Don't Sweat It

The advent of elastic cuff, exercise-wear inspired pants (and pretty much any gym-gear-as-fashion) was a while ago, and this trend isn't going anywhere, thank goodness. I love a comfortable pant, but in the initial stages of sport-to-runway, I was unwilling to splurge on an expensive pair. I didn't want to substitute with a generic pair of sweatpants, because...yeah they're just sweatpants and I wouldn't be fooling anyone. Now, as the harem/track/jogger/sport moves into mainstream fashion, there are so many different looks and price points to choose from that hopping on this trend is both easy and looks great! Here are a few of my favorites:

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1. Slim Leg Pant: Michael Kors is my sportswear go-to, and these pants exemplify his all-American fashion sensibility. The details here, beautiful all-over print,drawstring with gold-tone aglets and the mid-rise waist are what takes them out of the realm of the gym and puts them squarely in my closet. Pair them with a short-sleeve cotton button down and a structured bag.

2. Poison Lover Pant: I saw these MinkPink pants on the NastyGal site and they stole my heart. Floral is a heavy trend this season, and the bright flower clusters on these pants easily make them the focal point of a look. For a night out, a black tank and black mules will work wonders. A bright tee and flat sandals will make them work for day.

3. Lidora Pant: These Joie pants are a bit more structured, with pleats and a zip fly and hook & bar closure. If not for the elasticized ankles and soft silk fabric, these pants would veer right into summer suit territory. Do you need them to act that way? Top them off with a blazer and kitten heel pumps and they're office-ready.

4. Drapey Cinched Pants: Leave it to Old Navy to come up with a covetable pair of track pants for less than $30. All the details are there: drawstring waist with tab ends, pockets, and yes, rayon!  The rayon fabric ensures that these pants will have both a nice drape and nice hand. This pant is available in three terrific patterns, the blue floral is my favorite.

5. Harper Jogger: Looking for black? Anthropologie's Harper pant is the one you're looking for. Slip pockets on the rear, slash zipper pockets in front and easy pull on styling along with a nice, slim leg make these an easy grab for any kind of day (or night).