on-board

The Backyard Experiment: Lands’ End Expedition Jackets

 

When it comes to tackling tough winter weather, we could take a tip or two from our US colleagues who recently had to do battle with the Polar Vortex that spread across the country. So how did they deal with the big freeze? Batten down the hatches, turn up the central heating and wait for it all to pass? No way! Two intrepid Lands' End adventurers took the opportunity to brave the elements and put our outerwear to the ultimate test. 

View Randy's video report from the (very cold) frontline…

"On Monday, January 6th, a weather phenomenon called a Polar Vortex (which if you ask me sounds like a new sports drink flavour) dipped down from northern Canada and covered the entire midsection of the US. At our home office in Dodgeville the temperature was -18° F with wind chills in the -20s and -30s. While most people hunkered down and stayed inside, we took advantage of this crazy cold snap to test our Lands’ End Expedition Jackets and Artic Gloves. We ran our own little backyard experiment to see how warm it is underneath our Expedition outerwear. Using a simple indoor/outdoor digital thermometer, we wired the sensor under the jacket. Then we set out to brave the elements and document that our outerwear can handle Mother Nature’s worst. Quality. Guaranteed.®"

 

Seasonal trend: Fair Isle Sweaters

I LOVE the Fair Isle knit. It conjures up cosy images of Christmas time and roaring log fires, without being, well, too Christmassy. Easy-to-wear yet siginificantly more sophisticated than their Rudolph-embossed counterparts, Fair Isle sweaters should be a staple in every woman's wardrobe this winter.

But where did the Fair Isle knit get its popularity? For that we need to delve into the history of a miniscule island (really - it's only three square miles!) halfway between Orkney and Shetland in northern Scotland, with a population of only 70 or so islanders. 

 

 

Local knitters on Fair Isle discovered that fine yarns stranded into a double layer produced durable, warm, yet lightweight garments. It is likely that the island women developed the distinctive horizonal geometric patterns when a piece of patterned knitting was bartered into the isle from a passing ship – probably from Scandinavia.

 

 

 

For hundreds of years, demand for hand-knitting kept the islanders busy but it wasn't until the Prince of Wales (later to become Edward VIII) wore Fair Isle tank tops in public in 1921 that the popularity of the knit saw a meteroric rise!

The use of dyes from local sources meant the garments originally came in rather muted shades, but modern dyeing and knitting techniques now mean that Fair Isle gloves, scarves, hats and clothing abound in the brightest of hues.

So how to wear it? Well, if you're not shy of mixing your prints and patterns, then pairing it with tartan is THE way to wear it this season. The Chanel Pre-Fall 2013 fashion show saw chunky Fair Isle scarves nestled amongst a multitude of tartan, argyle and plaid. Our top seasonal tip? Team a cute Fair Isle jumper with a pleated tartan skirt, add some brogues or loafers and you'll have a perfectly wearable preppy look - festive without the flounce!

The Canvas Tote That Anchored A Boat

 

Bert knew his crew had no way to control the vessel. The captain and crew of the Windrift were returning from a regatta when a treacherous storm set in, slamming the craft with high winds and breaking waves. The loud “crack!” they’d just heard was the rudder snapping off above the water line – just as they entered a mile-long inlet famous for rip currents and hazardous sandbars.

Captain Bert recalls, “The tow line was about to break, putting us in peril once again. We needed a sea anchor. Then I saw it: our “Windrift” bag, a Lands’ End® Canvas Tote. We never go to the boat without it. We tied a dock line through the bag’s handles and hurled it aft.

“As soon as it hit the water, it helped slow the boat. Soon the official tow boat was on the scene. It was a long, rough ride through the rest of the inlet, but we made it. I was concerned the bag would give way… but to my surprise, not a stitch was out of place. I can honestly say the quality of the construction of our Lands’ End Tote played a big role in our avoiding damage to our boat and possible injury to our crew. Thank you for making such a fine product.”

Our Tote Bags have been famous for their quality ever since and we are always updating them in new sizes, colours and patterns. Check out our latest collection here and see what all the fuss is about for yourself. Even if you're not much of a sailor, they're great for carrying shopping too!

The Carry-on Luggage Challenge

I can remember the days when packing to go on holiday involved squashing the entire contents of my summer wardrobe into a variety of suitcases. And whilst I got to spend the week showcasing my fashion flair in a different outfit each night, the majority of my holiday attire came home completely unworn (but still needing to be washed after mingling with the other sandy garments in my suitcase).

