Say Goodbye To The Stigma Against Cotton Sweatpants

For too long, we have had to hear the same old things regarding sweatpants. We were told that sweatpants are sloppy clothing and only say bad things about the people wearing them. Sweatpants on television, in movies, and in real life always get the same nasty comments from people who choose to believe that sweatpants are a bad thing to wear often and you should be ashamed to wear them. Perhaps part of this nasty reputation in real life came from film and television. It seems like we were all comfortable in our cotton sweatpants until we were told by fictional characters that they were actually awful to wear.

This guy had a bad breakup, this woman lost her job, these people are going nowhere in life. The one thing they all have in common, of course, is their sweatpants. Their lives are so miserable that all they wear are sweatpants. This could be a case of life imitating art where we all start to tell ourselves and tell each other the same things that we are hearing these characters say to each other on-screen. "You need to get out of those sweatpants already." As if that was the problem the whole time. As if switching out of sweatpants and into some nice dress slacks would have changed everything. The breakups won't hurt, a new job will suddenly pop up, and everyone will feel alive and inspired to have a brand new lease on life. Is that really the case though? Probably not.

We can try our best but those days will still occur and we have to get past them at our own pace. The sweatpants aren't the problem. But they can be a nice bit of comfort when problems do present themselves. In fact, sweatpants can be some help in lots of different situations. In case you were just starting to feel a little down about how often you were wearing a pair of cotton sweatpants, here's a reminder that you are probably fine just as you are, sweatpants and all.

They’re Comfortable…

Let's start off with the simplest of reasons. Cotton sweatpants are super comfortable. Who is really going to argue against that claiming that soft, breathable fabric with elastic waistbands and a drawstring for security, are all uncomfortable? Sweatpants are a really comfortable thing to throw on and wear for hours on end. They are cozy to wear as you walk around the house, lay on the couch, or go to bed on a chilly winter night. That is just how they are and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Sweatpants are meant to be comfortable clothing for movement. They were never meant to replace all other types of clothing and become the one true garment to rule them all. They are just what they are and we love them for it. But of course, it should be no surprise that the folks at Just Sweatshirts love sweats. It's kind of our thing.

One great thing about sweatpants is that there is no dishonesty there. There are no uppity ideas behind sweatpants. They are just sweatpants. We are not trying to wear a matching sweatshirt/sweatpant combo on the red carpet (although that would be quite the look). We are just trying to wear them when we feel like it is the best thing for the occasion. Just like every other type of garment out there, there is a time and place for sweatpants. It would be a little odd to see a bikini at a college graduation or a cap and gown on the beach. So go ahead and wear your sweatpants when you feel like it is a good time. It only makes sense that you or anyone would want to dress more comfortably from time to time. There is nothing wrong with comfort and there is nothing wrong with wearing sweatpants.

Feeling Down

Now we can get to the point that so many television shows and romantic comedies seemed to misunderstand. Sometimes wearing sweatpants a lot is a sign that something bad happened, but it is not the issue itself. It is a way to soothe yourself while dealing with the real issue. Realistically, challenges arise and things get tough. That is just an unfortunate fact. You could feel down for a gigantic list of reasons: you feel sick, lost a job, lost a loved one, had a breakup, etc. Honestly, you could even be feeling down for reasons you can't quite explain, but feel very deeply. That is just a part of the normal human experience. If anything, it might be strange if you never felt that way at all. But to feel down sometimes is only natural and you should not ever feel ashamed of needing some time to yourself to feel better.

It is just fine to give yourself a bit of a break and let yourself relax in your own home. The world can be a mean, scary place and will be tough on you sometimes. You do not need to be tough on yourself all the time too. Be kind to yourself when you need to be and let yourself wear the sweatpants without even a hint of shame. There is nothing for you to feel guilt over. It is just clothing. Forget about whatever some old, cheap movies have said. No fictional character is going to leap through the TV screen to tell you that you need to change your clothes. They only had those lines to make a cheap, unfunny joke anyway. Wear those sweatpants and give yourself some time to heal. When you are ready to get back up and put on something dressier, then your nicer clothes will still be there waiting for you. That will be a great moment. Until then, there is no need to rush.

