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Getting dressed for the office once required a lot of extra work and sacrifice. Weekly trips to the dry cleaners, ironing dress shirts only for them to get wrinkled while commuting, and wearing stiff dress pants and uncomfortable shoes were only some of the regular annoyances of the past.

But between dress codes becoming more laid back and more flexible work-from-home policies, most people are unwilling to return to the office under the same conditions of formality.

Performance workwear is the best way to maintain a professional appearance while remaining comfortable. Think: stretchy, quick-drying, and moisture-wicking dress shirts and suits you'll never have to dry clean. By shopping performance brands, you can find all the essentials of a regular work wardrobe in much more comfortable materials. 

I've been testing performance workwear brands for about 5 years as a senior style reporter for Insider Reviews, so I know which ones are actually worth it and which ones look cheap. The brands below have all been tried and tested by me and members of my team.

Twillory's shirts are made using the brand's proprietary SafeCotton material, which resists wrinkles, has a good amount of stretch, and is washer safe. You'll never have to worry about ironing or dry cleaning them. While we have tested shirts that are stretchier, Twillory is a great place to shop if you plan to fully revamp your wardrobe because they often discount bundles. Shirts start at $99, but when bundled, you can get four or more for $65 each. You'll also find performance pants, blazers, and polos at Twillory, making it a one-stop shop for all your needs.

Read our full review of Twillory's performance dress shirts here.

Mizzen+Main makes the stretchiest performance shirts we've tested. The material is comparable to what you'd find on workout gear, but it looks like it belongs n the office. It's also moisture-wicking and quick-drying, which works wonders at limiting unsightly sweat marks. Although you probably won't find yourself having to bench press in between boardroom meetings, Mizzen+Main's shirt could very well handle it.

Read our full review of Mizzen + Main's performance shirts here.

Performance workwear can be significantly more expensive than traditional garments, but that doesn't mean there aren't affordable options available. Dockers has a steadily growning collection of stretch, performance, and tech clothing to fill your wardrobe. You can count on Dockers for having affordable prices (with items regularly going further on sale), and timeless styling.

Myles Apparel is one of our favorite men's athleisure brands, but as workplace dress codes have become more laid back, it's also a new favorite for workwear. You won't find button-ups and blazers here, but if T-shirts and trousers with traditional styling fit in at your office, you'll appreciate the simplicity and comfort of Myles. The Tour Pants and Everyday Tee is my favorite combination to wear in the office because it feels like I'm commuting in sportswear but looks like I'm wearing chinos.

Bonobos might be best known for its chinos, but the brand has a growing selection of performancewear. With everything from stretchy pants and shorts to moisture-wicking polos and henleys, you'll be able to wear Bonobos' performance gear to work, out for a drink, and on the golf course.

Read our review of the Bonobos stretch cotton chinos here.

Typically, you wouldn't wear sweatpants to the office, but with Public Rec's All Day Every Day Pants, you'll trick everyone into thinking you're "real" pants — even yourself. Designed to be more stylish than sweatpants and more comfortable than jeans, they'll fit right in with the rest of your business casual clothes.

Read our full review on the Public Rec All Day Every Day Pants here.

Sene is a Los Angeles-based menswear brand intended for modern comfort. All of the brand's clothing is made to measure and uses performance stretch materials. The Soho suit is the highlight piece from Sene, but you'll also find jeans, blazers, bomber jackets, and more. Simply take the Smart Fit Quiz to add your measurements to your profile and you can shop for clothes specifically made to fit you.

Read my full review of the Sene Studio Soho Suit here.

Ministry of Supply's founder once wore one of the brand's performance suits to run a marathon, proving the efficacy of the highly technical fabric, which was designed with help from MIT scientists and NASA.

The brand has a workleisure guide to help you mix and match its different garments to achieve the ultimate balance between style and comfort. Even if you haven't converted your entire workwear wardrobe to performance and tech pieces, it'll give you the inspiration needed to style your currents — and pick up some new additions. 

The brand also caters to all genders and makes 

Read our review of Ministry of Supply's lightweight shirts here. 

Tommy John has since moved away from making button-up shirts and blazers, but the brand still deserves a place on this list for its superbly comfortable underwear. After all, if you're shopping for performance clothes to wear in the office, you'll definitely want performance-level underwear, too.

Read our review of Tommy John's underwear here.

Founded by former Adidas designer Justin Schneider, Wolf & Shepherd originally started out making dress shoes with sneaker-like comfort. While the brand still offers loafers and drivers with traditional dress shoe styling, most of its shoes now have a crossover design. You can wear them seamlessly between work and everyday life without sacrificing the comfort you'd get out of your favorite sneaker or the professional look you'd get from your favorite dress shoes.

Read our review of Wolf & Shepherd here.

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