Fast-forward 15 years and the increasingly strict airline baggage restrictions have meant that my holiday packing now has to be approached with military precision. The ultimate aim: to pack everything I need for a long weekend (or even a week) into a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead locker, so the airlines don’t get any more of my money than is absolutely necessary. I call it the ‘Carry-on luggage challenge’. Sounds impossible? Of course not…just follow these simple rules:

1. Pick one base colour. Neutral is best (tan, black or navy are great options), but if you have a particular colour that comprises a lot of your wardrobe, go with that.

2. Keep the coordinates simple. If you have navy trousers and a navy skirt, you can mix in tops in a few other colours; try white, red, turquoise or hot pink. Stripes or prints add interest and will jazz up an outfit too.

3. Pack items that can double-up. A swim cover-up can work as a dress, a tunic over some trousers or even a nightdress. Roll them up so they can be squashed into every available space; non-crease fabrics are a godsend here!

4. Think double-duty with shoes, too. Which means don’t pack a pair that will only go with a specific outfit…a pair of beige flats are probably best as you can team them with everything in your suitcase.

5. Accessories take up almost no space at all. Scarves, jewellery, belts and hats can be tucked into your bag and will 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 or jeans for chilly evenings, don’t pack them – wear them. The plane is almost always freezing cold anyway. Just ensure they’re easy to remove as you disembark the plane and hit a wall of 40-degree heat.

 

And the conclusion is…

Above all, plan what you’re going to take well in advance and mentally check-off what you will wear each day. Make a list. Be disciplined – don’t deviate. It’s always the last minute packing panic that will result in you paying an excess baggage charge. And most of all – enjoy the freedom of striding through the airport unencumbered by suitcases, smug in the knowledge that this year, you’ll be coming home to one small bag of washing. Bon voyage!

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!”

Holiday Essentials

Winner of our Washington holiday competition Mr Ian Sanderson

Congratulations to Mr Ian Sanderson, of Shildon, Co.Durham who is the winner of our Washington Prize Holiday Draw competition. Ian was overjoyed when we told him that he'd won out of thousands of entries.

"I just wanted to say how fantastic it is to be the winner of the Lands' End USA Holiday, to say I'm shocked is an understatement.
 
It's come at the perfect time, I'm just getting over a bit of a health scare and this prize is a great tonic and has lifted my spirits.
 
It's always been a dream to travel to America, a dream which I had given up on, but now it's become reality...all I can say is thank you very much."

Ian Sanderson.

Winners of our week in Chicago Sarah and Keith Garratt share one of their trip highlights!

In honour of Lands' End nautical heritage, we decided to take a Sunday lunch cruise on the lake. I opted to go casual, wearing Lands' End chinos and sleeveless summer top, accessorised with my own jewellery.
Keith is pictured in one of his Chicago suitcase essentials – the Lands’ End polo shirt.

Throughout the trip I found my Lands' End trekkers to be indispensable. As a world traveller who likes to get close to all the sights on foot, I need comfortable and reliable footwear and my trekkers fit these criteria perfectly. It’s not their first outing, I have worn them when visiting the Grand Canyon, Arizona desert and they have ‘Trekked’ the miles with me through Albania, Malaysia, India, China, Canada and Nepal. They are still in great condition!

Sarah Garratt

 

£500 voucher to be won in our free prize draw

  We’re giving away a £500 Lands’ End Voucher to the winner.

What’s more, we’ll also throw in a lightweight FlightWise 22˝ Upright Luggage Holdall to pack your winning wardrobe in.

It’s FREE to enter – simply register online by clicking here

CHICAGO here we come!!!

Thousands of you were entered into our free prize draw, simply by purchasing an item from the Lands’ End Heritage Collection.

We are thrilled to announce – we have our WINNER! Mrs Sarah Garratt from Manchester wins a luxury week’s holiday for two to the birthplace of Lands’ End - CHICAGO USA.

CONGRATULATIONS SARAH!

When we told her the good news Sarah said,
“I don't quite believe it. This is fantastic! My husband and I are avid travellers, so nothing could be better than the prize of a holiday. My husband even says he now forgives me for spending so much money with Lands End!”

And we promised you 5 runners-up too! A beautiful Heritage Tote Bag is winging it’s way to the following five lucky people…
Mr Alan Cunningham, Lochgilphead, Argyll
Mrs J Hughes, Madingley, Cambridge
Mrs Martha Hatton, Westow, York
Miss V Foley, Hilton Lichfield, Staffs
Mrs Anna Galliford, Hawkley Liss, Hants