Men are now wearing 'fancy' sweatpants to work
Tapered sweatpants, called jogger pants, were last spring's hottest trend in menswear.
At the time, most men were wearing them casually with sneakers and t-shirts.
A year later, nearly every men's clothing retailer is selling jogger pants, and the styles and materials have been trending more upscale.
On retail websites and in-store displays, models and mannequins are now shown wearing the pants with dress shoes, blazers, and cardigans.
The men's sweatpant, it appears, has not only graduated from the couch to post-gym lunch, but also to the office.
A recent downturn in denim sales is partly to blame for the newly-approved versatility of the sweatpant, according to IBIS World analyst Will McKitterick
"Fashion denim is cyclical," McKitterick told NPR. "So it seems we're in a downturn period right now, and that's not too surprising coming off the large amount of sales we've seen over the last 10 years."
Denim sales were down 6% last year, according to market research firm The NPD Group.
The surging popularity of womens' yoga pants over the last several years has also facilitated the dawning of fancy men's sweatpants.
Retailers like Lululemon paved the way in showing women how to transition the tight, stretchy workout pants to activities beyond the gym. It wouldn't be long before men would want their own version.
Nordstrom now offers 200 different varieties of jogger pants for men, half of which cost more than $100. There's a $599 leather pair from Zanerobe, a $295 herringbone French Terry option by Todd Snyder, and a knit pair from Vince for $245.
Men can find cheaper versions at Gap, Express, Bonobos, and Betabrand.
ExpressThese Express joggers are $69.