled.

Here’s a sneak peek at what she’s been working on. . .

More on Torie later

The post Everyone Picked This Flower appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.

So we decided to have some fun to see just how “weightless” these shoes really are and paired them against some random things we found around our creative department.

The “Official” Gatas Slip On Weigh-In

The Challengers

The “Official” Gatas Skimmer Weigh-In

The Challengers

The post Tread Lightly In These Shoes appeared first on The Lands' End Blog.