I’m very particular about the cut, fit & style of my clothes & I realized there was such a variety in this case too.  Fashion can be overwhelming & as a woman, I get it. So today, I’m going to share with you the different types of sweatpants, brand and styles available, sizing tips & how to plan your next outfit & maybe, just maybe I’ll find my perfect pair in the process:

Types

When shopping for Sweatpants, you have to first know that there are different types & while we loosely club all these under the category of ‘Sweatpants’, there are some real technical differences between each type in terms of cuts, length, fabric & even the activity they are made for – Yoga , gym, dance, travel, running or lounge wear for example.

Sweatpants

Loose, warm trousers with an elasticized or drawstring waist, worn when exercising or as leisurewear.

Joggers

A pair of pants where the bottom of the pants are made with elastic or cuffed (regular & broad) which come closest to exuding retro vibes. Champion’s Premium Reverse Weave Sweatpants fits the bill.

Trackpants

Wind-breakers, tear aways/ break-aways/ rip- offs & popper pants all fall into this category. Trackpants are like Joggers but are made of polyester materials that are smooth and wrinkle free, usually worn for track events. Adidas’s famous Tiro soccer trainers with ankle zips is a good example of these.

Skinny Leg Sweatpants or Sweatpant Leggings

This is a relatively new category to the market. Today, technological improvements to synthetic materials have made products that contain spandex more washable and durable than an organic material such as cotton. Skinny Leg Sweatpants or Sweatpant Leggings, as the name suggests, may be made of these improved synthetic materials or the same cozy sweat pant-like cotton fabric. Either ways though, other than having the elasticized or drawstring waist, these stretchy, tapered leg sweatpants are skinny & fitted like leggings. They look wildly different than the sweatpants your dad was used to wearing! I’ve only come across one brand so far – ‘SO Joggers’ – that actually brands their version of these as the – Sweatpant Leggings. However Forever 21’s  Marled Knit Joggers and Brushed Combo Lounge Pants also fall in this category.

What’s Trending: Modern Cuts

I’ve notice brands like Adidas, Nike, Champion, Beachbody, American Eagle, Lou & Grey and Calvin Klein among others have put on spin on sweatpants, introducing modern cuts to the traditional style. These cuts feature a relaxed thigh and gradual tapering throughout the leg, towards the ankle. The typical ankle cuff design is eliminated and instead merged with the calf section for a more sleek, elongated silhouette often defined by zippers, contrast stitching and other embellishments. Lastly unlike the typical full length or capri jogger sweat pants, the length of these modern trending cuts are cropped – midway between calf & ankle for a more 7/8^th length. Adidas Changeover Joggers & Outdoor Voices CloudKnit Sweatpants are good examples.

Sizing Tips

Most brands run true to size when it comes to Sweatpants. In my experience, Adidas is most true to size, Hollister tends to run smaller, and Calvin Klein & Abercrombie & Fitch both run a little larger. Again, sizing also depends on the type of ‘sweatpant’ you’re shopping for. Some styles are meant to be oversized fits, while the more trending modern cuts may run snug but that’s the intention. I’m a size S/4 in bottoms & can best describe myself as a larger small but definitely not medium. When regular adult size S is too snug for me, I’ve often found the perfect solution in a Youth XL sizing which is similar to an adult small. I recommend, for those of you who run into sizing problems, maybe do some more research on Youth & Adult sizing similarities and see if these work for you!

How to style your outfit!

Finally, the fun part – putting all this knowledge into practice! Sweatpants (here I’m referring to all the  types including trackpants, joggers, modern cuts etc.) have long thought to be  ‘comfort-wear’, or ‘sport-wear’. But the more I look around me & understand the modern world of fashion, I’ve realized the Sweatpant is a very versatile & fashionably dynamic category of pants.

Not only are sweatpants today worn for sports, sporting events & warmups (adidas actual markets specific sweatpants depending on warmup, during & after practice activities!), they’re worn to the gym, for workouts, road-trips , travel and hiking. Whether it’s to keep you warm or get you noticed, today we live and run chores in their sweatpants.

Think of dates & casual weekend activities. Pair your favorite sweatpants with a cool pair of sneakers & T-shirt & you’re all set. Or take it up a notch with a denim jacket, beanie & muffler or cowl wrap for winter!

