How to style sweatpants: Easy ways to elevate your look
How do I wear sweatpants stylishly?
Model Gigi Hadid adds swish to track pants while out in New York earlier this year.Credit: Getty Images
A new generation of style leaders is determined to prove the late Karl Lagerfeld wrong by wearing sweatpants with élan. The Chanel designer was, of course, as famous for his bitchy comments as his tweed jackets, including this assessment: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.”
Since his death in 2019, a lot has changed, though, and supermodels such as Gigi Hadid, a former Chanel muse, are exercising control of their image by wearing sweatpants in unexpected ways. On a date night in New York with Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper recently, Hadid made silvery sweatpants a sartorial success.
The key to translating this everyday item from a symbol of perspiration to one of aspiration is as simple as pairing it with unexpected accessories that make it clear that the only exercise you plan on doing is raising a wine glass or lifting your purse. Start by swapping out sneakers for statement flats. While Hadid’s sister, fellow supermodel Bella, has worn stilettos with sweatpants, the combination can be jarring. A mesh flat, on the other hand, offers evening appeal without sacrificing comfort or being reminiscent of a backing dancer in a ’90s rap video. Accessorise further with jewellery that would look completely out of place on the treadmill. The same goes for handbags: no backpacks, please.
Play with proportion by pairing fitted denim jackets and T-shirts with roomy sweatpants. Stop short of a matching jacket, though: a complete tracksuit for date night will have Mr Lagerfeld spinning in his grave.
Got a style conundrum? Email damien.woolnough@nine.com.au
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