on-board

Dive into summer...

Let’s face it; with the weather doing its best to put a dampener on everybody’s summer plans, there seems little incentive to turn your attention to what you’ll be wearing on the beach. But there’s one very important reason to ensure that the humble swimming cossie is still an integral part of your summer wardrobe…

THE ANNUAL SUMMER BEACH HOLIDAY – usually eagerly anticipated and dreaded in equal measure, this two week fiesta will see you spending more time in that tiny piece of clothing than anything else.

But choosing suitable beach attire can seem like a minefield; which bits to hold in and which to expose? And is the current trend to match tops and bottoms or not?

But before you panic at the very thought and resolve to stay completely covered in a Nigella-style burkini, check out our simple guide to finding the perfect beachwear for you:

Wear your curves with confidence!

Want a flatter tummy and smoother hips? No problem! Our NEW Shape and Enhance range uses innovative technology to provide control at the points of the body where you need it and allow natural shaping where you don’t. This exclusive collection combines great design features with a higher leg cut for a truly modern look.

Shop Twist-strap Swimsuit

Shop Halterneck Swimsuit

Shop Belted Swimsuit

Or Shop Shape and Enhance Swim Collection

Adventure-ready styles

If lounging on a sunbed isn’t your style, then you’ll need swimwear to keep up with your demanding activities. Our AquaFitness and AquaTerra ranges are made from chlorine-resistant XtraLife Lycra for longer-lasting shape and fit plus UPF 50 sun protection to shield skin from the sun whilst you play beach volleyball!

Shop AquaTerra™ Batik Tankini Top

Shop AquaFitness Butterfly Swimsuit

Shop AquaTerra™ Brazil Scoopneck Bikini Top

Or Shop AquaTerra and Aqua Fitness Collections

Skipped your gym sessions?

Don’t panic! Our Slender Swimsuits have all-over control to make you look slimmer in seconds. Designed with a Slendertex base suit for firm control and a more defined silhouette, these timeless styles are perfect for giving you ultimate beach body confidence.

Shop Keyhole Slender Swimsuit

Shop Princess Slender Swimsuit

Shop V-Neck Slender Swimsuit

Or Shop Slender Swimsuits Collection

Need versatile packing options?

Take the headache out of trying to co-ordinate tops and bottoms with our Beach Living Collection. Mix and match cute tankini tops in plains and patterns with our swim bottoms, swim minis and swim shorts – all with a discreet tummy control lining which means no breathing in required!

Shop Jersey Cover Up

Shop Halter Neck Tunic Top & Tummy Control Bottoms

Shop Bardot Floral Print & Tummy Control SwimMini

Or Shop Beach Living Collection

No-fuss swimwear

Described as the ‘Queen of Swimsuits’ by one adoring customer our classic Tugless swimsuit continues to make waves as part of our swim collection. A best-seller for years, it’s sensibly cut with a simple scoop neck and modest leg height and is guaranteed to stay put as you swim, stroll and sunbathe!

Shop Tugless swimsuit with soft cup bra

Shop Tugless swimsuit with no bra

Shop Tugless swimsuit with shelf bra

Or Shop Tugless Swimsuits Collection

 

So don’t cower under a beach towel or kaftan this year, strut your stuff on the sand and wear your Lands’ End swimsuit with pride. Happy holidays!

 

Riddle me this...

In celebration of National Limerick Day on Sunday, we ran a competition in which we asked our faithful Facebook family to come up with a Lands’ End limerick...and they turned out to be a truly talented bunch!

We were inundated with entries and spent Monday morning with the difficult task of trying to pick our five favourites from all of the fantastic rhymes we received.

We've printed the winners below so you can enjoy them as much as we did...congratulations to Sarah Harper, Janis Catlin, Jane Willis, Carol Bizzell and Jude Hutchinson who all get a £20 gift voucher!

So what did you think? Please free to comment below and let us know which one is your favourite!

Monkeying Around!

Where better to test our new kids' spring/summer clothing range (including our award-winning Iron-Knee® trousers) than climbing through the trees and tackling the tarzan swing at 'Go Ape' Forest Adventure Park in Norfolk?

