Joggers, Sweatshirts and Knitwear: How to Build a Smart Off-Duty Wardrobe

A smart off-duty wardrobe needs six pieces: a tailored wool jogger, a French terry jogger, a crewneck sweatshirt, a plain heavyweight hoodie, a fine merino knit and one tracksuit. Keep the colours muted, the branding minimal and the fit clean, and each piece will work with the others and with your tailoring. Fabric and fit are what separate leisurewear that looks considered from leisurewear that looks like you gave up.

Most of life is not spent in a suit. It is spent travelling, at home, on a Saturday, at the airport, at a casual dinner. A man who dresses well for the occasion and badly for the ordinary day is only dressed well a fraction of the time. The answer is not to wear tailoring everywhere. It is to apply the same standards of cloth, cut and restraint to comfortable clothes. The pieces below come from the Christopher Noir Formal Joggers and Sweatshirts, Casual Joggers and Sweatshirts and Tracksuits collections.

What are the six pieces?

1. What is a tailored jogger?

A jogger built like a trouser. It keeps the elasticated waist and cuffed ankle, and adds the things that make trousers look sharp: a proper cloth, a fly front and a pressed crease. The Noir Whitstable is a charcoal wool jogger with a flat waistband and tonal drawstring with tipped ends, a trouser-style fly front, pressed front creases and ribbed ankle cuffs. With a merino knit and loafers it is acceptable almost anywhere short of a formal dress code.

2. What is French terry and why does it matter?

French terry is a knitted cotton with a smooth face and small loops on the inside. It is lighter and more breathable than brushed fleece, it holds its shape and it wears well across seasons. It is the right fabric for the jogger you will actually live in. The Noir Deal is a heather grey French terry jogger with a ribbed waistband and tonal drawcord, a mock fly, side seam pockets and a tapered leg with ribbed cuffs.

3. Which sweatshirt should you own?

A plain crewneck in a neutral colour. It layers under a coat, over a shirt collar and with any trouser. The Noir Ives is a cream French terry crewneck with a ribbed neckline and V-insert, set-in sleeves, ribbed cuffs and a deep ribbed hem, in a clean, unbranded finish. Cream lifts a dark outfit and looks particularly good with charcoal, navy and brown leather.

4. Can a hoodie look smart?

If it is heavy, plain and dark, yes. Weight is what makes a hoodie hang cleanly rather than cling, and the absence of a logo lets it sit under tailored outerwear. The Noir Hastings is a black heavyweight hoodie with a hood with flat drawcords and tipped ends, a kangaroo pouch pocket, ribbed cuffs and hem and a dense handle, finished without branding. Wear it under an overcoat or a leather puffer gilet.

5. Why is merino knitwear worth having?

Because it bridges both wardrobes. A fine-gauge merino crewneck is thin enough to wear under a suit jacket in place of a shirt and smart enough to wear alone with formal trousers. The Noir Fowey is a navy merino wool crewneck in a fine-gauge knit with a smooth surface, a ribbed neckline, cuffs and hem, and a clean, unbranded finish. It sits close to the body without clinging.

6. Where does a tracksuit fit in?

As the one deliberate statement. The other five pieces are quiet. A tracksuit worn as a full set is an outfit in its own right. The Noir Heritage Tracksuit draws on classic track styling in the house palette: an ecru base with red and black shoulder panelling, a black contrast collar and striped ribbing at hem and cuff, in premium French terry, with the Christopher Noir script embroidered in gold tone at the chest and hip. It is a two-piece set with a zip-through jacket and straight-leg trousers.

How should leisurewear fit?

• Joggers: tapered, with the cuff resting at the ankle bone, not pooling over the shoe.
• Sweatshirts and hoodies: shoulder seams on the shoulder, hem at the hip.
• Knitwear: close to the body, with no excess at the waist.

What shoes work with joggers?

Clean, minimal shoes. Suede loafers with wool joggers, plain leather trainers with French terry. See Men's Loafers Explained.

Frequently asked questions

What sizes are available?

The joggers, sweatshirts, hoodie and knit run from XS to XXXL. The tracksuit is offered in male and female fits from XS to XXXL.

How do I wash them?

French terry and jersey pieces: cool machine wash and dry flat. The wool jogger and merino knit are dry clean only.

Can I wear joggers to a restaurant?

The tailored wool jogger, yes, with a knit and loafers. Keep French terry for daytime.

What do I wear over leisurewear in winter?

An overcoat or car coat. See Men's Overcoats: 5 Styles.