Hey Owlets,
In the last few months I’ve seen Lands End Clothing popping up across in pretty much every corner of the internet. I’m not sure if they’re exploding in popularity at the moment or it’s just that effect where you see a brand once then suddenly notice them everywhere. Either way, if I’m noticing them everywhere then you probably are too so I wanted to save your money and test them out for myself. Lands End kindly offered to send me a few items of clothing, but I’ve made it clear that really honest reviews are my speciality. So with that in mind, let’s get started!
Size Inclusivity and Range -
One of the things that caught my eye about Lands End was the inclusivity they displayed when it came to sizing - Lands End has a brilliant range of plus size clothing. Most items are available from a size 6 up to a size 30 which is amazing - there are so many places that make plus size humans feel unwelcome.
In terms of the range of clothing available, it’s mainly basics as well as a lot of beachwear which makes a lot of sense for a company named after somewhere in Cornwall! Obviously all basics isn’t my style, but I like to have a few pieces to help me create more outfits so I was hoping that Lands End would be the perfect addition to my wardrobe.
One of the items I ordered. The "expectation VS reality" was spot on with most things,
but the fit and fabric wasn't always a hit.
Quality -
I chose a beach coverup, white halter neck top and long sleeved burgundy top because I felt like those were things that were missing in my wardrobe, as well as a red gingham skirt because it looked fun and I love a piece of clothing that makes me smile! I will say that this year I’ve been really picky about where I shop so my standards were very high, and in terms of quality most of the items I picked hit this high standard. There wasn’t an expectation vs reality moment, but one of the items was a little bit disappointing. I was hoping to be able to get photos of me wearing the items for you to see what they look like on a plus size body, but the rain has been relentless this summer so I’m afraid it’s website photos for now!
Starting with the positives, the burgundy long sleeved top was such a winner. The material is buttery soft, the neckline is really elegant and the subtle ruffled layers are really flattering but aren’t over the top so I could wear it under dungarees or alone with jeans and I would feel equally comfortable. As soon as the weather turns colder I can see me getting a lot of wear out of this top.
Next, onto the red gingham skirt. The quality of this skirt feels great - it’s a thick fabric and not at all see-through. However, it didn’t feel as A-line on me as it looked on the website. This could be because I ordered the wrong size, but I was also a little sad about how subtle the ruffled panel on the bottom was. The cut of this skirt felt more like what you would expect to find in a pair of shorts, which wasn’t what I was hoping for. It does have pockets though! If you like the look of this skirt but want a little more shape then I would definitely recommend sizing down - I’m probably going to take the waist in a bit to help with the shape.
The coverup and halter neck were a little more underwhelming. I expected the cover up to be a softer material - it’s made of modal, which is a more eco-friendly version of cotton. Having researched this before ordering I was quite surprised at the texture of the coverup, and personally I wasn’t a fan. I also felt like the fit was a little odd around the shoulders - it kept pulling up so the neckline was rising as I wore it. I tried doing up the drawstring waist to counteract this but it didn’t really work. It’d be fine to wear for a short space of time, but it’s not something I’d want to wear all day at the beach.
The white halter neck top had a lot of potential - I was hoping that it would become a summer staple to pair with my colourful skirts, but it was a little bit more see-through than I would like. With wearing a sports bra underneath I could see the outline of the top of the bra, but not the bottom. I think the issue was that wearing a white bra highlighted the colour difference between the see-through white and block of solid white. If you really like the style of the top then I would recommend wearing it with a skin-tone bra to minimise the colour difference, but I don’t have one so couldn’t test this theory myself.
Final Thoughts -
If you think about what Land’s End have built their brand on then they excel on that. They promise comfort, sustainability and eco-friendly choices and they hit all of those points; the clothes are comfortable, they opt for more sustainable fabric choices and even offer free hemming services on their trousers to ensure you get the best fit possible.
Most of the products I tried were great quality, even if the fit wasn’t quite right for me. I can imagine wearing the burgundy top a lot this Autumn/Winter and all of the products feel like they would last a long time. The only let down for me was the see-through white top and the strange fit of the beach coverup, and in all honesty I think the disappointment comes from a place of expecting more from them rather than the products themselves being disappointing.
If you’re looking for basics that are going to last you a long time then opting for more heavy items of clothing like the long sleeved top will be a safe bet, but Lands End don’t offer free returns so I’d give the more summery items (other than the beachwear) a miss.
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