How to Wear Sweatpants When You're Not Going to the Gym

Not sure how to wear sweatpants in a way that actually feels cool and elevated? To be honest, we weren't too confident either until we browsed through some of our favorite street style sites for inspiration. Between the head-to-toe streetwear looks and the outfits that look so chic, you barely even notice the girl is wearing sweatpants. We officially have proof that sweatpants can be worn as pants—not just loungewear.

In addition to a handful of great outfits with sweatpants that will have you convinced to try the look, we shopped out a selection of our favorites on the market right now. Because let's be real—if you're going to wear sweatpants out on the town, they better be cool. Here we have our favorite fashion-girl ways to wear sweatpants, followed by our favorite pairs.

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Printed Blouse + Mini Bag + Slides
(Image credit: Style du Monde)

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Button-Down + Zipper Sweater + Red Shoes
(Image credit: Style du Monde)

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Matching Hoodie + Classic Bag
(Image credit: Adam Katz)

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Blazer + Statement Heels
(Image credit: Style du Monde)

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Trench Coat + Sneakers
(Image credit: Collage Vintage)

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Muted Coat + White T-Shirt + Slides
(Image credit: Adam Katz)

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Moto Jacket + Heeled Boots
(Image credit: Style du Monde)

This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Nicole Kliest
Freelance Contributor

Nicole Kliest is a freelance writer and editor based in New York City who focuses on fashion, travel, food, wine, and pretty much anything else that's amusing to write about. After graduating from Pepperdine University with a bachelor's in journalism and creative writing, she started her career back in 2010 as Who What Wear's photo editor and throughout the last decade has contributed to publications including Fashionista, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, The Zoe Report, PopSugar, Fodor's Travel, and several others. She also copywrites and has worked with clients such as Frame, Sea, 3x1, Intelligentsia, and others to develop brand voices through storytelling and creative marketing. She's very passionate about the ways we can improve our sustainability efforts in the fashion industry as well as cultivating content that's diverse and inclusive of all people. When she's not checking out the latest restaurant opening in her West Village neighborhood or riding her bicycle along the West Side Highway, she can be found scheming her next trip somewhere around the world. (Up next is Vienna.)