Finally, elevate the sweatpants to the office/ work environment & formal events. Here, it’s critical that you choose the right kind of joggers that look more like harem pants & trousers. Keep sporty vibes to a minimum. The fabric here also contributes to the look. Something made of thick cotton-polyester blends or jersey knit comes across as casual. Whereas synthetics like polyester, modal and rayon look significantly more elegant. The slouchy joggers by H&M have worked well for me in an

Accessorize your outfit with a heel, a formal jacket & statement pieces like jewelry, scarf & a handbag and you can really dress it up

It’s all about you – your personality, how you wear & accessorize your joggers and sweatpants that make all the difference and transform the jogger from comfy, laid back and casual to sexy & elegant!

The post Joggers, Sweatpants, Trackpants – What’s the difference & what looks best on you in 2020? appeared first on InstantELLA.

Witches in Britches – Melbourne, Australia

If walking through a tunnel of terror, while chowing down your 3-course dinner to the cackling of a 2 hour live stage musical comedy show & dance in a cage of death till the wee hours of the morning is your idea of fun, then the 40-year old  Witches in Britches theater restaurant might just be the thing for you. Located in the Wicked Castle, this horror themed restaurant – owing its resurgence to the public’s latest obsession with movies and serials like Teen Wolf, Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and vampires, witches, werewolves and the supernatural in general –  offers a kitschy interactive show rooted in contemporary pop culture.

The Ninja Restaurant – Manhattan New York

Welcome to Feudal Japan where traditional Japanese food, sushi or steak teriyaki is served by waiters in Ninja Garb. If you are not a fan of surprises and sneak attacks, beware because anything can happen in this warrior-themed restaurant with its dark alley ways and maze of passages lit by lanterns. Friendly Ninja magicians may approach your dinner party with a few tricks, but if you aren’t so lucky the dangerous ones may creep up on you or pop up out of nowhere to catch you unawares. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

The Black Pearl – Bangalore India

If you are fascinated by the lifestyle of Pirates and Captain Jack Sparrow from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ don’t be surprised if the next word out of your mouth is “Arrr…!!!” India’s largest Pirate and best themed restaurant- The Black Pearl – is here! Diners be prepared to board a pirate ship and enter a world of fantasy. The restaurant’s wooden floors resemble the deck of a ship, the chairs draped with ropes, the sight of skulls and mannequins of pirates with eye patches, is designed to make you believe you are on a pirate ship and for a minute possibly even being held captive in one. But the Barbecue on the table and the live Pirate Grill will keep you ever nourished! Diners get to Sing along with a live band, make merry, eat, drink and have a jolly good “Shiver me timbers” time!

The Museum H. R. Giger Bar – Gruyères, Switzerland

Space travelers and alien lovers, unite! Finally, we have a space themed restaurant worth mentioning. The Museum H. R. Giger Bar is one of several bars themed and modeled by the Swiss artist H. R. Giger. The interior of the bar – it’s roof, walls, fittings and chairs – is modeled along the lines of H. R. Giger’s biomechanical style as shown in the Alien films. Just the decor alone sells the experience!

Hajime Robot Restaurant – Bangkok, Thailand

This is the first ever Japanese restaurant, where all the serving waiters are ….robots (!!!). Diners order their food on a touchscreen display in order to activate the robots. Not only are these fascinating robots programmed to serve up more than 100 dishes and bus tables, they also entertain diners with a dance or two while they work. The owner of the restaurant, Lapassarad Thanaphant, said she spent 30 million baht ($927,600) on the restaurant including the purchase of four robots from Japan. Talk about hi-tech dining!

Drac Restaurant – Castell d’Emporda, Spain

If you are a fan of The Game Of Thrones and all things Dragon, you will love this one. Situated in the Empordà region, halfway between Barcelona and the French border, the Drac Restaurant in the Castell d’Emporda, Spain offers all the allure of a medieval style Game of Thrones restaurant. This medieval stone castle in the countryside is filled with exotic relics from around the globe. This place is so ‘Game of Thrones’ it even has miniature models of the siege of Castell d’Emporda in medieval times! The restaurant received a score 9/10 and is quoted a destination in itself

Mars 2112 – New York, NY

Transport your little ones to the Red Planet at this intergalactic Times Square favorite.  Now defunct, Mars 2112, an elaborate underground theme restaurant, was one of many tourist-targeted restaurants in the Times Square district of New York City. Based on future space travel and spanning 33,000 sq. ft., it was the largest such themed restaurant when it opened in November 1998. In its hay days, patrons were issued passports and escorted by restaurant staff, dressed as Spaceport personnel, to a full-sized flying saucer, where they were subjected to a bumpy 5-minute motion ride through a “Translunar Wormhole”, through a Martian Colony to the star bar and main dining area where giant video screen and smaller TV monitors display 1990s computer landscapes accompanied by robotic, noodling music.  The bar’s “Mars-tinis” and “Cosmos-politans” were some of the best drink specials in Midtown.