Joining Ruth and Charlotte from our kidswear team on their Treetop Adventure were Daisy Bridgewater from The Telegraph Magazine, Catherine O'Dolan and Kate Donoughue from Junior parenting magazine, Julie Player from Take a Break & of course, nine of their little monkeys!

The wet and windy weather was no problem for our intrepid adventurers who were all kitted out in a variety of practical clothing, including the mums who were delighted to be looking stylish whilst scaling new heights.

Ruth told us: "It was great fun, but absolutely terrifying…I'm not sure I could handle the adult's course! Even though the weather wasn't very kind to us on the day, I still managed to stay warm and dry in my lovely Lands' End Cropped Trench Jacket."

The Essential Kit:

Iron Knee® Classic-Fit Jeans  - a universal success, everyone thought these were great quality and easily stood up to the inclement weather conditions.

Boys' Waterproof Navigator Rain Jackets – perfect for everything from a drizzle to a downpour, these certainly lived up to their name and kept the boys completely dry.

Girls' Heart Pocket Hoodies – adored by the girls for the cute heart pockets but for being scrumptiously soft and warm too; especially on those with sensitive skin.

Our Fine Gauge Polka Dot Cardigan and Rainstop Parka went down really well with all the mums who loved the bold, bright colours and flattering styles – after all, getting wet and muddy should be no barrier to looking good!

Spots & Stripes...

Earn your fashion stripes by pairing pretty polka dots with lovely lines for a bold look this season. We've selected six of our favourite separates to mix and match for a catwalk-inspired look that's spot-on for spring…

Cotton Voile Scarf

Not ready for the head-to-toe trend? At under £20, this cute scarf with its spots and bold colourblock trim is a subtle salute at this high fashion look – without going completely dotty!

Shop now - £19.95

Fine Gauge Cardigan

You can't beat a classic cardi for spring versatility and this super-soft polka dot number looks great worn with stripy trousers or skirts. Keep it plain with a layering tee or vest top underneath to avoid pattern/print overload.

Shop now - £49.95

Cotton/Modal Wrap Dress

Fun, flirty and absolutely fabulous, this iconic dress is showered in pretty polka dots and works wonders for creating that coveted hourglass shape. Accessorise with a stripy scarf for the easiest way to wear the spots and stripes combo this season.

Shop now - £49.95

Crepe Pleated Skirt

Pleats & striking horizontal stripes; what's not to love? This lovely, floaty skirt is what spring and summer is all about, combining just the right amount of structure for a flattering fit with a healthy dose of swoosh!

Shop now - £49.95

Elbow Sleeve Open Crew Neck

This wide striped crew neck is THE way to work the nautical trend this season. Want to play it safe? Team it with a pair of indigo denim jeans for a chic look that would look right at home on the Riviera.

Shop now - £24.95

Striped Milano Blazer

The hero of your spring wardrobe, a little lightweight jacket can bring a look together instantly. Our Milano striped blazer is the perfect statement piece for this key trend and would look fab worn with a spotty blouse or shirt.

Shop now - £69.95

 

Shop for spots

Shop for stripes

 

 

Come fly with me...

 

Last weekend our E-commerce Assistant, Adam took to the skies above Rutland to get an aerial view of England’s smallest county and the home of Lands' End HQ.  Join him on this amazing experience…

"My friend Steve had been bought an hour’s flying lesson by his wife at Christmas but due to the weather had to wait until now to redeem it. I jumped at the chance to go along with him and immediately had visions of us as Maverick and Goose from Top Gun and spent the whole morning prior to the flight singing ‘Danger Zone’.

We arrived at the private air-field, a mere 6 miles from Oakham and following a quick safety briefing by the pilot we were on-board (a lot quicker than I’ve ever managed to get onto a plane before – even with priority boarding!). Within minutes the propeller was turning; so with headphones on (and aviators of course), I heard the crackled voice of our pilot requesting permission to take-off and performing some final checks…this was it, we were ready to go!

