How To Style Your Favorite Comfy Yoga Pants For Any Occasion
Yoga — a physical activity involving a series of fluid poses combined with profound breathing techniques — is one of the most beloved forms of exercise on the planet. The greatness of yoga is that it is for everyone and requires no special equipment. You don't have to be athletic or fit to start rolling out a yoga mat and moving through the basic poses. Madonna, Gisele Bundchen, and Jennifer Aniston are among numerous celebrities who have made yoga a sine qua non of their fitness regime. Per the International Yoga Foundation (via Yoga Basics), there were over 300 million yoga practitioners around the world in 2021, and the number is still on the increase. In 2020, yoga was the most popular home digital workout of the year as people used it to manage pandemic stress, a survey by ClassPass reveals.
The popularity of yoga is so far-reaching that it has spilled into fashion and become a pillar of activewear. Long gone is the time when yoga gear was confined to at-home or yoga classes. Today, the high-waisted, stretchy yoga pants have become a street-style staple — a symbol of fitness. Yoga pants are comfy, body-flattering, and easy to mix and match with many items. Plus, they let people know that you lead a healthy lifestyle without telling them so. You cannot wear just anything to a yoga class, but you can wear yoga pants on almost any occasion. Below is a quick primer on how to rock your comfy yoga pants in any setting.
Throw on an oversized shirt
To make your yoga pants look less like activewear, throw on an oversized button-down, T-shirt, or sweater that ends at mid-thigh or just above the knee. Underneath, you can wear a pair of tight-fitting yoga pants or yoga shorts. An oversized top paired with tight and stretchy yoga shorts is the perfect combination for a street-style, errand-running look in the warmer weather. You can also wear the look to brunch or a casual party. Laid-back as it is, this combo makes an eye-catching statement while allowing you to show off your legs. Hailey Bieber and Ariana Grande are great examples of how to look sporty chic in oversized tops and barely-there bottoms.
If you want to dress up this look, swap cute loafers or sandals for a pair of heels or thigh-high boots. To add more visual interest to the look, put on sunglasses and some jewelry, such as big, dazzling earrings and a colorful multi-row necklace.
Pair high-waist yoga pants with a crop top
If you're proud of your toned, sexy abs, don't hesitate to flaunt them in a midriff top paired with high-waist yoga pants. Not only do high-waist yoga pants highlight your hips and thighs, but they also help you hide your belly bulges and make you at least one size thinner. Besides, a high-waisted fit gives you more coverage compared to a low-rise one. As yoga instructor Katch Posch (via New York Magazine) puts it, "I live for high-rise and for not having to keep pulling up my pants while practicing or teaching."
Meanwhile, midriff fronts with high-waist pants serve as the ideal base for a statement crop top look. Commenting on hip dip look, Miuccia Prada, the brains behind the billion-dollar fashion empire Miu Miu, tells Another Magazine: "Today, I am interested in the idea of economy – of paring back, working with the existing, the real, to transform what we already have." Depending on your preferences, you can pair your yoga pants with cut-out tank tops, sheer tops, turtle-neck tops, or halter tops. Midriff tops — tight or flowy — go well with all body types. If you don't have a top that exposes your belly button, consider making one by trimming the bottom of a long shirt to the desired length and going for a high waist on the bottom. To keep your tummy show to a minimum, layer your outfit with a bomber or a long cardigan.
Try a hoodie for a pop of punk
For a dressed-down look of New York hardcore, pair your form-fitting yoga pants with a big hoodie. Not only does a hoodie lend a pop of edgy-sporty vibe to your appearance, but it can also serve as your belly camouflage. Actor Jared Padalecki described the functionality of hoodies this way: "I'm a little self-conscious about my body. I love to wear hoodies because you can get cozy and eat some food and your belly doesn't show!"
When it comes to styling hoodies, color plays a vital role. For a high-end, grunge-inspired look, opt for neutral colors such as black and white. To stand out in a crowd, opt for more attention-grabbing hues — like neon colors. If you're going for the glam punk style, tie spiked accessories into your look, RebelsMarket advises. For instance, spiked earrings, a heavy necklace chain, and a pair of studded combat boots can give your look a punky, cool-girl feel. Or, you can simply accessorize your hoodie with anything that compliments the garment — think sunglasses, studded earrings, and a baseball cap to add flair to your outfit.
