I would not advocate wearing a gold chain 24/7 or buying one of the tee shirts from his line for way too many dollars, but there is one thing Kanye West does that I think you should maybe consider emulating.
Kanye stepped out in leather sweats a while back. A lot of celebs/real people have done it since, but I sort of think of it as his thing. I also think of it as a pretty cool thing. I love pretty much anything in leather (real or faux), and while I definitely don’t love sports, I do love athletic influences in the fashion world. This trend is sporty, edgy, daring, modern and a little androgynous all at once. It’s also a very cool take on an item that has never been considered fashionable.
I think of leather sweatpants as a bit of a fashion challenge. It’s like anyone who wears them is saying, “This is how fashionable I am. I know how to make some baggy @$$ sweatpants look haute.” If you do it well, you’re awesome. Unfortunately, doing it well isn’t that easy. But if you’re going to try the trend – and maybe you should – here’s some advice from someone who has worn leather sweats and lived to tell about it.
First things first, wear these low on your hips. If you try to wear them like high-waisted pants, they will not look good; they’re too baggy. Plus they lose the cool dropped-crotch look you get when you let them sag lower.
Secondly, it’s all about balance – stick with a fitted top, maybe something a bit more demure. I wore a plain sleeve black button-down tucked into my pants when I wore them. As for shoes, my pick would be a pair of pointy-toed heels. The height will help balance out the bagginess and androgyny of the look and I love the way the very shapely point contrasts with the general shapelessness of the pants.
My third tip has to do with color. I like preserving the dark aesthetic of the pants by adding a black top. Colorful pops come from accessories – in my case, the pointy-toed pumps had a lot of color – especially pink.
And finally, be confident. My tips are just suggestions and you should definitely feel free to put your spin on it. How would you style these pants?
Make Like Kanye West and Wear Some Leather Sweatpants!
