Our thanks to our sponsors at Betabrand, who sent us these items to play with.
Plaidgisoft Pants
Don't let the name put you off: Betabrand's Plaidgisoft Vajamas (above) are are the most relaxing I've ever worn, and look silly in just the right way. They're snuggly, warm, and look good enough to go out in, once in a while. Just for fun.
They have a straight-leg, unisex, relaxed fit, with a well-made waistband and cord. There are two side pockets, and the Polartec fleece is, despite its stretchy fluffyness, structured enough to let you carry wallet and phone around with you in them. They're good for working out in, too: machine wash and tumble dry.
Red and black plaid is where it's at for full muppet-resemblance, but these $85 jim-jams also come in solid black, blue and gray.
READY shirt
The concealed button-down collar of Betabrand's READY shirt would be its most obvious feature, but it's a well-made garment that promises unusual durability and freedom of movement.
Its aim is to take a fairly formal shirt and make it streamlined as possible, concealing fasteners and flattening gaps that might get caught on things—the better for "rescuing a cat stuck in a tree" or other adventures. Those peculiar bars on the placket are heat transfers that conceal stitches. Pitched as a high-tech feature, they add a nerdy 1980s note; up close, they look kind of like little stickers that are ready to peel off (but you can't!)
Something about the cut does make these feel less restricting, despite the slim fit. The everyday-looking material stretches lightly and is claimed to dry fast. There's no tag on the inside neck, and no pockets, either. This is a clean, crisp look that's ready to get its hands dirty, but at a price–$108—likely too steep for many menial workers.
The READY shirt comes in steel gray, blue, or white and crimson dashed pattern.