Wear yoga pants with a blazer
Truthfully speaking, you can never go wrong with the timeless pairing of a blazer and tight yoga pants. Displaying a structured silhouette that calls to mind the traditional business attire for the Kingsmen, blazers add a much-needed splash of luxe to any outfit. When you dress a blazer down with yoga pants, the message you send the world through your choice of outfit is clear: You have a future to attend to, but you know when to slow down on the work front to embrace your woo-girl vibe.
There are endless ways you can style a blazer. For a high-low, bare midriff look, take a leaf out of Emily Ratajkowski's book and layer your open-front blazer over a bralette styled with high-waist yoga pants. If you're wearing yoga shorts, you can opt for a more subtle and cohesive look by buttoning your blazer up and tying a belt around your waist to make it look like a dress, which is exactly what Bella Hadid did. To elongate your figure while keeping your look chic, opt for Everest-high laced-up heels, gladiators, or thigh-high boots.
Wear a sweater dress over yoga pants
A sweater dress of any color and tights go together like peanut butter and jelly, especially during the colder weather. You can reach for a curve-hugging ribbed dress or a flowy, loose-fitting dress that ends just above the knees and wear tight yoga pants underneath. This daytime look creates the impression of a taller and slimmer body shape while keeping you warm and comfortable. To amp up this look, put on knee-high boots. In case you're wearing yoga shorts under a sweater dress, slip into thigh-high boots to keep your legs warm.
In fact, pairing a sweater dress with leggings is also a great idea, but only during warmer months. The main distinction between leggings and yoga pants is that the latter are typically thicker, more sturdy, and more stretchy to allow for comfortable movements as you perform various postures, The Yoga Nomads points out. If staying warm is your primary concern, you can go for this styling. According to Yoga Kali, fleece-lined or heavy-knit yoga pants made of wool can trap heat and keep you snuggly when the temp declines.
Go for a monochromatic look
To match your ensemble to perfection, opt for a monochromatic look. It doesn't matter what you wear on top; as long as it features the same color as your bottom, you're all set. For instance, you can match your cobalt blue yoga pants with a top in a lighter shade of blue — like cyan blue or royal blue as a case in point. If you're wearing high-waist crimson yoga pants, top it off with a cardinal-red or salmon-pink crop top, and put on a pair of rose-madder heels to complete the monochromatic look. If you can match your top and bottom to the exact shade, more power to you.
Dressing in monochrome from head to toe gives you a clean, harmonious look with minimal effort and room for error. Plus, going monochrome also creates the illusion of a taller figure as it displays an uninterrupted flow of color for the eye, per Art In The Find. If you have a petite figure and color scheming is not your strong suit, stepping out in a monochromatic ensemble is an easy, foolproof way to ease into a voguish look that's not affected by trends or seasons. Authentically Ritah also points out that a monochromatic look might be simple, but it's far from boring. It's a method of dressing that unfailingly gives you a smart and sophisticated look.
Go preppy
If you want to take your preppy dressing during the cold season to the next level, tight yoga pants are just the ticket. To stay warm, wear a tight-fit pair of yoga pants of neutral color under a pleated tennis skirt or midi skirt. For the upper body part, reach for a scholarly staple like a polo or a cable-knit sweater, or wear a comfy shirt under a loose, sleeveless knit jacket or a V-neck cardigan. Or, you can try pulling off the neo-Ivy League look by tying a sweater around your shirt.
To enforce your iconic "Clueless" look while braving the elements, put on a plaid blazer. This timeless fall staple goes with any style. To get the maximum modern vibe from your outfit, put on a pair of quilted chunky boots or loafers. For further inspiration on how to style a preppy ensemble with yoga tights underneath, check out a collegiate sweater by Lacoste, a checkered blazer by Zara, and a knit cotton V-neck cardigan by Gucci. Thigh-length pleated skirts from Aritzia and H&M are also some chic school uniform items worth stocking up on.