From Drab to Chic: A Guide to Sweatpants

By Sarah Christine Davis on October 9, 2015

I don’t know about you, but I don’t doubt that I would wear sweatpants every day if I could. Unfortunately, I don’t own enough sweatpants to do so and I don’t have enough motivation to do laundry often enough to wear them every day.

Image via https://www.keep.com/

I also have an internship three times a week where I’m required to dress decently, so sweatpants are out of the question. Or are they?

Recently, loungewear has taken a turn from drab to chic. With the right pair of sweats in combination with certain accessories, footwear, and other pieces of clothing, you can be stylish in sweatpants.

You may doubt the amazing powers of sweatpants. However, tons of fashion experts, from those at Refinery 29 to those at Teen Vogue, have spoken on the pants’ transforming image.

The right sweatpants outfit starts with the right pair of sweatpants. It’s good to have a basic pair in a neutral color such as black. However, there are a ton of different sweatpant styles to consider outside of the realm of color. High-waisted or low-rise? Capri or ankle-length? Flared or skinny?

Who would have known that there are so many sweatpant styles to take into consideration? My take on this is that they’re sweatpants, so pick whatever you’re most comfortable in, or else you’re defeating the purpose.

Image via http://www.forever21.com/

For example, high-waisted sweatpants like these from Forever 21 pair perfectly with crop tops. This is a perfect look for fall as it cools down but isn’t yet downright cold. You could wear these sweatpants with a sleeveless crop top, leather jacket, and heeled booties for a look that’s both rebellious and fashionable.

Conversely, you could find a basic long-sleeve crop top such as this one from Forever 21 and pair the outfit with fashionable layered necklaces and a quick and easy hairstyle such as the side fishtail braid to epitomize the “I look like I just rolled out of bed, but I still look flawless” guise.

Don’t get me wrong – low-rise sweatpants are certainly not out of the question. They’re perfect for tucking a little bit of a stylish loose-fitting top into. These stylish and sporty fleece sweatpants by adidas are the perfect balance of stylish and sporty. Tuck in an embellished top like this one from Nordstrom and complete the look with a pair of small-heeled black boots for a delightfully comfortable and chic look.

There’s also the choice between wearing capri or ankle-length sweatpants. Frankly, fitted capri sweatpants have more potential to be dressed up. Refinery 29 says that “with a little ankle and a pointed-toe pump, your sweats are ready for date night.” Getting away with wearing sweats on a date? Count me in!

Image via http://www.fashionista.com/

Additionally, the combination above proves that with a linen jacket, infinity scarf, and some pointed-toe flats, sweatpants can be work-appropriate. (I’m a little more excited about this than sweats being date-appropriate, to be honest.)

However, classic ankle-length sweatpants should not be forgotten. They’re perfect in combination with a pair of high boots such as this detailed pair from Journeys. The best part is that since you’re hiding your feet, you get to wear that pair of embarrassing fuzzy socks that your grandma sent you in a care package that are usually exclusively reserved for lazy Sundays inside your apartment.

The last criterion to consider is whether to wear flared or fitted sweatpants. While the fitted pants look has dominated for the past few years (hello, skinny jeans), flared pants are making a comeback with the rest of the styles from the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Since both types are technically in style and thus are widely available, you have a lot of freedom in deciding which style to wear. Pick whatever makes you the most comfortable and whatever you feel exemplifies your unique style the most.

Flared and wide-leg sweatpants have the ability to exude the side of you that’s more chic. Depending on the material, they can mimic classy wide-leg trousers and prove to be appropriate for the office. These sweatpants, available on Amazon at a discounted price, are a trick to the eye; while they look like trousers, their soft and stretchy material qualifies them as sweatpants. Pair with any business-style top and blazer and some pointed-toe flats and be secretly comfortable all day!

Image via http://www.popsugar.com/

On the other hand, perhaps fitted sweatpants are easier to dress up. Check out the look above, worn by actress Kate Beckinsale. She proves that wearing an elastic waistband doesn’t have to mean that you’re giving up on life (and it shouldn’t, anyway, but that’s beside the point). Worn with a pair of nude heels, a neutral-colored top (and a blazer if it’s chilly), and with your hair pulled into a teased high ponytail, this classy outfit will have people questioning whether you’re wearing sweatpants at all.

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