It took me years to really appreciate sweatpants. By 2020, I only owned one pair from high school and wore them almost entirely as pajamas. If they ever saw the light of day, it would only be while I was picking up a package from my porch or taking out the trash. I just didn’t understand your appeal. Sure, they were comfortable, but they also made me a little lazy, like I wasn’t putting enough effort into my outfits. So they stayed in pajamas.
Then the pandemic struck and I was stuck at home with nowhere to go. Ads for sweatpants popped up everywhere. They were the ultimate 2020 fashion item – warm and comfortable, they became a must-have while we waited for much of the world to open up again. I had to admit that life in sweatpants definitely had its appeal. I loved being comfortable all the time, and I didn’t even realize the pressure I felt every day looking assembled until I didn’t have to do it anymore. Sweat came in handy too. My clothes became one less thing to worry about during one of the most stressful times I can remember. I lived big on fleece and french terry, and I loved it.
But as the month I stayed at home turned into a year, I realized that wearing one of the same five combinations of sweats every day had an effect on me. Clothing was one of my main ways of expressing myself, but I stopped putting outfits together without going anywhere. I also didn’t do my hair and makeup, and I missed those extra minutes of pampering in the morning. And I felt more separate from my body because I hid it in baggy clothes all the time. Everything was slowly starting to lose my self-esteem.
Fast forward to May 2021 and I started a brand new job. I was lucky; My completely distant position didn’t require many Zoom meetings, and I was forced to decide whether to go back to sweatpants or dress up anyway. I bought new pants and have never looked back.
I completely understand the appeal of wearing sweatpants every day, and I also think it’s important to dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable and happy, whatever that means to you. For me, the time at home was a fashion reset. Now I have additional motivation in the morning to choose an outfit that reflects what I’m feeling that day and that underlines my personal style. Now I dress in sweaters, blouses, jeans, pants, and sometimes even shoes every day (when I need a serious confidence boost). Oh, and I’m definitely wearing bras, underwires and all that again.
