7 Casual Pieces You Need In Your Winter Wardrobe
The word ‘casualwear’ is too often used as an excuse to dress comfortably but with little to no regard for style, but that would be a missed opportunity. Let’s face it, menswear has become increasingly relaxed over the last decade, with street-style shapes pervading all corners of the modern man’s wardrobe.
Even tailoring – once a bastion of formality – has been lured over to the slouchy side. So why wouldn’t you want to make an effort when it comes to your casual outfits? In winter especially, comfort and warmth are critical, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of sophistication and elegance.
A slew of contemporary brands have been making it their mission to redefine men’s casualwear through the lens of modern minimalism, focusing on classic silhouettes rendered in fine natural fibres. LESTRANGE is one such brand that has been winning plaudits for its understated luxury take on everyday menswear essentials, creating pieces that effortlessly and seamlessly slide into any discerning wardrobe.
We’ve curated seven key garments that will bring a keen sense of quiet luxury to your wardrobe, all of which pivot around a tight colour palette of core neutral tones.
The Heavyweight Hoodie
Not all hoodies are created equally. Sure, there’s not a great deal of diversity involved in hoodie design but what sets the great apart from the merely good is the quality of cotton they are crafted from.
Flimsy, lightweight styles lack durability and can quickly lose their shape so you’d be better advised to invest in a heavyweight cotton yarn. LESTRANGE’s Icon hoodie fits the bill, crafted in Portugal from premium French Terry fleece that has some substance to it.
Pull it on and it feels reassuringly weighty, without being bulky. Small details such as the hidden pockets and the double-layered hood make a big difference, not to mention the fact that the cotton Terry fleece is organic.
It’s a great piece to layer under a wool coat and black wide-leg trousers for an edgy minimalist look this winter.
Luxe Sweatpants
Cotton sweatpants were originally designed by the French sports brand Le Coq Sportif for track and field athletes way back in 1920. But it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that they became part of the casualwear uniform, thanks in large part to their adoption by hip-hop culture.
More recently, trackpants have ascended to the more luxurious echelons of menswear, mixed in with relaxed tailored silhouettes and sneakers. LESTRANGE’s Sunday joggers firmly exist in this category, crafted from heavyweight cotton composed of 50% organic cotton and 50% recycled cotton.
Available in navy, grey, and black options, the Sunday joggers are perfect for off-duty casual looks or just kicking back at home. The understated colourways make them very versatile, and are great options for those who prefer their wardrobes with a neutral colour palette.
Zip-Neck Sweater
The zip-neck sweater must be one of the most underused winter garments for men. LESTRANGE’s Easy Zip style is crafted in super-soft, RWS-approved fine merino wool, and eschews the traditional funnel neck for a turn-down collar more akin to a polo shirt.
The result is a more modern preppy aesthetic that can be worn casually with trackpants or can be layered under soft tailoring for a laidback sartorial look.
Available in both grey and navy styles, it’s a stunning piece of winter layering that can be styled in a multitude of ways.
Unstructured Overcoat
Tailored coats are no longer the preserve of smart sartorial wardrobes. Classic coat silhouettes have been reimagined for a more relaxed modern wardrobe, utilising minimalist design to complement luxury casualwear. A prime example of this is LESTRANGE’s Jersey Wool Coat, cut in a beautifully soft textured knitted wool and featuring corozo nut buttons, hidden welt pockets and pointed lapels.
The lack of internal structure allows for a soft natural drape that follows the contours of the shoulders. What’s more, the coat features a unique modular attachment at the centre-back neck, which allows you to add layers such as LESTRANGE’s modular shell and vest styles.
Combining relaxed elegance with modern utility, it’s a dynamic and stylish garment to wear with all of your smart and casual fits.
Minimalist Sweatshirt
No winter casualwear wardrobe is complete without an arsenal of soft, warm sweatshirts. The traditional crew neck style is a no-brainer, able to be styled up or down while also being an essential shape in the modern preppy trend.
LESTRANGE’s sweatshirts are sublimely minimalist, with super-clean lines and zero embellishments, making them very versatile and easy to style. They’re constructed from an equal blend of organic cotton and recycled cotton, woven into a heavyweight loopback yarn, and come in black, grey, and navy tones.
Drawstring Pants
When a pair of luxe joggers is just too casual, but a pair of traditional tailored pants is too formal, your options can get somewhat sketchy, especially in the winter months when chinos look out of place.
LESTRANGE has devised the perfect solution in the guise of its 24 Trouser. This style combines the best of both the aforementioned pants, being cut in a tailored silhouette, but with all the comfort you’d expect from a pair of sweatpants.
The hidden drawstring detail and elasticated waist ensure supreme comfort, deftly disguised by the tailored details. What’s more, they’re crafted from 6oz regenerative cotton with a 4-way stretch, and come in both slim and relaxed fits across eight colourways.
A pair of these will add a tonne of easy styling options to your seasonal wardrobe since they can be worn with minimalist casualwear, loungewear and casual outerwear such as bombers, overshirts and unstructured wool blazers.
Cotton Overshirt
In recent seasons, the humble overshirt (AKA shacket) has quietly risen up the menswear ranks to become a non-negotiable year-round layer. Its significance is that much more pertinent in autumn and winter, when clever layering can add warmth and depth to a look.
LESTRANGE has produced a stellar version in its 24 Overshirt, which is a unique collaboration with Waterford Distillery, the world’s largest producer of biodynamic and organic whisky. The overshirt is crafted from 100% regenerative stretch cotton with a custom print lining inspired by Waterford’s Map of Provenance, from where the whisky’s barley is grown.
The overshirt is decidedly minimalist, with just a sleek chest pocket as the only embellishment, and comes in an exclusive barley tone, perfect for those who err on wearing pale neutral tones.