The take-off was smooth and somewhat surreal. Unlike being in a 747 you seem to  make the transition from land to air with considerable ease and simply glide off the ground without knowing. After a quick turn, the pilot passed control over to Steve who used the A1 as a guideline to head north towards Grantham, whilst I was happily snapped away in the back trying to take as many photos as possible.

As we approached the outskirts of Grantham we began to fly towards Belvior Castle and the surrounding grounds – all of which looked very imposing from the air. Our pilot informed us that the owner of Belvior Castle apparently owns a small plane like the one we were in. Steve was quick to point out that this was no surprise; he who can afford such an impressive castle can certainly afford a plane!

We were now eating up the miles, heading back towards Oakham and before I knew it a very familiar large white building appeared on the horizon; Lands’ End HQ! I was quite surprised at just how big it looked from the air considering so many other structures and buildings I knew looked small and insignificant.

A few laps of Oakham later we headed out towards Rutland Water, one of the biggest man-made reservoirs in Europe. As we flew over it was remarkable to be above and look down on something that I’ve visited since I was child. ‘The Ressie’, as it’s known locally, holds a massive 124,000,000m³ of water within its 4.19 square miles and flying over it really gave me a sense of the enormity of it that you can't get from the ground.

Our next stop was Harringworth Viaducts which again was amazing to see from a different angle. The viaducts are quite imposing from the ground and stand at over 60 ft. tall but from the air they look like part of a train set! It’s only as you get closer you realise how big they are.

Now with only one stop left on our whirlwind tour of Rutland and the surrounding areas we headed towards Stamford to take in the view of Burghley House from the air. Despite having driven past this impressive house on many occasions I’ve never visited it properly so was surprised to see the size of the grounds that surrounded it. I know that I’ll be heading back for a better look very soon, albeit on the ground this time!

With just a few minutes of flying time left the pilot took control once again and lined us up ready to land. I was hoping that we might be able to ‘buzz the tower’ but it seemed that on this occasion the pattern was full – maybe next time!

Overall it was a fantastic way to spend an hour of my weekend and one which I certainly won’t forget for a long time; in fact I enjoyed it so much, I want to be the one in the pilot's seat next time. I’d highly recommend anyone giving this a go but if you’re not quite sure if you want to be the next Maverick then find someone who is and sit in the back taking in the sights – I promise you that you’ll never find a better view!”

In the Press...

We're delighted to discover that fashion editors everywhere love our spring styles as much as we do! Check out the latest Lands' End looks that have appeared in the press:

 

The perfect layer, whatever the weather

No spring/summer wardrobe is complete without a simple, lightweight layer and Prima magazine give our Textured Pique Jacket a big thumbs up. It features in their April edition as one of their tops macs for spring and is deemed to be universally flattering for all figures. Better still, you'll stand out from the crowd in the bold, bright Colonial Yellow colour – all we need now is the sunshine!

Shop today - £90.00

 

 

Scrumptious shades for spring

Pastel colours are one of this season's hottest trends and how better to wear them than in a candyfloss soft cotton sweater? Our pure combed cotton Drifter Cable Crewneck is teamed with on-trend printed trousers in The Daily Mirror's fashion selection for spring. Our designers went all-out on the girly factor with this sweater too with the allover soft cable knit and pretty shell buttons.

Shop today - £39.95

 

 

Weekend dressing at its best

We've long championed the art of chic, casual, dressing and Prima magazine think our Fine Gauge Grosgrain Trim Cardi is perfect for creating a layered look for the weekend. The classic navy shade works well with this season's nautical stripes and thanks to its three-quarter sleeves and cropped length, offers the perfect contrast over a long-sleeved tee.

Shop today - £39.95

 

 

 

 Your easiest outfit ever!

There's no easier outfit than a timeless top or jumper that works well with jeans and Take a Break magazine certainly agree. Their 'Just add Jeans' fashion feature showcases our classic Fine Gauge Short sleeve jumper which comes in virtually every colour under the sun! Wear solo or pair with our matching Fine Gauge cardi; either way, it's a look that will take you through spring and beyond in style.

