How To Style Joggers As More Than Just Athleisure Wear

Although joggers, also known as tracking trousers, have been around forever — they gained stardom status in the early 2000s thanks to the velour tracksuit craze — they became an official staple in recent years. The rise of the athleisure trend circa 2018 brought joggers and other activewear staples into mainstream territory (via Forbes). Influencers and celebrities like the Kardashians and the Hadid sisters followed the fad of mixing activewear and dressier clothing with a passion, normalizing taking sporty pieces into contexts and dress codes that were, until then, not so usual. Enter the COVID-19 pandemic, and everyone was pretty much stuck in their loungewear. After that, comfort became non-negotiable; people simply became too used to the softness and flattering fit of joggers to give them up.

Even if current trends point to a return to glamour — a natural response to the confinement and forced utilitarian fashion of the last two years — joggers became a go-to essential, and it's only logical to include them in cool styling formulas for everyday use, or even for special occasions. To help you make the most of your joggers with a sophisticated twist, we selected some fashionista-approved styling ideas including both items you probably own already, and on-trend must-haves.

Can joggers be worn to work? For sure. A pair of slim-cut joggers is your best investment if you love wearing your trackers on not-so-casual occasions. You can also easily match them with a smart blazer and pumps for an effortless, polished business look. They are also the ideal styling solution for family dinners when you want to look put together while lounging around the house. Just add an elegant top or an embellished knit and the right jewelry.

An interesting alternative to regular sweatpants-style trousers, leather joggers can be dressed up or down with heels and a smart blouse, or fashionable sneakers and a basic top. For an ultra-chic yet minimalistic look, try them with a black cashmere turtleneck and sleek stilettos. They are also a great asset to play with designer (or inspired) pieces such as tweed jackets, luxe wool scarves, pearl accessories, and statement leather quilted chain bags.

To get a perfectly proportioned silhouette, try looser joggers with a fitted bodysuit. For maximum figure balancing effect, choose a top with a V neckline and long or ¾ sleeves, resembling a ballerina outfit. You can try this formula in dressier fabrics with pointy heels to build an effortlessly sexy date night ensemble or in simpler materials and chunky heels for a stylish everyday look.

To add sophistication to a lazy outfit, try joggers in embellished materials such as brocade, jacquard, embroidered velvet, lamé, or sequin. You can keep your visuals simple with a basic top, heels, and a bold lip, or go a bit further by adding a lavish blouse or a quirky blazer with fun details and a statement bag. However you wear ornate joggers, nobody will notice that you are actually going out in elasticated bottoms.

A versatile way to elevate joggers, making them appropriate to smart-casual, business, or festive occasions, is going for a silky material, such as satin or a shiny, luxurious natural silk blend. Pick yours in a timeless color like beige or black and wear them in a monochrome outfit to create an expensive-looking, old-money-like aesthetic. For an everyday, chic look, pair silky joggers with a basic t-shirt, a nice tote, and fashionable flats.

For a stylish everyday outfit, try a modern classic beloved by celebrities: a matching set or a sleek pair of joggers with a top or knit in the same color. Then, simply finish with your statement shoes and accessories. To maximize the effect, you can pick your joggers in a textured fabric, such as velvet, quilted cotton blend, terry cloth, or a luxurious knitted, cable, or mesh blend of cashmere and silk.

Looking for a grown-up approach to your joggers? Lend them a lavish touch by wearing cashmere in a shawl or chic knitwear. This works especially well if you stick to a monochrome look in rich shades of beige, white, pearl, or honey, and finish with polished hair and makeup, a structured tote or top handle bag, gold or silver jewelry, and sensible heels. Let it never be said that joggers can't be preppy.

Play with the coolness of unapologetically sporty joggers by adding a sexy cut-out top or bodysuit in pure Y2K style, a look that couldn't be trendier if you tried. You can go all the way with fun colors, platform shoes, and a baguette bag, or take the elegant route and stick to a black and white palette, thin or block heels, a luxurious chain bag, and designer jewelry.

With 2000s nostalgia and current loungewear being all the rage, velour joggers are back with a vengeance, but nowadays you can wear them in a range of polished ways. Take a page from no other than Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian's book, and tone down the Y2K look with muted colors, minimalistic tops, and cool shoes like plain chunky sneakers, dad sandals, or nude heels. Finish with a plain, ladylike oversized bag.

If you are a die-hard fan of the genre, invest in extravagant joggers- luxury brands such as Gucci or Fendi made them in patterns that are pretty much works of art. Everyday labels quickly followed with striking printed joggers with lettering, pop art, or fantasy motifs. To keep things chic, go for a clean look: natural makeup or a bold lip, polished hair and a plain top (that can be cropped), and either chunky sneakers or sleek heels.

Joggers and travel are a well-known winning combination, but you don't have to stick to the typical loungewear formula of a chic tracksuit with fashionable sneakers. Add something extra by choosing joggers in an interesting color like mint, soft pink, or yellow and match them with eye-catching pumps and a chic chain bag. Or, you can add a luxurious outerwear piece for effect, such as a faux fur coat.

Slim joggers in a solid color are fertile territory for cool business — or meet-the-parents ensembles — and are perfect to accessorize. If you want to break the prim look of some of your best fashion investments, such as Chanel pumps, your blazer collection, strings of pearls, or your best designer bags, play with the casual look of this bottom piece to wear them in a laid-back manner.

For an everyday casual outfit that takes less than two minutes but looks like a million bucks, just pick a solid colored pair of joggers and add a basic cotton top, your coolest jewelry, and lavish leather mules such as those from Bottega Veneta or Hermes. You might throw in a luxurious cardigan or kimono jacket or add a rebellious twist with a leather perfecto and a daring clutch or cross-body bag.

To give your joggers a fashion-forward but comfy twist, try them with a chunky pair of Chelsea or combat boots. This formula works amazingly well in an all-black look, but any neutral colors will do. Layer with an oversized leather perfecto or long overcoat. A chic alternative is to tuck your joggers into pointy high-heeled boots, a returning Y2K styling hack that frolics with the casual-polished contrast.

To give your joggers a bit of structure and get an instant put-together outfit, toy with other casual classics: a fitted denim shirt or a looser denim jacket over a body-hugging top. Alternatively, consider getting a pair of soft denim joggers; just pick a lightweight fabric for the comfy feel that makes joggers so special in the first place. Wear them with a basic top and nude sandals for a foolproof outfit.