When Grossman and GQ style editor Yang-Yi Goh put together the inaugural class of Recommends All-Stars, there was only one pair of sweatpants they considered. Les Tien specializes in sweats of the highest order, they wrote then, cut with a tailor’s eye for precision and an Angeleno’s appreciation for pared-back ease. In the year or so since, not much has changed. “Every time we call these into GQ HQ,” Grossman says, “ a colleague wanders into the shoot and asks about them—and then inevitably buys a pair.” Think of them as supremely cozy capital-T trousers and style ’em accordingly.
Best Cashmere Sweatpants: Ghiaia Cashmere Knitted Joggers
Fit: Relaxed taper | Materials: 100% cashmere | Details: Side pockets, drawstring waist | Colors: Varies | Sizes: S-4XL
On the athleisure spectrum, cashmere sweatpants are 0% “ath” and 100% “leisure.” And if you’re gonna lean into the royal coziness that comes with cashmere, you might as well put your shoulder into it like Ghiaia Cashmere founder Davide Baroncini did. Ghiaia Cashmere sits in the upper echelons of quiet luxury and, as the name suggests, its seat is upholstered in ultra-fine cashmere. The plush cashmere fabric for these over-the-top sweatpants/joggers is made in a family-run factory in Italy and cut into a relaxed tapered fit that feels ultra cozy and looks even cleaner.
Best Nike Sweatpants: Nike Standard Issue Dri-FIT Basketball Pants
Fit: Relaxed | Materials: 61% cotton, 39% polyester | Details: Elasticated cuffs | Colors: Varies | Sizes: S-4XL, regular and tall inseams
Despite Nike’s dominance in the athletic apparel industry, they do make clothes that aren’t geared toward performing heart-pumping physical feats. The Swoosh’s Standard Issue Dri-FIT Basketball pants are more like your classic fleece sweatpants than an aerodynamic pair track pants with four-way stretch. They’re made from a midweight French terry fabric comprised of cotton and polyester that feel like and look the sweats you’re used to wearing. But because it’s Nike, they’re imbued with Dri-FIT technology for moisture-wicking properties that allow you to rock them in a pickup game. Not only that, but they also come with the modern convenience of zippered pockets to keep your phones and earbuds secure.
More Sweatpants We Love
Trumbull Vintage Wash Double Front Sweatpants
Buck Mason Interloop Sweatpant
Everybody.World Trash Sweatpants
Camber Cross Knit Sweatpants
The Real McCoy’s Loopwheel Sweatpants
Bather Fleece Sweatpant
What to Look for When Buying Sweatpants
As with anything, really, it’s important to consider the quality of the fabric, the construction involved, and, most importantly, your personal taste. Some old-school sweats are designed without pockets—you might be wearing yours strictly for chilling, but having a pocket to hold your phone is probably a good idea.