Shop today - £24.95

 

 

 

Wear-with-anything favourites

Our super cute Bianca bow ballet shoes won't leave you feeling blue this spring – they're featured in Prima magazine's article on the newest looks for the season. In a light-as-air construction, these fabulous flats will go with virtually anything in your wardrobe and come in a cool, vibrant blue hue – THE colour to be seen in.

Shop today - £49.95

 

 

Top marks for our newest recruits 

Everyone's talking about our award-winning wonders, the Iron Knee trousers and even The Telegraph Magazine think they're the bees knees!

Our colourful boys' cadet trousers are reinforced with a polyester knee patch for double the durability where they need it most…so let your little angels do their worst – we can guarantee the trousers will stand up to the toughest playground tackles!

Shop today - £24.95

 

 

All of the featured styles this week can be seen in recent editions of the following publications…

            

          

Hello Polo!

It’s Polo season and we’ve got a great mix of new styles and refreshed favourites for you to choose from! But in a market place which is often full of big-brands, big logos and big colours why should you choose a Lands’ End polo? Well, allow us to tell you…

 

NEW! SOFT, CHIC POLOS

Our new piqué polo is a modern take on a classic, in vivid, yarn-dyed colours that stay true, wash after wash. The airy piqué knit fabric is also a little softer, thanks to a light blend of cotton with modal. A narrow, no-button placket and cute ‘Johnny Collar’ in coordinating narrow stripe, give a chic, understated look!

Shop Plain colours

Shop Stripes

 

 

 SPORTY PIQUÉ POLOS

Our softest, coolest, most flattering Piqué Polos ever! With a shapely fit that’s just right – not too tight, not too boxy. With refined details like a narrower placket and a no-curl collar. And best of all, a hint of stretch to put you at ease. You’ll love them – that’s guaranteed.

Shop Plain colours

Shop Tipped Collar

 

 

SMOOTH PIMA POLOS

‘Suave como el pelo de un angel’ or ‘soft as the hair of an angel’ – that’s how the Peruvian farmers describe the cotton they grow for these polos. The delicate fibres are picked by hand, spun into silky yarns then knitted into a smooth interlock jersey that feels simply heavenly!

Our most feminine polo has neatly hemmed sleeves, a longer placket and a new ‘tipped’ collar options in a pretty dot print.

Shop Plain colours

Shop Dot Print

 

SUPER-T™ POLOS

We found our Super-T™ jersey to be just too good to limit to tees alone. And we’ve made Henley’s and Polo Necks for some time now, it finally dawned on us to put it into a Polo! Eureka! So here it is, built Super-T tough, and ready to resist pilling, shrinkage, fading and wrinkles for years.

Shop Super-T™ Polo

Shop Engineered Stripe Super-T™ Polo

Shop Narrow Stripe Super-T™ Polo

 

SPORTY PIQUÉ POLO

Our legendary polo has all the details you’d expect to find in a designer brand (maybe more, in fact) – minus the designer price tag. A robust collar that won’t curl. Comfortable half-moon yoke. Shatterproof buttons, cross-stitched to stay put. And a beefy piqué fabric that manages to be cool and soft while heroically refusing to fade, pill, shrink or wrinkle. This season’s short sleeve polo has a choice of traditional or tailored fits, new stripes and a tipped-collar version, too. All styles feature a vented tennis-tail hem.

Shop Plain Colours

Shop Stripes

 

NEW! THE SUPIMA POLO

Our dressiest short sleeve polo now comes in Supima – America’s finest, most sought after cotton. It’s premium quality yarns create a jersey that’s outstandingly smooth and durable. Wear our newest, softest polo once, and prepare to be converted!

- 100% Supima cotton in a rich interlock jersey knit.

- Resists pilling, fading, wrinkles and shrinkage for lasting good looks.

- Redesigned two-piece collar is densely knitted to resist curling.

- Available in traditional or tailored fit.

