Comfy Pants!: A Breakdown of My Favorite, Most-Worn Styles
All 15 of them, because lately, all I want to wear are soft pants.
Back again with another deep dive of a favorite wardrobe staple. This time on soft pants, but catch my previous two installments here (on new Levi’s) and here (on oversized sweaters).
Before we get into it, a little disclaimer that my body looks a little different in these images. Yes, I’m pregnant (again), but I first wanted to note that pregnancy is not the reason for my love of comfy pants. I wear all of these while not pregnant, too. My goal here is to showcase how versatile soft pants can be, no matter what stage of life you’re in.
That being said, a rapidly growing belly does create its own set of sartorial challenges, so an elastic or drawstring waist has been essential for me right now. Normally, I’d wear most of these pants higher on the waist (as a style preference), but it’s been fun to experiment wearing them below a bump, which you’ll see in the images.
(And I’ll get into the *pregnancy* of it all soon, but saving that for a different newsletter.)
First, I’ll say that it was really hard for me to narrow down my favorites. And while this list seems long, it’s only the tip of my comfy pant iceberg. In fact, while compiling, I realized that I own many of the same styles in lots of colorways. But, my body has been in fluctuation for years now thanks to multiple pregnancies, postpartums, life, etc., so stretchy waistbands have been an absolute lifesaver. At least, that’s how I’m justifying my spending habits, ok?!
As with my previous round-ups, it’s important to note that this is not a comprehensive guide, but more of an ode to the styles that I gravitate towards for my body type. So, you’ll notice (for the most part) that I like my comfy pants cropped at the ankle and in a looser silhouette. Some are more for lounging at home, while others are perfect for a fun night out, but most can be worn for both of those things—and everything in between.
And FYI, I didn’t include leggings. I’m only wearing maternity leggings right now, so most of my MVPs are tucked away for the foreseeable future.
I’ve organized them into categories below, so let’s get into it! And, of course, none of this is sponsored whatsoever—ya girl is just an avid consumer. Let me know what your favorites are, too.
SOFT COTTON
Donni Baby Rib Scallop Pant: I’ve elaborated on my love of Donni before, but they’ve truly perfected (and elevated) comfy clothing. In fact, I don’t think any other brand is doing soft pants as well as them (and no, they do not pay me to say this, lol—I’m a very loyal customer!). Their baby rib scallop family sits at the top for me. The fabric is somehow thick, soft, and keeps its structure all at the same time. I own these in multiple colors (jet, heather grey, and tomato) and rotate through them constantly. They run true to size.
Donni Pointelle Simple Crop Pant: I gravitate towards any pointelle (and many brands have great versions of this too, like LESET and J.Crew), but I’ve found that Donni’s suit my body best (I have the heather grey, creme, olive, and espresso). The drape of the pant leg seems really intentional, plus you can wear them high-waisted or low, depending on your mood. I do think they skew more casual, but clever styling can dress them up. They run true to size.
The Great Eyelet Easy Sleep Pant: Because these are billed as pajama pants, they’re quite sheer, but wearing a top that’ll cover the bum solves that problem fairly easily. For winter, I love the contrast of a heavy, utilitarian sweater with the frill of these delicate pants. In summer, they make for a great swim cover-up. Overall, the sweet eyelet detail softens anything it’s paired with. They run true to size.
Donni Jersey Simple Crop Pant: I live in these during the warmer months, but I’ve found myself reaching for them lately, too. They’re lightweight and slightly sheer, with a wider silhouette that pairs well with literally any kind of top. I mostly wear mine with oversized buttoned shirts and an easy pair of sandals, but they’re really flexible and look just as good dressed up. They run true to size.
POPLIN COTTON
LESET Kyoto Carpenter Pant: LESET is another brand that does comfy basics really well (my favorite white tee is their Margo). These pants are an investment (I bought mine during Black Friday), but the carpenter detailing instantly adds a cool factor to a more casual look. They run true to size, but I probably only have a few more weeks before the tie waist loses the race to my growing belly.
J.Crew Cotton Poplin Pajama Pant: Don’t sleep on pajamas, y’all (pun very much intended). These are another pair that I’ve repurposed to wear as daytime pants. Mine have a butter stripe (very au courant), which feels like the perfect antidote to winter, but they come in lots of colors, too. When not pregnant, I wear them much higher on the waist so that they hit at the ankle. They run true to size (and the white is slightly sheer).
LINEN
Deiji Studios Linen Ease Trouser: I don’t wear much linen in the colder months, but I make an exception for Deiji Studios. I’m a huge fan of the brand and can confidently recommend many of their styles, including these, which come in a ton of colors (and poplin, too!). Mine are currently out of stock (russet check if you want to check resale sites), but they have a few other plaids, too, which feel like a fresh take on a linen pant, especially this time of year. They run true to size.
Donni Linen Crop Stripe Pant: No surprise, but I’m also a huge fan of Donni’s linen range, including these (with a track pant stripe!) and their linen simple pants. For some reason, I gravitate towards an elastic waist for linen (the Deiji are, too), which feels less fussy to me. These fit true to size.
*I feel like linen is an entirely separate category altogether. Maybe I’ll deep dive alllll my favorites in the summer months?!
