Poor Little It Girl™ partners with several affiliate programs, meaning that I can earn a commission from purchases/clicks by those who visit this site at no additional cost to you!
Sweater: English Factory
Raise your hand if you own a pair of black sweatpants. Chances are, almost all my readers likely have their hands up right now. If you’re like me, you actually own more than one pair. Between being a mom during a 2-year pandemic, plus working from home – I live in comfortable loungewear. I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but black sweatpants really have become a wardrobe staple to me as much as a basic white tee or a great pair of jeans.
Black sweatpants have certainly come a long way. No longer are these elastic waist cotton pants reserved for the gym. Oh no. They’ve evolved from the gym to loungewear to even casual street-style staples. Yes, sweatpants out of the house – yes! But are you stumped on how to style black sweatpants so you look polished and put together? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. You just have to get creative. That’s why I’m dedicating a whole post to how to style black sweatpants and two easy-to-recreate casual outfits you can try today. So let’s go!
Of course, how you wear sweatpants whether you’re at home or outside of the house is up to you. But I noticed that when I styled my own sweats for heading out and about, I tended to go for the same two general outfit combinations. More on those later, but first, we have to talk about my top two tips on styling those black sweats.
Find Your Perfect Pair of Black Sweatpants
First things first, you have to find your perfect pair of black sweatpants. I prefer an elastic waistband as opposed to a drawstring. That way there’s less bulk at my midsection if I want a crew neck t-shirt or sweater to hang over the top. I also like my black sweatpants to be fitted around the butt and thigh area, but not too fitted.
To finish it all off I actually prefer a fitted, elastic detailing at the ankle. This way I feel like they look like the perfect pair of straight-leg tapered jeans when, in fact, they’re just super comfy sweatpants. But hey, you do you! If you like fully-fitted sweatpants or something with flared legs, go for it! I’ve linked a few under $100 styles you can shop right now in the shopping widget above. Just click the product image and check them out!
What Shoes To Wear With Sweatpants?
For me, when it comes to selecting shoes to pair with any outfit, comfort is key. Gone are the days when I was willing to sacrifice my feet to fashion. Don’t get me wrong, I still care about what my footwear looks like, but comfort has definitely moved up the ranks of importance! With sweatpants, sneakers are an obvious choice. For a more athletic look, opt for a pair of classic low-tops, slip-on sneakers, or running shoes. White is usually my go-to, but a pair of black sneakers would be a great monochrome alternative. For a more polished look, you can wear leather sneakers or even loafers.
Dressing Up Sweatpants
So now that you’ve found your perfect pair of sweatpants, let’s get the rest of that outfit in order. To offset the casual vibes of sweatpants, I like to elevate the rest of my outfit. Be it with cozy sweaters, white sneakers, or a structured denim jacket and leather bag. Details like this are in direct contrast to the loungewear vibes sweatpants can usually give off and makes the whole outfit feel put together and intentional.
If you’re not sure what shoes to wear, I’d go with either leather low-top sneakers or a pair of black ballet flats. You know, like instead of just rolling out of bed, you put thought into your head-to-toe look. I’ve even seen other bloggers wear a button-down shirt, black sweatpants/jogger, and ankle boot combination. The key to this particular look is having fitted sweats.
Black Sweatpants Outfit Ideas
So how do you style black sweatpants? As I mentioned before, I found that when I left the house in my own pair, I leaned into two different ways of styling them. One was either head-to-toe black, or the other was with a sweater and denim jacket. Let’s talk about these two looks I currently live in and love!
Black Sweatpants and Black Sweater
I absolutely love a head-to-toe black outfit. It’s classic and no matter what pieces you’re wearing, this dark monochromatic look will always be in style. I just purchased this super cozy black turtleneck sweater from Amazon (it comes in 40+ different color options) and when I say I wear it a LOT, I mean it.
What makes this outfit work so well is the mixture of different textures and fabrics. You have the knit of the long sleeve sweater, the cotton sweatpants, the fuzzy beanie, and then the leather sneakers. It’s elevated and effortless but I don’t look or feel underdressed or too casual. I’ve worn this outfit out to coffee shops to work, trips to Target, you name it!
More black sweatpants outfits that would tie in the whole all-black thing would be to wear a black leather jacket with a white long-sleeve t-shirt or white shirt underneath. The jacket and the black and white combination would be super cute and give off a bit more of an edgy vibe. Even with that, I think I’d still tick with a pair of white sneakers too
Black Sweatpants and Denim Jacket
Does it get any more classic than a denim jacket? I’ve worn this Madewell jacket no less than a million times here on Poor Little It Girl and there’s no end in sight. Much like how I love wearing black leggings with my denim jacket, I’ve been pulling it out to wear with black sweatpants, too.
Since the sweatpants are a bit baggier I’d suggest going for a shorter, more fitted denim jacket as opposed to an oversized version. I paired it with a crew neck cropped sweater and a classic crossbody bag to bring the entire look together. In the summer, you could totally do this with a crop top too. And to really drive home the “dressed up” sweatpants look, I put my hair back in my sleek low bun so that the details of this outfit can really shine.
When the weather warms up a bit, I’d say another outfit idea would be to trade out the sweater and go for an easy graphic tee or something equally as casual. The denim jacket and low bun have a way of elevating any sort of casual look like this so you can’t go wrong with whatever combinations you come up with.
