Here’s How to Get Away With Wearing Sweatpants All Winter Long

Written by

Marlen Komar
Marlen Komar
Marlen is a writer first, vintage hoarder second, and donut fiend third. If you have a passion for finding the best taco joints in Chicago or want to talk about Doris Day movies, then she thinks an afternoon coffee date is in order.
updated Dec 16, 2019
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(Image credit: Figtny)

Between all the pumpkin pie baking and tinsel hanging, gourd decorating and hot chocolate making, you’ll find that every once in a while you’ll need to leave the house somewhere in between. It might be hard to desert all those plaid blankets you’ll be curled under as the holiday season takes way, but alas, errands call and friends demand your time. For moments like those, don’t feel like you have to take off your sweatpants or swap your hoodies for dress-up clothes. Instead, play them up and turn them fashionable! Read ahead to see just how.

(Image credit: The Quarter Life Closet)

Dress it up with layers.

Want to hide the fact that you’ve been basically living in those black sweatpants you’re about to get margaritas in? It’s easy to give them a chic twist when you enlist the help of layers. Don’t only throw a knit over it, but a knit and an oxford shirt where the hem peeks out from underneath (men’s shirts work great for this!) The Quarter Life Closet shows that it looks a little more dressed up than simply shrugging on a sweater, making the sweats look more stylish.

Enlist the help of the button down.

Just because you have track pants on doesn’t mean you can’t look elegant. Balance out black sweats by tying an oxford shirt at the waist, and then accenting with a silk scarf knotted close to the throat with a delicate necklace layered underneath (like Black Palms above). You’ll look just as put together if you were rocking jeans!

(Image credit: Athleta)

Play with turtlenecks.

Make your track pants and zip ups feel a little less Friday-night-in with the help of a turtleneck. Matching it with a slim-cut pair of sweats and windbreaker makes for a chic and fashion forward outfit, especially if you layer your look with the help of plaid tied around your waist. (Image via Athleta)

(Image credit: Carolines Mode)

Dress up your sweatshirt.

Treat your sweatshirts like they were a viable fashion statement—as in, dress them up like you would any other party top you have. Give them a new life by matching them with flirty short skirts and glitzy clutches (who knew a Chicago Bears sweatshirt could look so chic? Stockholm Streetstyle did), taking them firmly out of couch-mode and into fashionable territories.

(Image credit: Chronicles of Frivolity)

Layer up with vests and scarves.

Layers have the potential to elevate even the laziest of outfits, so pep up any sweatpants and sweatshirt situation with the camouflaging power of vests and scarves a la Chronicles of Frivolity. Whether you opt for a puffer, denim, or cargo vest is up to you; each one of them will make your athleisure look fabulous.

Crop tops aren’t off limits.

If you have a pair of sweatpants that are fairly high waisted, why not make them flirty with a crop top? Fashion blogger Nadia Aboulhosn shows that the resulting look can easily get you from coffee to happy hour drinks, especially if you throw in an unexpected clutch into the mix.

(Image credit: Figtny)

Go all black.

Nothing will make your sweatpants feel chicer than going all black in them. Not only will you feel like you have the styling sensibilities of a New Yorker, but your comfy clothes will take on a polished, urban-wear feel. If you want to add a pop of color, try doing it through your hat and sneakers like the look above found on Figtny!

(Image credit: Karlas Closet)

Don’t be scared of faux fur.

Image: Karlas Closet

There are no hard and fast rule out there that says you can’t pair your Adidas with your (faux) fur, so I say go for it. Not only will this make you look like the most stylish person at the 10 items or less checkout lane, but it can easily work for a going-out outfit. Take a style cue from Karlas Closet and just add heels; now you have yourself a fashion-forward Friday night look.

(Image credit: Unfancy)

Leather jackets fix everything.

Whether you’re wearing a cozy pair of sweatpants or are head to toe in Nike, throwing a leather jacket into the mix is a quick and easy fix. One moment, you’ve been watching reruns of Gilmore Girls for the past five hours, and the next you’re a minimalist aficionado, rocking a paired-down look. (Image spotted on Unfancy)

Want to road test some of these comfy looks this holiday season? Try shopping some of the options here: