Sweat Pants Step Out In A Fashionable New Light

We realize that declaring sweat pants a favorite new trend definitely seems a little wacko. Really? Sweats with a blazer, you say? Now, we're not saying that you can just throw a good old gray sweat suit on with a pair of heels and dash out the door (though, a lovely woman by the name of Terry Melville in the genius '70s book Cheap & Chic—thanks for the tip Susie Bubble!—sort of gets away with it). Instead, we're rather in major love with the newly tailored versions we've been seeing, from Alexander Wang and Isabel Marant to Lover and Oak. Perhaps the epitome of comfy-chic, the new guard of post-gym sweats offer a fashionable take on yesterday's lounge pants. And given all the running around that's on the horizon, they couldn't have come at a better time.

Above, from left: Photographer Garance Doré in customized American Apparel sweat shorts; Lover fall '09 sweat pants; sweat pants on the Isabel Marant fall '09 runway.

Above, from left: Lover fall '09 sweat pants; style blogger Elise from Anywho.dk wearing Everlast sweat shorts; Alex Wang resort '10 sweat pants; sweat pants on the Isabel Marant spring/summer '09 runway.

Above, from left: Oak gray pleated sweat pants, $132, available at Oak; style blogger Caylee M in sweat pants, photo via Lookbook.nu; Alexander Wang French terry sweat pants, $225, available at Opening Ceremony.