Sweats Are All We Wear Now
Comfy clothing is finally having its moment.
For a long time, sweatpants have had the reputation of being unstylish and for people who were too lazy to put on so-called “real clothes.” According to fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.”
But the times may be changing. In recent years, there has been a shift toward casual fashion and athleisure, and this has only been accelerated by the current pandemic.
When we’re all just staying home all day, jeans are just too much effort.
Since the beginning of quarantine, any qualms people had previously about wearing sweats (pants and shirts ) have gone out the window. We’re all at home, just lounging in our favorite sweats, which have become a beloved item of comfort — and many would even say, of fashion. The sweatsuit — a pair of matching sweatpants and a sweatshirt — has also skyrocketed into popularity. Many celebrities — such as Hailey Bieber, Madison Beer, the Kardashians, as well as many younger influencers such as TikTokers Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae, are now wearing sweats.
But the new age of sweats isn’t just your typical grey sweatpants or a college hoodie — it’s cute, cool, and even high fashion. Many are taking basic sweatpants bought from Amazon or other brands and customizing them themselves, or buying them from small shops who do the same thing. People do this through tie and bleach dying, distressing, and adding patches or stitching/embroidery.
Even as some states are opening up and lockdown is beginning to come to an end in some places, I think the sweats trend will be here to stay. The fact of the matter is, sweats are just so much more comfortable — and I would argue, cuter — than other clothing. Although, as we shift into summer, instead of sweatpants? We’ll be wearing sweatshorts.
