What Are the Best (Baggies-Like) Lounge Pants?

Pen told us that in choosing his own lounge pants for cooler weather, he ultimately stuck with the maker of his beloved Baggies and picked up two pairs from Patagonia. One of them is this G.I. Pant, which he likes for its “built-in belt” and because it’s “cozy enough for the cooler months.”

The second pair of Patagonia pants Pen bought also a built-in belt, but is far more plush due to its fabric — the very same material Patagonia uses for its famous fleeces (which, like Baggies, are another product from the brand beloved by Strategist writers and editors). The pants’ belt and tapered leg make them slightly more appropriate for the world outside than your average sweats, according to Pen, who says you can “style them in a number of DGAF ways.”

We’ve heard about the quality and comfort of Topo Designs’ clothes from Strategist editors, podcast hosts, college students, outdoorspeople, and more. While none of the folks we spoke to for this story specifically recommended the Dirt Pant, it was a popular response to Pen’s question in the menswear forum — so between that and how much we’ve written about the brand, we felt it worth including the pants on this list. They have a straight leg and are garment-dyed, a process that typically means clothes will have a softness from the get-go and require little breaking in. And, like all Topo Designs stuff, these are created with an active outdoors lifestyle in mind, so they’re sure to have plenty of give and stretch.

A third pair of pants with a built-in belt (we’re sensing a trend), these climbing pants from streetwear label OnlyNY are what design and style writer Timothy Latterner says he’ll be relying on this fall and winter. He’s had them for a few seasons now, telling us “they pull right on and are synched at the waist and ankles so there’s a lot of room without having to worry about anything getting caught in a bike chain.” While Latterner admits he “personally wouldn’t meet the girlfriend’s parents in them,” he says that “for a quick errand during the day or, obviously, actual climbing on the weekends, they’re great.”

As our cool people’s suggestions thus far imply, we asked them about pants that feel a touch more elevated than your standard sweats — which is exactly how freelance art director Chirag Patel describes these. “MORE than just a sweatpant,” he tells us (emphasis his), these “loose, organic-cotton track pants can be easily elevated with an oversized cable-knit roll-neck sweater and chunky-soled sneakers.” Patel says he “discovered Pangaia during lockdown” and quickly became a fan of its clothes “made with responsibly sourced materials and eco-friendly dyes.” Speaking of those dyes, these pants come in 17 bright colors, as well as in a range of different cuts if a looser fit isn’t your thing.

Personal trainer Tom Fitzgerald told us that he (understandably) wears sweatpants on the job, but then slips into these because he “doesn’t want to give up the feel of sweats.” The pants, he says, “have a heavy weight and look polished, but they also have lots of stretch in the fabric so they’re comfy to wear.” Fitzgerald adds that the zipped cuffs on these are a “nice extra touch — and make them easier to get on and off my size-13 feet.”  

Chirag is another COS fan, and says he puts on these pants when he wants to wear something a bit more polished than — but just as comfortable as — his Pangia ones. He calls these his equivalent to a “little black dress,” explaining that “they’re classic, 100 percent wool, and versatile.” Plus, their wider-cut legs provide the roominess of sweats, he adds. As for how he wears them: “With a collared shirt and derby shoes, or with Stan Smiths and a tucked-in oversized T-shirt, or with a sleeveless tee and leather sandals for a WFH look.”

Another pair with a drawstring, these Noah pants (with a sort of daytime-pajama feel) are the style that realtor Myles Fennon has his eye on right now. Made in Italy, the pants have an elastic waist, but are cut from a rugged cotton-twill fabric that should hold up with time. He hasn’t added them to his cart just yet, but says the pants “look like a nice balance of stylish and comfortable.” We’re inclined to take his word for it, because Fennon told us he owns other Noah garments that he can both exercise in and wear to his “relatively conservative” office. “Noah is a great brand for someone who appreciates a company with something to say,” he adds. “It’s very easy for brands to engineer a story, but Noah truly reflects the environmentally conscious mindset of its founder.”

Model Adam Onassis told us these wide-leg trousers from Rowing Blazers (which, along with Noah, has been cited as a brand ushering in a new era of preppy style) are going to be his “fall go-to’s.” He’s actually been wearing them since last fall and says that they’ve “held up great,” adding that “frequent washing has softened them up quite a bit, but the wide-leg style has been cozy from the get-go.” He sums up the pants’ appeal by calling them “simple classics that are exceptionally well-made and reminiscent of clothing from a bygone era.”

These pants by Hiro Clark come recommended by another model, Eric Rutherford, who says they’re a favorite. He likes that the “tailored pants in French terry” have a “pleated design that gives them a little more flair than your gym sweats,” describing them the way many others have praised lots of pants on this list: “comfy enough to wear at home and cool enough to wear to dinner.”

Latterner says these baggier chinos are another pair of “go-anywhere-be-anything pants” that he owns. The pants, he explains, are “pleated and taper a bit, so there’s a nice roominess to them without feeling like they’re about to slip off at any time.” He adds that Beams Plus has become a go-to brand for him because everything it produces is sturdy, well-made, and versatile. “I’ve worn these with a T-shirt to take out the trash; I’ve worn them with a navy blazer to the office,” says Latterner.

“The fit and length of these trousers is impeccable, as are the seamless waistband detail and perfectly placed pleats,” Patel says in praising these pants he calls “the perfect transitional trousers.” They’re constructed from a hefty Italian stonewashed denim, but the looser fit allows for plenty of movement. If, like us, you’re new to King and Tuckfield, Patel explains it is one of his “favorite British brands” because its range “effortlessly combines heritage with modern elegance.”

It’s understandable that many folks may not want to splurge on clothes this year, but Rutherford notes that some people are “experiencing overwhelming success and are overworked,” and might be in the mood to reward themselves. To those whose ideal treat is a new pair of fancy (but still comfy) pants, Patel suggests these trousers from Parisian fashion house Lemaire, whose name you may recognize from its frequent collaborations with Uniqlo. “If one pair of trousers could define ‘wide,’ ‘relaxed,’ and ‘languid’” — three words that describe how many of us may be feeling these days — “it would be these,” he says. Given that their fabric is almost half wool, these should be wearable through even the coldest of winter (though you might not want to bike in them). They also have a built-in belt (!), and although Patel doesn’t own them, we’re again including them because he told us he owns a similar pair from the brand and can vouch for their quality.