Working From Home

For many of us, working remotely from home was a preference, for some it just came with the territory, and for others, it was a matter of circumstance. Whatever the case may be, the fact of the matter is that many of us work from home. We clock in and clock out without ever having to step outside the front door. For many of us, that means that we will be spending much more of our time in the comfort of our at-home or makeshift office spaces. So what do you wear when you are home all day long? You guessed it. You wear sweatpants of course.

At the very least, you wear more relaxed comfortable clothing that you probably would not ordinarily wear to work in an office setting. A long-sleeved shirt with a cartoon character plastered all over it does not normally constitute business casual, unfortunately. It makes sense at home though. No one has to see what you look like and the work gets done on time. No harm, no foul. It is a bit of an equalizer as well since the upper-level management will be at home in their T-shirts and jogger pants just as the newest interns will be.

It did not take long after the huge influx of people beginning to work from home that there were already some naysayers. Every now and then, someone would pop their head up to say that we should all be dressed to the nines at home. We should still dress as if we were going to the office every single day, whether or not anyone saw us from the shoulders down. Just Sweatshirts would like to speak on behalf of everyone working from home in their soft cotton sweatpants when we say no thank you.

That is not fair to apply to every single one of us who are trying our best to adjust to a new work structure or has been adjusted to it for years. Some of us are just trying to keep everything running smoothly and one of the things we do not need to do in order to make that happen is dress up. So we will gladly encourage you and anyone else working from home now to welcome their sweatpants warmly as they navigate this new lifestyle.

Heading Out the House

As much as we have been talking about wearing your sweatpants around your home, we still have not discussed what it looks like when you wear your sweatpants outside. As we have mentioned above, there is a time and a place for everything - sweats included. That does not mean that sweatpants are right for every occasion. You can still get away with going out into the public while wearing your sweatpants, you just might want to do it a bit differently than you would indoors. If you genuinely do not care at all about wearing slouchy jogger pants in public, then more power to you. For everyone else, however, there are ways to wear sweatpants that still look clean and pulled together. What matters most in these situations is to look clean. You do not want to look like you have been wearing only that one outfit for the past seven days. No stains, no odors, no tears.

Besides basic neatness, you do not have to do too much to look decent as you head out to the grocery store or pharmacy. A clean T-shirt and a matching pair of sneakers will get the job done. It is especially easy to get dressed quickly to head out the front door when you stick to wearing neutral colors primarily. Luckily enough, it seems that most of us have adopted the policy of mainly wearing neutral-colored sweatpants in shades like black, gray, or navy blue. Anything else is easy to throw on top for a quick outfit. Again, we are not heading to the red carpet, so there is some freedom here. You can still be comfortable and presentable at the same time.

Feeling Fine in the Living Room

On a similar train of thought, we should talk about what it means to feel good in what you are wearing. While you spend time in your own home, you are free to dress as you please. In that case, what matters most is how you feel. There is this idea floating around that sweatpants are a guilty pleasure sort of thing to wear. As if you are only allowed to wear them if you feel some sense of shame. You can only wear them if you feel gross and grubby about it. That does not have to be the case though.

You can still feel clean and put together in your own home while wearing cotton sweatpants. There does not have to be any guilt associated with it. If you feel decent hanging around your living room in a pair of cotton sweatpants, with a clean shirt and warm socks, then please do so. You owe no one an apology or explanation. Forget the shame you were always taught to have when wearing sweatpants and keep your head up high. Life isn’t just evening gowns and tuxedos. We all have to dress down at some point. And when we do, we should be perfectly confident and sure of ourselves. Whether you are wearing a suit, sweatpants, or jeans, you should feel good about yourself.

As if it would be any kind of a surprise, but we are fans of sweatpants here at Just Sweatshirts. So it might sound a little biased hearing this all coming from us, but know that we mean it. It is just so tiresome hearing people talk down to each other in film or in real life because someone wants to wear sweatpants or a sweatshirt. If you are dealing with some personal troubles in life, recently started working from home, or just like the way sweatpants feel, we are not here to judge you. Make the decisions that work best for you and your lifestyle. It is not hurting anyone else, so no one should say anything to you about it. Wear your sweats proudly and kiss that stigma goodbye.