Loungewear, but make it cool: The only acceptable time to wear sweatpants

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the COVID-19 has struck fear around the world. Many groups were targeted amongst which are college students, who were asked to pack all their belongings and go home within the span of a week. But there’s a group of people whose voices aren’t being heard. Those that get kitted to go to class. Students that arrive early at their 8 AM classes and sit in the front, wearing a pair of jeans with Geobaskets, need to be addressed. Now, you can get dressed up and attend your Zoom class, but you’ll look like an idiot. You need to find the right middle ground between fresh and comfy. It pains me to say it, you’re gonna have to wear sweatpants, but remember, this is Perime, we don’t do your average around here.

When talking sweatpants, I’m not referring to the slouchy college logo ones that cover your feet. I’m talking cozy and tapered. If you read the Transition to Gentleman Streetwear article from November, you know how big of an Aime Leon Dore fan I am. The brand has a line called “uniform” which consists of clothing specifically made for this type of situation. This lowkey collection consists of hoodies, crewnecks, t-shirts, sweatpants, and shorts. The colors, the fitting, and the embroidered logo serve as a way for you to flex indoors. Leave John Elliott sweatpants to Lebron James and buy some Nike Tech if you need some gray pants.

But, if you’re one of those extra kids that keeps the webcam on purposefully, you’re gonna want to direct your focus to the top. Honestly, you can ignore the paragraph above and wear boxers, as long as you look flee from waist up. Brands like ADL and Noah perfected the cozy yet upscale look - from rugby shirts to sleek sweaters. The reason why brands like these can thrive in both outdoors and indoors is because of who the brand caters to and potential target audience. Teddy Santis, the founder of ADL, was interviewed by SSENSE saying that his brand was made for NY ballplayers who grew up to be artists and architects. He had a very specific idea in mind and painted that through his clothes. The ideal ADL consumer wears blue denim with Jordan 1s and a peacoat, but switches to tailored sweatpants and hoodies to feel good at home. The transition was successful and brands like ADL know that their clothes can be worn wherever and still look good … perfect for you, webcam freak, your econ teacher won’t even know you’re butt naked! But, all of this upper-middle-class lookin’ wear might be a little too smart. If you find yourself thinking that, but the webcam is still rolling, then Howlin’ is what you need. This Belgian brand specializes in knitwear and lively basics with a more relaxed approach to clothes. The camp collar shirts and polos offered by them give the wearer a slight hint of smartness while being extra-comfy, but they’ve also begun a tradition of using soft towel material on their garments. Combine it with the cut and the color of the clothing and you’ll feel like you’re quarantining in the south of France.

Is the need to flex non-negotiable with you? In that case, there’s only one solution: Thom Browne. Mr. Browne mastered the art of tailoring, whether it be suits worn by C-suites, or hoodies by rich kids. Regardless of the different phases fashion will be going through, one thing is for sure, Thom Browne will never conform. The brand has kept a tradition throughout its seasons of providing clothing for both groups of people. This was exemplified in Thom’s recent Nordstrom collaboration which was sports-wear inspired. The collection was presented in a locker room setting, putting forth the brand’s ability to curate tailored clothing regardless of the piece. The models would change out of their cropped cardigans and replace it with a relaxed polo shirt. The collection features many loungewear pieces: unstructured hoodies and sweatpants, shorts, polos, and many more overpriced designs. When pairing the quality of the tracksuit with the classic four armband, all your Zoom classmates are gonna be in awe of you.

Please, stay safe, stay inside, wash your hands, and make sure your dog is dripped out!

Picture 1: Courtesy of Aime Leon Dore

Picture 2: Courtesy of Howlin Knitwear

Picture 3: Courtesy of SSense