SWEATPANTS
Le Bon Shoppe Balloon Pants: My collection of balloon pants keeps growing because I love the fit so much. I also find Le Bon Shoppe in general to have really high quality garments (their socks are my absolute favorite, too). These almost don’t look like sweatpants, but they sure feel like them—like a put-together, cooler version. They come in lots of colors (I also have black and gray), but the washed red are the ones I reach for most. They run true to size (which I wear), but you could size up if you wanted a baggier fit.
J.Crew Heritage Fleece Jogger Pant: J.Crew makes the softest sweats. They’re long and roomy (so you could size down here if you wanted), but somehow the shape is still slim and not too bulky. They work really well dressed up with some loafers and a buttoned shirt. Add a trench and a baseball cap and you’re ready for the farmers’ market. Also, can you tell from the photo that these are yellow? I’m *obsessed* with the color! I buy my true size.
*I was too lazy to photograph the rest of my favorites, but wanted to call out three others that I live in: the Jenni Kayne Saturday Sweatpant (true to size), Aerie OFFLINE Fleece Jogger (they fit oversized, so size down if you want a more fitted look), and the Donni Eco Terry Sweatpants (size up).
SPECIALTY FABRIC
LESET Rio High Waist Straight Pant II: I cannot emphasize this enough: these pants are magic (my selfie doesn’t do them justice). With a super high, stretchy waist, they work well into pregnancy (I have about a month left before they feel too tight). They’d make for excellent work pants, but I also wear them a lot for date nights and friend dinners. The pant leg hits full length on me—and note the subtle bootcut! True to size.
LESET Lauren Crop Drawstring Pant: I have a love/hate relationship with these pants. They’re the most buttery soft material (somehow luxe and cozy at the same time), but they’re hand wash only. I find that blasphemous when it comes to a lounge pant, but I didn’t realize until after I bought them (another BF purchase). The sweater-like knit makes it the comfiest garment I own though. They fit true to size.
Donni Silky Simple Pant: I reach for these satiny pants the most when I want a stretchy waist for going out. They need a good steam before each wear, but otherwise are the most unfussy garment that can be styled in endless ways (and therefore will give you a lot of mileage). I might try wearing a short, fitted dress over it next time. Since Donni’s are sold out, lots of brands have a similar style (J.Crew, La Ligne, Abercrombie, Gap, and Reformation come to mind).
Gap Airy Wide-Leg Pants: I had to include these since I wear them frequently, but they’re no longer on Gap’s site (which is a total bummer). They’re thin and have an almost crinkly material, so I love how breathable and wearable they are. I’d wear these to the airport with sneakers or on a date night with heeled sandals. No notes!! These from Gap Factory look like a similar style—or I’ve heard only good things about Enza Costa’s version (though much pricier).
Romance time!
I feel like we haven’t discussed books in awhile. Since we’re pushing the email limit here (actually I’m fairly confident the newsletter will get cut off in email, so click through if it does!), I’m going to share a quick snapshot of what my reading looks like in this moment.
Last book I read: I recently finished Ali Hazelwood’s Deep End, a college-set story about a diver and a swimmer, rife with a Fifty Shades-like dynamic. If the romance genre as a whole is formulaic, Hazelwood is even more so—all of her novels have a big brooding male and a neurotic, overthinking female, both brainiacs in the STEM field. But, I love a formula, so I really enjoy her novels—and this one was honestly SO hard to put down.
Currently reading: I’ve been going through Lisa Kleypas’s backlog, now reading the second in her Wallflower Series, It Happened One Autumn. You know, every once in awhile, you just need a good ol’ fashioned bodice ripper to take your mind off the dumpster fire that is our country. God speed to all of us.
What I’m reading next: I’ve been loving the 831 Stories novels (and the entire ethos behind the romance-focused company) and can’t wait to start Comedic Timing by Upasna Barath, which is on its way to me now, about a bi woman navigating the complexities of a new relationship with a man.
On my Libby waitlist: I added Kennedy Ryan’s Reel to Libby months ago, but since I’m not the only one dying to read it, I still have several weeks to go before it’s in my possession. It’s a Hollywood-set story about a Broadway understudy who’s thrust into the spotlight when a famous director casts her in his Harlem Renaissance biopic film. Forbidden romance ensues.
One last thing. Did you know that Bookshop.org now has e-books? Truly the best news!
I also wanted to thank you for your kind words on my last newsletter about grief. I’m so glad that it resonated or was helpful. I won’t write too many personal essays like that because they’re pretty mentally tough on me, but I truly appreciate every message, email, and even phone call (!!) about it.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
*I occasionally use affiliate links and will receive a small percentage of a sale linked through this newsletter. For books, I always advocate to borrow from the library (Libby!) or buy in your local bookstore. If you’d like to buy online, consider bookshop.org
Hi Janelle! I’m glad I found you on here, loving your stuff. Would you recommend sizing up in the Donni Pointelle pants for pregnancy?
Hi Janelle!!! Question on sizing - i know you said TTS for the LESET Rio High Waist Straight Pant II, do you mean your pre-pregnancy size? or sizing 1 up to accommodate?