For 30 years we have lived under the tyranny of denim pants. There have been evolutions, from boot cut to skinny jeans, but this rough cotton fabric has remained ubiquitous.
It’s time for this to end. Jeans are hot in the summer, cold in the winter, tight in all the wrong places, and are constantly in danger of being destroyed in the wash. Unless you’re rail thin, most men don’t look good in them. Since designers got involved, they aren’t even cheap anymore.
I remember my first pair of designer Diesel jeans around 2009. Squeezing my legs into them I was almost as proud of the look as I was uncomfortable. Trying to dance at a nightclub, I could barely flex my knees, the best part of the night was when I took them off.
This evolved into my regular office wear. I joined the rest of the midtown cowboys with a business button down on top and “pleasure” jeans on the bottom. Fancy loafers completed the look. My uniform allowed me to hide in the crowd. Despite what I thought at the time it was neither comfortable nor stylish. Real style involves self expression, which this look lacked.
With Covid, things have changed. Stuck inside we wear our comfy clothes and have started to like it. A lot has been written about how this is bad, how we should go back to the styles of the 20th century.
But we are in a new century and so need a new approach to style.
It’s time to embrace the drawstring comfort of athleisure, particularly the jogger. These mercifully soft pants look good on lots of body types, allow for a wide range of motion and are available in different fabrics depending on climate. The elastic ankles give you a slimming tapered profile while allowing you to show off your fresh new kicks.
If you look around TikTok, the cool kids have already abandoned jeans. This is your chance to be comfortable, stylish, and on trend all at once. Relax and enjoy because athleisure will make your life better.
JEANS: How Did we Get Here
Jeans have not always been cool. My Grandmother, in her 80s, wouldn’t alow any of her children to wear them. For her they were for the working class she hoped to escape. She had a point, for most of their history’s jeans were associated with roughnecks.
The original jean fabric emerged in the cities of Genoa, Italy, and Nîmes, France. Gênes, the French word for Genoa, may be the origin of the word "jeans". In France, weavers tried to recreate the Italian product, but instead developed a similar twill fabric. this was known as denim, from de Nîmes, meaning "from Nîmes". The Genoese navy made jeans for its sailors, as they needed a fabric which could be worn wet or dry (compared to corduroy, no Gore Tex then!)
By the 17th century, jean was a crucial textile for working-class people in Northern Italy. This is seen. The look became complete in the 19th century with blue indigo from India followed by an indigo color synthesized in Germany. Levi Strauss popularized them with California gold prospectors.
Jeans were mainly popular with workmen until post war youth culture coopted them. Breaking away from the clean cut Leave it to Beaver look, rebels with and without causes across the USA wore denim pants.
This post war cultural moment started with Marlon Brando On the Waterfront and culminated with the summer of love for the hippy generation. The connective tissue is the Beat Generation, one of the first modern (Not the last!) American groups to appropriate working class culture.
In the mid 70s Calvin Klein turned this aesthetic on its head. With the creation of Designer jeans, Calvin began the divorce proceeding of denim and its working class past. Jeans became glamorous and accepted by the fashion set. The prices rose, making jeans a status symbol no longer connected to the counterculture. There was an entire cottage industry devoted to smuggling these pants into the Soviet Union.
As we reached the 20th century the take over of Jeans was complete. Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake made it official at the 2001 Video Music Awards where they wore head to toe denim.
Designers began to create “distressed” versions with an artful patina without any heavy lifting. The Japanese create selvage denim, which requires a baroque ritual to break in and make wearable. I remember soaking in bathtubs with my jeans, and putting them in the freezer instead of washing them.
Now jeans have become mainstream to the point of cliche. “Basic” has entered the popular language and it fits jeans like a pair of low rise D&G. I would not have a problem if these pants were comfortable, or cheap, but they aren’t. Living in Florida, I dread feeling my legs sweat through thick denim.
Also, I am sick of pretending to have a connection to an industrial past I never experienced. Most millennials and Gen Z see work as an electronic rather than physical pursuit. Guys who still do work with their hands have traded jeans for more practical workwear like Carhart.
It’s time for the age of athleisure
Athleisure: Welcome to the 21st century
While jeans came out of the work wear tradition, athleisure came from sports.
Sneaker culture was the first sign. People began wearing sports shoes off the court and in day to day life. Hip Hop, like avant garde Beat culture did for denim, made sneakers cool. Soon they were appropriated by high fashion brands like Gucci and Prada.
Joggers followed a similar path. I remember not even 10 years ago when wearing “gym pants” out and about was a style faux paux. First women bought into the trend with yoga culture and brands like Lululemmon. Society became fitness obsessed, and athletic clothing quickly transformed into the new status symbol.
These trends were turbo charged by COVID. Stuck inside with no opportunity to see and be seen, people opted for comfy clothes. The more they wore them, the more they liked them. Jeans are judgmental while drawstring pants are forgiving. Self care during a hard year was more important than looking good out on the town.
Now we are seeing a new breed of hybrid athleisure. Brands are mixing high end fabrics with elastic waists and ankles and zip pockets. These sleek looks combine the best of both worlds, looking great and being comfortable. Jeans these days feel played out.
Florida Style Tips.
This is all good news for Florida men. We live in a hot sticky climate where even the lightest of clothing gets soaked in sweat. For years jeans have made us suffer. Forced by custom to wear them at night clubs and at the office, we had little choice but to grin and bear it.
But now there is athleisure. A Florida flaneur can stroll in freedom and comfort. Joggers look great with sneakers, espadrilles, loafers, and sandals, all the footwear options that men could need. Just ditch the socks.The drawstring relieves the need for a belt.
Hopefully now you’re sold on athleisure and joggers, let me give you a few specific ideas. My favorites take inspiration from athletic wear but are more focused on day to day life.
Let’s start on the high end. Regular readers know that I have Vladimir Putin lifestyle envy, and that extends to his pants. Vlad was famously photographed wearing $1,250 Loro Piana sweatpants so we know he is a fan of the brand. Going to Mr. Porter, there is an insane navy cashmere and wool pair for just $995. These might be better when the temps drop, but they are very elegant and very cozy.
If you are looking for something lighter weight and easier on the wallet, Todd Snyder New York has a lot of great options. I love their Italian Stretch Camp joggers which cost $188. They are 97% cotton and 3 percent elastane for a bit of comfy give. Sleek enough for a night out and relaxed for Sunday at the coffee shop, these are the perfect anytime urban pants. If you want to take your first step to breaking free from jeans start here.
On the budget side you can’t do any better than Japanese fast fashion brand Uniqlo. Their staple jogger is the elegantly simple Ultra Stretch jogger pants for $29.99. These pants are made of synthetic fast dry fabric that is perfect for the gym. Because of the simple look, they also work in day to day life. In a variety of colors, get a few pairs and use them day in and day out.
Conclusion: Joggers over Jeans
Joggers still get a lot of shit. Older folks will ask you why you’re wearing sweatpants and your employer might not be ready to allow them into the corporate dress code. Within the next couple years, however, they definitely will be more accepted.
Remember, Jeans used to be banned from polite society. For the athleisure haters, why is athletic inspired clothing worse than manual labor inspired clothing?
You can get on board or get left behind. Why not become more comfortable and stylish at the same time? Guys need to embrace the trend, it’s the best thing to happen to men’s fashion in a while.
For me, joggers are such a relief. I was sick of my style and wanted something new. I took a risk, bought some athleisure outside my comfort zone, and couldn’t be happier.