In the world of fashion it’s an old controversy. While some declare that art is more important than comfort; others contend that if you don’t feel comfortable in the clothes you wear, then they will end up wearing you instead.
This is a debate that has resurfaced under the numerous lockdowns, and both arguments contain points that are compelling.
Back in December Derek Blasberg was joined by various friends within the industry – including Alexa Chung, Karlie Kloss, and Samira Nasr – to discuss the many ups and downs of lockdown.
Chung referred to her clothes as her “sanctuary” and said that not having anywhere to go would not stop her caring about the treasures in her closet.
Luke Meagher, Denzel Dion, Wendy Liu and Samira Nars all agreed that stretch was “the enemy” and came down anti sweatpant, whilst new mum Ashley Graham, mum-to-be Karlie Kloss, and Nyma Tang all voted in favour of Pro-Sweatpants. So comfort lost the game with the score going against it by 3 to 5.
The main argument against the lockdown trend of wearing sweatpants and casual was that it lowers your mood by making you feel untogether and unmotivated.
But street style has proven time and time again that you can wear sweats away from the gym. Hailey Bieber for example is known for her many appearances in sweatpants paired with blazers and gold jewellery.
And when it comes to Scandinavian streetwear, sweats are worn by many influencers from the north, with Emily Sindlev even donning a pair of lilac leggings styled with a brown puffer jacket and neon green heels to attend the Prada A/W 2021 show.
Over the past year some people have got so used to comfort that they will do anything to avoid the torture of going back to wearing shoes that give you blisters and clothing too tight to sit down for any length of time.
Whereas others missed dressing up so much that they made sure that every appearance in public had to count. Whether going to the supermarket, or to get their vaccine, these are the people who would wear makeup, do their hair, and put together an outfit just so they could experience a hint of normalcy again.
Of course we want to be comfortable, but especially after that many lockdowns surely we now all crave to wear something with a sharper cut than our usual home attire, if only to look fresher and smarter.
Maybe some of us have forgotten how uncomfortable our high heels are anyway. Or maybe we don’t care, and crave for those nights out again when our only worry is how sore our feet will be by the end of the night.
As for sweatpants being a yes or a no, it all depends on your idea of what works. Comfort doesn’t have to compromise style and as the celebrities and influencers mentioned above – and many others – have shown you can have fun with your outfits and explore different ways of styling your usual loungewear to create eclectic pairings that can feed your inner need for creativity.