CUTS Clothing | July 11, 2023

How to Adopt Workleisure and Leave Business Casual Behind

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The day tailored sweatpants and joggers became work-wear was the greatest day in modern history. And you can quote us on that. In fact, workleisure may be the one good thing to come out of the pandemic.

After two years of showing up for Zoom meetings in our loungewear, there was no going back to suits and ties for our collective return to the office. So, a new dress code was born.

If yoga pants were the “new normal” of the pandemic, workleisure is the new-and-improved normal of our hybrid lives. It’s a functional way of dressing that allows us to perform at our highest level — inside and outside the office.

We’ll take a look at what workleisure entails and share curated essentials for a men’s workleisure wardrobe.

So What Is Workleisure?

Workleisure blends the professionalism of business casual workwear with comfort and versatility. 

It's not the baggy sweaters and yoga pants of the early pandemic — you would never confuse workleisure clothes with pajamas or workout wear. But it also isn’t the chinos and button downs of business casual clothing or the shoulder pads of your sports jacket. 

Workleisure provides a tailored look with well cut fabrics that have just the right amount of stretch. These clothes are made with high-quality fabrics that make you feel like someone who got up, got dressed, and got ready to take on the day. Essentially, a professional — one with both ambition and style. 

The fabrics often feature low-maintenance qualities that we expect from our workout wear — the best examples are soft, stretchy, moisture-wicking, and wrinkle-resistant. This is a uniform designed for The Sport of Business. 

Where Did Workleisure Come From?

The premise of workleisure clothing first emerged in Silicon Valley where the hoodie practically became the emblem of tech startups. But it didn't fully take off until the pandemic turned our homes into office spaces.

While dressing for our living room makes us feel comfortable, dressing for the job fuels our ambition. The solution? Create a comfortable class of work clothes.  

So, workleisure was born. It combines the sophistication of your workwear with the comfort of your activewear.

What Are the Benefits of Workleisure Wear?

With this type of clothing, you can swap your blazer for a hoodie, trade your button-down for a well-fitting T-shirt, switch your loafers to sneakers, and swap your dress pants for pants with a little more stretch.

But workleisure doesn't stop at the office. It's built for versatility. A workleisure wardrobe can take you from a walk around the city, to a Zoom call with clients, to an in-office strategy session, and back out for drinks. Essentially, you can go straight from the boardroom to a boys' night without a wardrobe change.

At CUTS, we took the idea of flexible fashion a few steps further by adding quality, fit and performance to the design of our premium workleisure clothing. With pieces made to last all day, you can throw them in your gym bag, pull them out again, and put them back on, and no one will be the wiser.

8 Essential Pieces for Men’s Workleisure Wardrobes

The internet is full of workleisure for women. But men have been seriously overlooked. And since men’s workleisure doesn’t look anything like the wide-leg pants and midi shirt dresses of women’s wear, it’s time their wardrobes got a little attention.

With all-day versatility in mind, we've compiled a list of eight minimalist essentials to add to your workleisure wardrobe.

1. A Premium T-Shirt
Premium T-shirts, like this Crew Curve-Hem T-Shirt, are the foundation of any workleisure wardrobe. Layer them under your hoodie or style them with a pair of joggers. Dress them up with a bomber jacket for nights on the town or pair them with shorts for weekends at the park. 
2. A Pair of Joggers
With a pair of slim-fit joggers, like these AO Joggers, you’ll look like you’ve just come from the tailor, but you’ll feel incredibly comfortable. Joggers with a professional-looking waistband, ideally ones with a button and zipper fly, will create the look of dress pants. But for comfort, they should also have a subtle elastic waist to give you a little stretch every time you move. Soon you’ll want to replace all your chinos and khakis with this one pair of pants.
3. A Camp Shirt
For a summer workleisure staple, look for a button-up shirt made with a breathable, lightweight material, like the Chileno Camp Collar Shirt. With a camp shirt's relaxed fit, you’ll be the picture of easy-going sophistication. You can wear it on its own or open over your favorite tee. It’ll be your go-to piece, whether you’re packing for vacation or heading into the office.
4. A Pullover Sweater
Once cooler weather (or the office AC) kicks in, you’ll need casual winter wear in a timeless design. A pullover sweater, like the Pullover Crew Split-Hem, provides versatile style. You can wear it on its own or dress it up with a collared shirt underneath. 
5. A Bomber Jacket