Shop Traditional Fit

Shop Tailored Fit

Dress-up your spring wardrobe

Whilst the weather might not be summer dress-ready just yet, it pays to be organised when it comes to your spring/summer wardrobe. Invest in a few cute dresses now – pair darker colours with tights and boots and wear lighter colours with a cardigan for outfits to take you through the cooler months. When the sun eventually arrives, throw off the layers and make the most of those bold prints and patterns! We've picked a few of our favourites for every occasion this season…

 

Best for…a holiday essential

When packing for your holidays, you need pieces that won't crumple up in transit; after all, there's no time for ironing when you should be relaxing in the sun! So make some space in your suitcase for this pretty empire line dress which is made from a blend of cotton and modal with a hint of stretch to keep it wrinkle free.

Shop our Patterned Jersey Crossover Dress today, £49.95.

Buy it here!

 

 Best for…easy outfitting

If you're having one of those mornings when nothing seems to look quite right, then a fail-safe polo dress is your best option. Made from breathable stretch pique cotton with a subtle, flattering A-line shape, simply add sandals and you're ready to go!

Shop our Striped Stretch Piqué Polo Dress today, £44.95.

Buy it here!

 

 

 

Best for…a summer wedding

Plain colours work perfectly for summer weddings, making it easy to co-ordinate hats, bags and jewellery without a print/pattern overload. This gorgeous fluid wrap dress has an asymmetric hem for a truly feminine look…and the coral colour looks amazing with a tan.

Shop our Asymmetric Fluid Wrap Dress today, £59.95.

Buy it here!

 

 

 

 Best for….making a statement

Make an impression from every angle in this gorgeous crepe de chine dress thanks to the unique allover print and stunning draped crossover back (perfect for revealing just the right amount of skin). Cinch in the waist with the slim self-fabric belt or add your own and you'll have a look that will take you from daytime to evening with ease.

Shop our Crossover-back Dress today, £69.95.

Buy it here!

 

From Canvas to Closet

Our unique dress prints are brought to life by our team of talented designers. Watch our YouTube video in which one of our conceptual designers, Torie Davis tells us about her inspiration for the latest prints in our spring/summer collection.

From canvas to closet...

Once a year, in the springtime, there's a miracle in Mongolia.

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in our quest to source the best quality material for our garments?  Well, for our luxurious cashmere knitwear, it all starts now; in springtime, as one of our US colleagues discovered on a recent visit to Mongolia, home to the finest quality cashmere fleece…

"The Kashmir goat yields up its precious, downy underhair – arguably the most sought after natural fibre the world has ever known, ever since the 16^th century when fashionistas created a sensation in Parisian salons by drawing their ultra-fine cashmere shawls through a wedding ring. On a recent visit, we witnessed the miracle first-hand, standing outside a small yurt in the Inner Mongolian grasslands. A herdsman named Ma Xi begins quickly, expertly clipping a goat’s coarser guard hairs. Then, with a rake-like instrument tipped with crochet hooks, he combs the goat’s coat. Soft underhair comes out easily, building up quickly on the long tines. The goat seems to enjoy it. Combing takes about 20 minutes, after which Ma Xi slowly works the blanket of fleece off the tines and stacks it atop a dozen similar bundles. After the combing is done, these will be baled and trucked to the factory. 

Cashmere can come from many places – Turkey, Pakistan, New Zealand, even that organic farm down the road from you – but Mongolian 'white cashmere' is considered the finest in the world. Why is this true? Top-quality cashmere fibres are long, strong and fine. Kashmir goats raised elsewhere are often shorn rather than combed, which results in shorter fibers. Also, warmer climates discourage fleece growth. The cold, windy climate of Mongolia is perfect for producing the longest, loftiest fleece found anywhere. Once at the factory, the goat fleece is cleaned, dyed, dried, mixed for colour consistency and spun into yarn.

Special machinery has been installed for Lands’ End to double the single-ply yarn, since all Lands’ End cashmere is made from the heavier two-ply. This added heft is obvious when we handle several of the finished sweaters. Lands’ End sweaters are also more tightly knit than many on the market, which adds to their weight, softness and durability.

