ANN/THE STAR – Who claimed that quiet luxury was the pinnacle of fashion trends? Contrary to the era of pegged pants, moccasins, and cashmere turtlenecks, sweatpants are now taking over the fashion scene.
Surprisingly, models and fashionistas have embraced this once-taboo sportswear staple for the front row. The days when Anna Wintour was seen wearing sweatpants in front of a vintage desk during the COVID-19 pandemic are long gone.
This break from the norm caused quite a stir at the time, and made jogging pants the new star of women’s wardrobes. But when lockdowns lifted and restrictions eased, it was a different story altogether, with fashion preferring to fuse chic and casual styles – with a marked infatuation for the 2000s – relegating joggers to the background.
However, jogging pants don’t seem to have disappeared entirely. In fact, they’ve recently been spotted at fashion weeks, and are now the talk of the fashion world – sweet revenge for an item that has long been reviled.
A NEW CHIC STYLE
Here, however, it’s not about wearing sweatpants as you would go for a run, do your workout or even run to the store on a Sunday morning.
In fact, jogging pants are getting a stylish revamp, worn with chic and sophisticated pieces.
And this is undoubtedly what makes all the difference in today’s trend.
It’s no longer a question of slipping into joggers to lounge around the house, but of showing them off as an ultra-desirable fashion item in their own right.
World-famous models and other personalities, from Dua Lipa and Chiara Ferragni to Emily Ratajkowski, Kendall Jenner and Georgina Rodriguez, have rocked the trend with style.
Rodriguez recently posed on social networks in an outfit that would have made Wintour shudder a few years ago, with oversized jogging pants paired with a strapless corset, a fur jacket and pointed-toe pumps.
A look that didn’t go unnoticed, clearly helping to revive the appeal of sweatpants. And the star is far from alone in transforming this sports-inspired piece into a fashion must-have.
According to the global fashion search engine Stylight, clicks for the “sweatpants” category have risen by no less than 208 per cent in just one year. And that’s just the beginning, if the street-style looks spotted at last year’s fashion weeks are anything to go by.
So how should you style track pants to nail the trend?
The best way is to break up the sportswear-inspired look, especially with pumps or loafers.
However, it is possible to wear joggers with sneakers, but in this case, you need to opt for a more sophisticated top, like a strapless top, a blouse or a shirt.
And if possible, accessorise the look with statement jewellery.
