Inspired by my friend K-, I decided to get a pair of yoga-pant-comfy pants. Mine are from athleta. They're really just ponte pants, which means they are soft and stretchy, but they are styled like casual work pants or dressy casual pants, with a fly, front pockets, belt loops, rear patch pockets, and nice clean side seams.
At first I planned to wear them out and about, but not to work. Then I decided to try them for work. Now I've worn them 3 times. And they work! I won't wear them when I'm doing a presentation or anything, but for a more casual work day, they are fine.
So, pros: So so so so comfy. The first day I wore them I actually did some squat-jumps and spidermans in my office, just to test them out - worked great. :) And the stretchiness means they fit perfectly (no more pants falling down mid-day).
Cons: A little more snug than typical of work wear - not so much grazing as hugging. I took some closeups of the hip areas (lifting my shirt up a bit so it shows clearly) to give you a feel. I think they are fine in dark colors, but I wouldn't get a light colored pair for the office.
I've worn them with longer/looser tops, and that has worked nicely. Today's is actually the most fitted and shortest top I've worn with it. I don't think I would ever tuck something into these - it just wouldn't look quite right I think. But we'll see - maybe with a nice belt... I promise I will experiment. I forgot to take pics of my first couple of outfits with these pants, but I'll try to post more going forward. Out of all my work clothes, I suspect this is the one that you, my wonderful readers, might be most likely to adopt for yourselves. Pencil dresses with 4 inch heels are all well and good, but this... Ahhhh. :)
(Pants: Athleta (http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=50000&vid=1&pid=439153002), red tank, flats, earrings: white house black market, White/cream sweater: Old Navy)
So, pros: So so so so comfy. The first day I wore them I actually did some squat-jumps and spidermans in my office, just to test them out - worked great. :) And the stretchiness means they fit perfectly (no more pants falling down mid-day).
Cons: A little more snug than typical of work wear - not so much grazing as hugging. I took some closeups of the hip areas (lifting my shirt up a bit so it shows clearly) to give you a feel. I think they are fine in dark colors, but I wouldn't get a light colored pair for the office.
I've worn them with longer/looser tops, and that has worked nicely. Today's is actually the most fitted and shortest top I've worn with it. I don't think I would ever tuck something into these - it just wouldn't look quite right I think. But we'll see - maybe with a nice belt... I promise I will experiment. I forgot to take pics of my first couple of outfits with these pants, but I'll try to post more going forward. Out of all my work clothes, I suspect this is the one that you, my wonderful readers, might be most likely to adopt for yourselves. Pencil dresses with 4 inch heels are all well and good, but this... Ahhhh. :)
(Pants: Athleta (http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=50000&vid=1&pid=439153002), red tank, flats, earrings: white house black market, White/cream sweater: Old Navy)
I'm so intrigued. What made you go with Athleta vs. Betabrand?! My 5-star review was for Betabrand! but they look great - I agree, I have mostly worn with longer tops since they are fitted. Also wore them to the trampoline park!!
ReplyDeleteGood question! A few things:
DeleteBetabrand pros: clearly designed to look like work pants (e.g. slit back pockets instead of patch pockets), so more work appropriate; good review from my friend Kim
Athleta pros: Lots of negative reviews that the pants are too long - that means they were likely to be long enough for me. :) Betabrand has long lengths, but not in the xs size; real pockets, not fake ones - adds a little bulk, but is worth it to me to have functional pockets; on super sale; a skinnier leg - even the straight-leg betabrand ones looked just a little too wide at the bottom for me.
All that said, I partly went with the Athleta ones because I wasn't intending to wear them to work. I just ended up liking them for that purpose as well. Now that I am actually wearing these to work, I'll be watching for Betabrand to add xs-long as an option. If they do, I will try them out.