The Strategist Staff’s Favorite Lounge Pants

These are the most flattering sweatpants in the world. They fit perfectly through the hip and thighs and also hit my ankle just so (I’m five-two). If I were a person who wore loungewear outside, these would be the only pants I’d feel comfortable being seen in public in. I have them in forest green and black. I hope they make them forever.

I got these two years ago, and they are really the only lounge pants I wear now. I wore them practically every day last fall and winter, mostly for indoor lounging, but they are thick and cute enough that I don’t mind wearing them out for a quick errand or Tuesday-night movie, too. They’re mostly pima cotton with 4 percent Spandex, so while they’re well-fitted and therefore put-together looking, there’s enough stretch that they feel just like sweats. They’re a little long for me at a 30.5-inch inseam (I’m five-two), but that was only an issue when wearing them outdoors, and I’d just wear my chunky boots in those cases to keep the hem off the street. They’re 75 percent off right now, and I’m wondering if I should buy another pair, just to have them should my current ever need replacing — though two years of pretty constant wear hasn’t changed how they fit or look at all, except for maybe a tiny bit of fading.

These were a relatively recent impulse purchase, but they’ve quickly become one of my favorites. I have an old pair of men’s Russell sweats I stole from my brother, and I live in those in the winter, but they’re on the heavy side, and I’ve been liking the Uniqlo ones as the weather warms. I do wish they were 100 percent cotton instead of a blend, but for the price, I can’t complain. They’re supersoft and the band is comfy. They have a perfectly straight leg, which I love; it’s what drew me to them in the first place because I feel like most of the time what I see out there these days are either joggers or distinctly wide-leg sweats. They’re flattering, so I don’t at all mind taking an evening walk in them or running out in the neighborhood to do an errand.

I bought these from Donni last October in a seasonal darker-red color that’s no longer available, though all the colors are great, and now I’m eyeing the cornflower. They’re supersoft and cozy, substantial without feeling thick. They’re definitely my nicest “lounge” pants — so much so that while I do indeed wear them for lounging, it skews more toward when I’m making a simultaneous effort to look actually put-together, like when we have friends over for a movie night, or I’m meeting someone for a coffee in the neighborhood (I guess that isn’t lounging, but you get what I’m saying). Like the Uniqlo ones, they have a nice leg width, with subtle, cute scallop detail. Just know that they look more cropped on the model than they do on my five-four frame.

I bought these in red about a month ago and have been living in them at home after work. They remind me of a pair of mustard-yellow Entireworld sweatpants that I wore until they had holes in them — the looped terry interior is similarly soft and lightweight, and I like the range of colors. I’m planning on buying a second pair.

I basically lived in my Roots sweats all winter. The sizing and style of these Cloud One sweatpants is unisex, so I went with size two, which corresponds to Men’s XS/Women’s S. The fabric is thick and sturdy, made of a blend of organic cotton and recycled polyester, with a relaxed fit and elasticated cuffs that keep them from dragging on the floor. They’ve gone through multiple rounds in my washer and dryer and I’ve yet to notice any thinning, pilling, or shedding. I also have a matchinghoodie, and wearing a set makes me feel somewhat more put-together and polished, even if I’m just sprawled on the couch.

I live in a one-bedroom with my boyfriend, and we cook a lot, so I don’t like to bring the cooking smells that hang onto my lounge clothes into my bed. These sweatpants have become my de facto cooking pants, cleaning pants, and, most importantly, couch pants. They arenotpajamas. As someone who’s very picky about the silhouette of my sweatpants, I appreciate that the horseshoe shape of these hides the bulk of the pockets. (I hate it when my sweatpants bulge out around the pockets.) Aritzia’s Sweatfleece is luxuriously soft on the skin, and these are no exception. They’re so breathable yet soft that I recently wore them on a flight to France.

These Lulu pants are my new favorite lounge pants. They are just so, so soft. They feel like modal PJ pants — in fact, I’ve worn them to bed a few times. I’m obsessed with the BeCalm fabric and the soft and fuzzy interior. The slouchy, drapey fit is nice too. The pockets are also deep enough to hold my iPhone Pro Max!

I also like the Halo Widelegs fromVuori. They feel a bit more polished than regular sweatpants or joggers. The Halo fabric is a tiny bit more lightweight than Lululemon’s BeCalm, but both are nice for working from home and cool summer nights.

I bought these in a petite length in black. Now they are available in other colors like white, red, brown, and blue. They have been great pants! One of the best things about them is that they are lounge-y in comfort and lighter weight for spring/summer weather but also fine to wear out of the house. I wore them on the plane to Disney World over spring break and then also out to the theme park on a couple of unexpectedly cooler days. I also wore them as PJ pants in the hotel room. The legs aren’t too wide and there’s no obvious flare, which is my personal ideal. I want to buy another pair in a different color, but I wish the petite length was available in more colors.

I love that these come in so many colors, even if I only have them in “boring” shades — brown and gray. I also have the matching crewneck sweatshirts, and sometimes I wear them in sets and sometimes I don’t. They are just classic and kind of retro-feeling sweatpants that aren’t too expensive.The pink ones we wrote about last yearare on supersale right now, too.

My favorite lounge pants by far are my Rat Boi Drawstring pants. The exact style I have is no longer available — it’s made from the same pointelle fabric asthese other Rat Boi pants— but this stripey pair is very similar. What I love most is how loose and flowy they are. I bought my usual size (large) and arguably I could have sized down, as I actually need to use the drawstring to keep them up. But in a way, that adds to their loosey-goosey charm. These are nearly a daily driver for me, lightweight enough to wear when it’s hot but cozy when it’s cold. I’ve worn them to sleep plenty of times, too. I pretty much only wear them at home, as they are long on me and drag a bit on the ground.

I’ve had the Rat Boi pants for over a year, but I more recently bought these Eddie Bauer sweats during a going-out-of-business sale at my localmall. (Eddie Bauer is unfortunatelyclosing lots of brick-and-mortar storesafter filing for bankruptcy.) I’d been wanting a pair of simple sweatpants with a straight, wide leg, and when I found these at a discount, I decided to go for it. I’ve worn them so much in the few months I’ve owned them that I wish I had bought them sooner. They are more heavyweight than the Rat Boi pants, but that makes them especially cozy. I wear them at home, as well as over my workout clothes when walking to my local yoga studio when it’s chilly. With summer finally approaching, I haven’t been wearing them much lately, but since they are currently on sale (and Eddie Bauer’s future is a bit up in the air), I’d say it’s a good time to go ahead and buy a pair for next winter. Thy run a bit large and long, but that doesn’t bother me for at-home wear.