Menswear: Taking charge of looking good from home

From H&M’s upcoming collaboration with footballer Héctor Bellerín to ARKET’s perfect sweatshirt, we’ve compiled the best of the high-street for the month of February

Héctor Bellerín models an outfit for H&M as aprt of their new collaboration

In the midst of a global pandemic, working from home is looking increasingly like a long-term solution, as the Irish Government legislates for it to become an option where possible. 

With that in mind, your wardrobe should meet the demands of the new way of living. Here you will find answers on how to update your workplace wardrobe for the months ahead. 

Consider purposeful styles to add more form to your life and function to your wardrobe. 

Beyond the workplace, these clothes have longevity and versatility in mind. 

From H&M’s upcoming collaboration with footballer Héctor Bellerín to ARKET’s perfect sweatshirt, the seemingly eternal reign of Zoom shirts, and the reintroduction of pants in your life, we’ve compiled the best of the high-street for the month of February.

H&M Edition by Héctor Bellerín, launching on February 18

H&M Edition by Héctor Bellerín jacket €49.99 at hm.com

Arsenal vice-captain, Héctor Bellerín, is collaborating with Swedish high-street retailer H&M on a limited edition collection. Bellerín, a fixture at fashion weeks and the pages of magazines, bolstered his design kudos with this range: a beige jacket in a boxy silhouette (€49.99); a lightweight knit, short-sleeve polo-neck shirt in a faded lemon hue (€29.99); and a check bucket hat (€14.99) stood out as the obvious influences from the star player’s style.

H&M Edition by Héctor Bellerín short sleeved polo €29.99 at hm.com

While it is easy for celebrities to simply slap their name on any collaboration, collect their paycheck and call it a day, H&M was quick to point out that Bellerín was involved in every stage of the decision process, from fabrication to finish and styling. Moreover, he advocated for more sustainable use of fabrics with the collection featuring organic cotton, recycled cotton from textile production waste, recycled nylon, and polyester. Bellerín said: “Fashion is like activism, and our clothes can spread a positive message to others. I am happy to collaborate with H&M on this collection entirely made from sustainably sourced materials, and to push for a better future for fashion and the planet.” The collection could be a boon to your working from home wardrobe with its insouciant manner and relaxed proportions, even if your allegiances don’t lie with the Gunners.

ARKET’s sportswear balances performance and everyday life

From their recently updated sportswear line, ARKET perfectly straddles the wardrobe demands of our current predicament: being glued to an office chair but wanting to get out and fight the cold-weather blues while in lockdown. “We’ve intended to blur the lines between performance and everyday life balance, offering casual and versatile designs to support you in whatever your practice is,” said Anna Teurnell, head of design at ARKET.

A relaxed heavyweight hoodie from ARKET.

This relaxed heavyweight hoodie (€79), in a grey hue not unlike a Parisian sky, is cut from heavyweight terry and brushed on the inside for a cosy feel. Whether you’re wearing it to exercise or when you’re resigned to your desk, its ability to meet both demands is worth considering.

Zoom shirts galore

You can never have enough Zoom shirts. If any style certainty is to emerge from the last 10 months it is that dressing for the top-half is very much of the moment. 

From the yellow polo (€29.99) in H&M’s collaboration with Héctor Bellerín to ARKET’s pale green long-sleeve button-down shirt (€89), and GAP’s French terry cloth polo-neck (€14.95), the high-street is delivering endless options for an alternative to the formal shirt. 

Their unostentatious, easygoing appeal owes to an increasingly casual workplace uniform.

Pants still exist

That being said, bottom-half dressing is still on the cards. Pants still exist. They can add some form and rigour to your life and they can still rival your sweatpants in the comfort department. 

Gap carrot- fit trousers

An unpretentious pair of navy chinos from GAP (€49.95) is an unfussy conduit to reintroducing trousers into your daily routine if you’re fighting against the urge to default to pyjamas or sweats. 

Equally, as a basic wardrobe foundation, their classic style makes them compatible with any of the above items.