How to Wear Sweatpants, According to Kanye West, Rihanna, Travis Scott, and More

Image via Complex Original

When: 2018

Where to Buy It: Grailed 

Similar Looks From: Moncler, MISBHV, and Thisisneverthat 

Styling Tip: Wear them with a pair of sneakers that subtly match. 

When Kanye West stopped by Travis Scott’s Astroworld Tour At The Forum in California, he lounged up in the VIP section with a good pair of Brain Dead sweatpants and some Yeezy Boost 700 V2s. West was seen wearing these specific Brain Dead sweatpants numerous times throughout 2018. West made the design so popular that bootlegs are still available to purchase on AliExpress and other websites. “Gustavo” is the official name of Ye’s Brain Dead sweats and some legit pairs are still online today for hefty resale prices. However, newer Brain Dead sweatpants can easily be picked up for retail from Brain Dead’s online store.

When: 2019

Where to Buy It: Grailed

Similar Looks From: Needles, Mastermind World, and Alife

Styling Tip: Don’t be afraid to wear oversized sweatpants that may cover your ankles. 

ASAP Rocky pulled up to Barclays Center for Yams Day in 2019 with a pair of special AWGE x Needles sweatpants. Needles is a Japanese clothing brand by Keizo Shimizu, who is also the founder of Nepenthes and Engineered Garments. The Needles brand has been around since 1988 and is well-known for its tracksuits. In 2018 and 2019, the brand released co-branded tracksuits with ASAP Rocky’s creative agency AWGE. The first Needles x AWGE collaboration featured track pants in blue/orange, pink/navy, green/purple, black/white, and black/yellow colorways. Their second collaboration in 2019 featured tracksuits in lilac/teal, red, and black colorways. Today the pants can be found on Grailed for prices within the $500 range. Thankfully, there are many other great, and cheaper, options available.

When: 2015 

Where to Buy It: Grailed

Similar Looks From: Casablanca, Thom Browne, and Adidas

Styling Tip: Wear a matching top to make a bold sweatsuit statement. 

Drake knows that if you’re going to watch one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world, you have to do it in comfort and style. When Drizzy pulled up to the 2015 Wimbledon Championships, he wore an all-navy ensemble that included a pair of sweatpants and  crewneck from OVO’s Summer 2015 collection. Although these sweatpants may be hard to come by today, there’s a similar looking style on Grailed for less than $100. Other than that, you can check out OVO’s web store and shop other options from brands like Casablanca, Thom Browne, and Adidas.

When: 2017

Where to Buy It: Grailed

Similar Looks From: Parra and Alife

Styling Tip: Wear a chill graphic T-shirt and a simple pair of sneakers in neutral colors when wearing a pair of bright sweatpants with a bold print. 

It should come as no surprise that Tyler, the Creator’s choice for a good pair of sweatpants is one from his own Golf clothing line. The “Find Some Time” sweatpants were released during Golf’s Fall/Winter 2017 season and were named after lyrics from the Flower Boy single “Boredom.” The sweatpants, which dropped in pink and green colorways, are difficult to find today. However, a few pairs do float up on Grailed from time to time. Thankfully, similar options from brands like Parra and Alife can be found online. 

When: 2020

Where to Buy It: SSENSE

Similar Looks From: Burberry and Gucci

Styling Tip: Assemble a fit around your sweatpants with garments in monochrome colors to accompany it. 

When it comes to Travis Scott, you already know how much he loves wearing the color brown. So there’s no surprises when he’s seen rocking a pair of brown baggy sweatpants. But of course, when La Flame rocks sweatpants, they’re going to be made by some high-end designer. Scott stepped out into the streets of SoHo with some baggy lounge pants by Rick Owens, camouflage Visvim sandals, a Raf Simons baseball jacket, a Louis Vuitton backpack, and a Nike x Cactus Jack hat to top it all off. A pair of these Rick Owens pants will run you at least $550 at retail. But if you’re just feeling inspired to cop a brown pair of sweats, there’s also a range of great choices from the Complex SHOP.

When: 2020

Where to Buy It: N/A

Similar Looks From: Rassvet, Chrystie NYC, and Carhartt WIP

Styling Tip: An all grey sweatsuit with a pair of clean white Air Jordans will always look good. 

Before Lil Yachty appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform “Speed Me Up” alongside Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla Sign, and Sueco the Child, he arrived at the television studio with a very comfy fit courtesy of Champion and Denim Tears. The heather grey ensemble is nicely paired with a simple pair of White Cement 4s. Unfortunately, you’ll be hard pressed to find this exact sweatsuit since it seems like it was only given to friends and family of the brand. However, a sturdy pair of Champion sweatpants is not hard to come by and there are lots of great grey sweatpants available on the Complex SHOP. 

When: 2021

Where to Buy It: Brain Dead

Similar Looks From: Needles and Casablanca

Styling Tip: Don’t ever be afraid to wear a pair of sweatpants with some high heels. 

Like Kanye, Rihanna also knew Brain Dead is where it’s at when it comes to buying a fly pair of graphic sweatpants. But unlike Kanye’s sweatpants, the pair Rihanna wore with a leather shearling jacket and high heels is still widely available online. The Brain Dead “Dreams” sweatpants in mallard green are available on the web store for just $140. However, if you are looking to pick up another pair of sweats in a similar colorway, there are a range of great options from brands like Needles and Casablanca in the Complex SHOP.

When: 2017

Where to Buy It: Adidas

Similar Looks From: Rassvet and Burberry

Styling Tip: When wearing a pair of bright colored sweatpants, make sure that other garments accent the color well. 

When Pharrell arrived at Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2017/2018 runway show, he decided to come through with a laid-back fit. He wore an extra long Chanel cardigan and sunglasses with a Cactus Plant Flea Market crewneck, Adidas Stan Smiths and some timeless red Adidas sweatpants accented with Billionaire Boys Club socks. It’s truly a classic Skateboard P fit. Although you won’t be able to snag the exact pair Pharrell wore, there are plenty of great red sweatpant options on Adidas’ online store and from other brands.