How to wear tailored sweatpants

Activewear goes luxe, but can you pull it off? Your guide to wearing track pants with dignity

Sportswear has become a part of mainstream fashion in recent years, culminating in the recent athleisure trend. Tailored sweatpants are becoming increasingly popular and can be found in many fast-fashion stores.

Here is how to wear the trend with style.

What are tailored sweatpants?

?Tailored sweatpants? sounds like a contradiction in terms. Sweatpants are meant to be loose and comfortable; they are for those days when you have given up on life and you want the entire world to find out. Slim fitted joggers are a different beast entirely. You wouldn?t catch anyone wiping their cheeto fingers on their designer tapered track pants.

The upper half of tailored sweatpants is indistinguishable from their looser ancestors. A typical design would have a drawstring around the waist, and maybe some pockets, with plenty of room in the crotch area. But as you move down the leg, they are more fitted. Note that tailored sweatpants are completely different to Aladdin pants, which tend to be thin cotton instead of fleece or a heavy knit, and therefore billow out like a parachute.

Trackies are not a replacement for jeans

You cannot create coherent and stylish athleisure outfits by simply re-using your existing go-to outfits, replacing your usual jeans with a pair of track pants. You will need to go back to the drawing board, making use of eclectic pieces and layering, to make tailored sweatpants look good. The key is throwing together both casual items, such as a beanie or a polo shirt, with more stylish items, like a sport coat. You do not want to mix in anything too formal- leave the suit jacket at home- but anything up to smart casual wear is fair game. As fitted track pants are a winter item, it is easy to layer, especially with cold weather accessories such as scarves, beanies and gloves.

Don?t wear them with a shirt

The top half of your outfit should not consist of a buttoned up shirt. Instead, go for something slightly less formal. A turtleneck top or a knitted jumper are good choices, particularly if you can add a sport coat on top.

Pick the right shoes

Tapered track pants have quite a unique design, which can make for complicated visuals in the ankle area. They are often elasticated around the ankles, but have some excess fabric. Dress shoes look weird with tailored sweatpants, so they are not an option. You can wear sneakers, but they will not do if you are trying to play down the sporty aspects of the look. If the sneakers are not a recognisable brands, you will just look like you are dressed for a jog. The best option is a pair of sturdy boots. A pair of Timberland boots in one of their iconic designs is ideal. Look for boots which have plenty of room around the ankle, so the excess sweat pant material will not billow outwards.