You may be the cynical type, and say, “It’s just a sweater…” But to us, as many years as we’ve been in the clothing business, it still feels like a miracle.  What else can you say about remarkable goats that live in the harshest climate, yet grow the softest fleece?  Or dedicated herdsmen who stay on guard through the longest, coldest nights to ward off the fox and the mountain eagle? Maybe most important of all, what other experience in the world of clothing can thrill like your first touch of cashmere? So experience the miracle, Lands’ End style, and think of the unsung goats who brought it to you."

Our new range of cashmere arrives later this year so experience the quality for yourself; and who knows, you could end up wearing a jumper from the very goats that Ma Xi sheared in front of our colleague recently!

Please note: no goats we're harmed in the making of our sweaters or the production of this blog post! Happy shopping everyone!

Shop Cashmere

Shop all Lands' End

Walk this way...

Last week we hosted our latest fashion show at Lands’ End with some of our braver staff taking to the catwalk to showcase some off our latest styles for Spring 2013! Below our Merchandising Director Nicola walks us through the styles…

 

“Catherine was first down the catwalk and she wore two of our current best sellers; the Drifter Cable Crew and the Floral Crops. In a bright wintergreen shade, our Drifter sweater is made from soft, pure cotton and is a great transitional piece at £39.95. We layered it over a crisp white non-iron shirt to show its versatility.

Florals are big news this season but it’s not just on tops and dresses - a vibrant pair of floral crops in your spring/summer wardrobe are a must. These cute crops are available in two different colours and are mid–rise so they sit just comfortably below the natural waist.

To complete the look Catherine wore a pair of our bright blue ballet shoes which coordinate with the floral print perfectly."

 

 

“Alan’s outfit makes casual spring/summer dressing look so easy!  We built his look around the V-neck Cricket Sweater which has recently been featured in the Daily Mail and is already proving to be a key look this season.

We teamed this with one of our best-selling Supima Cotton Polo’s and Plain Front Original Chino Shorts for a relaxed, yet refined look.

To complete his look Alan wore a pair of our Heritage Leather Boat Shoes in a neutral brown which not only look great but are so comfortable too.”

 

 

 

 

“Our third model down the catwalk was Susan and she was dressed from head to toe in Lands’ End best sellers. The sleek and slim Cropped Chino’s are worn with one of our best-selling Pima Polo’s; with its feminine design features, silky-soft feel, on trend dot print and amazing price of £24.95, it's no wonder that it’s so popular!

Layered on top is our legendary Fine Gauge Cardigan which is available in numerous colours and several prints – one is never enough!

Finishing touches are just as important and to complete Susan’s look she wore a floral scarf in soft, light cotton voile, a floral canvas tote and pair of chambray wedged espadrilles.”

 

 

“Rama is our newest Lands' End model and we all thought he made a fantastic first impression! As we are always striving to attract a younger customer, we've designed a European exclusive contrast detail shirt. In a pink gingham poplin, Rama’s shirt has a beautiful blue chambray contrast collar and cuffs and is slimmer in fit to our regular shirts. This exclusive rivals many of the designer brands and at just £39.95, it’s a fantastic buy.

This year, our Ringspun Denim Jeans also get the new sleeker-look treatment! These jeans are trimmer in the thigh, sit just below the waist and run straight from hip to hem for a great contemporary look. Rama's look was completed with a pair of chestnut Suede Lace-ups and a striped elastic belt.”

 

 

“Continuing the floral trend, we dressed our final model, Ellie in our beautiful floral placement print Crossover Back Dress. With its elasticated waist, ruched shoulders with slight cap sleeve and fully lined A-line skirt, this dress is a real head turner. What’s also really wonderful about this dress is its stunning and unusual draped crossover back.

Our lovely yellow Supima Grosgrain trim cardi is the perfect layering option for summer and extra-special thanks to the pretty pearl shell buttons and three-quarter length sleeves.

Finally, we accessorised Ellie’s outfit with a pair of navy wedge sandals and one of the necklaces from our pearl cluster collection.”