Miracle of Science Bar and Grill – Cambridge, Massachusetts

This interesting eatery could not get any geekier after displaying its menu inside a chalkboard periodic table, forcing you to recall a bit of your science classes while deciding your order. It was one of the first restaurants to employ the open floor concept. According to it’s website, this bar & grill is “always packed with artists, musicians, geo physicists and computer gurus who know they don’t have to go anywhere else looking for a good time”. Miracle of Science truly stands out as the leader in geek-chic.

The Hobbit Pub – Southampton, England

Calling all J.R.R. Tolkien fans, we’ve found the one ring to bring you all and in the darkness, bind you and it goes by the name of  The Hobbit Pub. The colorful cocktails and shooters served by the bar are fitting for the dwarves, elves, hobbits, and wizards that lend them their names. Fellowship quests, live music, real ales, hobbit cocktails, massive garden and atmosphere combined with the Middle Earth style in which the menus are presented make this a must-visit spot for geeks. Come see for yourself, you’ll love it!

Insert Coin(s) Barcade – Las Vegas

“It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this” (Legend of Zelda). Video Lounge, Game bar and Las Vegas Night Club rolled into one?! Nothing can get better. Armed with a unique combination of classic cabinet arcade games (like Mario Bros, Tetris, Street Fighter, and Atari Classic Pac Man), modern video-game systems like the Xbox and ps3 playable on high-def screens at the bar or in VIP booths, diverse musical programming and a geek-chic vibe, Insert Coin(s) opened in April 2011 at 512 Fremont Street. The nerdy atmosphere of the bar had a fittingly geeky menu to match, including specialty cocktails inspired by The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Brothers, and more. Insert Coin(s), a mecca for gamers, has closed after a four-year run “due to a rapidly changing DTLV business environment,” according to owner Christopher LaPorte.

Storm Crow Alehouse – Canada

the Storm Crow Alehouse, is best described as a fantasy tavern….  in real life. If you like simple British style food while catching up on geek culture, you’ll love this. You can roll a burger there just like a character, play board games all day, even join in a game with strangers. Roll the dice game for shots is the best part when the Alehouse’s craft beer draught list features 20 taps of BC microbrews, a host of amazingly geeky cocktails, and great pub food… including the exclusive “Dungeon Burger.”

World of Warcraft themed restaurant – Beijing, China

“Let’s get Ooking party started!” World of Warcraft (WoW) has finally made its way from virtual to real world, with the opening of a Beijing restaurant named and themed after the famous video game. The entrance of this WoW inspired restaurant is designed to look like the Dark Portal (The Burning Crusade‘s intro screen) .The interior walls are lined with artwork and murals from the game and shots of characters in epic gear. TV screens throughout the restaurant play footage of the game, and the menu is crafted on the latter as well.

Brick Burger Restaurant – Philippines

Owner, Jergs Correa’s love of all things LEGO inspired the menu and décor of the Brick Burger Restaurant in Pasig City, Philippines. The restaurant is Lego-inspired in every way. Here, burger-buns are shaped like toy Lego blocks in three primary colors: red, yellow, and black. Giant LEGO bricks double as ceiling lights. Diners can play with Lego sets while they wait for their order and free sets are given out to those who can finish their super-sized meal in record time. Even the bill tray will be made from LEGO bricks.

EXP Restaurant + Bar – Vancouver, Canada

You would probably have to be a gamer or at least have an interest in video games to really enjoy and understand this bar. This video game-themed restaurant allows you to watch gameplay on giant screens, there are live twitch streams, arcade machines, game decor and references are all over this restaurant and bar. The food menu is game-worthy as well. Visitors can order a Master Chief Burger with some Super Smash Nachos and wash it all down with a Red Dead Lemonade. If you thought you’d “shoot my way out, mix things up a little” the EXP restaurant and bar has a full list of mixed drinks for you. From 1-UP shooters to Hadouken martinis, EXP has no shortage of interesting drinks to choose from.

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