Have jeans permanently disappeared from our daily wardrobes? Apparently a side effect of the coronavirus is the need to be wear comfortable clothes at all times. I discovered these lounge pants in the year of the pandemic and may never return to the confinement of the jean. Lounge pants for women must above all things be comfortable, stretchy and my new requirement for 2020, they must also have pockets so my lounge pants can hold a face mask.
Here are my favorite lounge pants for women that are getting me through the pandemic.
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Zella Leggings Lounge Pants; Courtesy of Nordstrom Rack
1. Z by Zella High Waist Leggings with Pocket
One of the first online purchases I made when COVID-19 lockdowns started to be announced wasn’t toilet paper or food. It was several pairs of Z by Zella High Waist Leggings. Priorities! In normal times, I wore jeans nearly every day. But when I’m home laying on the couch I wear leggings and it was quickly becoming clear that the couch was going to be this travel writer’s newest destination.
I had bought my first pair of Zella leggings from Nordstrom a few months prior and fell in love with them. So I knew I now needed numerous pairs. I bought six pairs. They all seemed slightly different and I wasn’t exactly sure which was going to be the “right” pair to ride out a pandemic. I ended up keeping three different pairs and love each for their own reasons.
The Z by Zella High Waist Leggings with Pocket and the Z by Zella High Waist Crop Leggings with Pocket are identical. The only difference is one is full leg length and the other is cropped (winter and summer, duh). There is a large pocket on each leg that can easily fit a phone. The pocket is what sold me on these leggings. But I had no idea how important this pocket would become in the age of face mask wearing. This pocket is a perfect place to stow your mask when exiting a building, transitioning locations inside a gym or going for a run outside. Masks easily fit in this pocket and can quickly be pulled from their hiding place when it is needed to keep yourself and others safe.
The other pair I bought were the Zella Asher High Waist Hybrid Leggings. At the time of purchase I liked these leggings best, but they’ve quickly fallen to the pair I wear the least. I call the Zella Asher Legging the mullet of leggings. They offer two different fabrics in the front and the back. The back of the legging is the familiar cotton legging material, but the front fabric is woven and more tailored. These Zella Asher Leggings are business in the front with their more tailored look, perfect for travel days or when you want to look like you’re not going to the gym, but then it’s a party in the back with the casual comfort that we all love in a legging. These leggings also offer zippered pockets on each leg. I love this for keeping a passport or money safe. But it’s not the most convenient for the gym or having easy access to a face mask.
The compression and high waist on all of these leggings is outstanding. They are tight but flexible and comfortable. They don’t cut off circulation or create a muffin top. They smooth out all the lumpy areas. They are the ultimate pair of leggings and I’m secretly hoping they will become acceptable once we all return to the office.
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Shop Priceless Don’t Sweat It Jogger Pants; Courtesy of Shop Priceless
2. Don’t Sweat It Joggers
The black Don’t Sweat It Joggers from Shop Priceless quickly become my new favorite pair of lounge pants. They are super cozy, and loose fitting, but not saggy. They feature a white elastic drawstring waist, side seam pockets that can fit a phone and a tapered pant leg. I love that these Shop Priceless joggers can be styled up or down. You can totally wear them around the house or even to bed but also wear them with a cool sandal or shoe for a girls night around the fire pit. My only negative for these lounge pants is that they leave tons of tiny fuzz balls behind on the floor, even after a washing. But these joggers are worth a little vacuuming!
Aerie Oversized Joggers Lounge Pants; Courtesy of Aerie
3. Aerie Oversized Joggers
The Aerie Oversized Joggers are the ultimate in comfort. They are great for the house, running errands, sleeping in or even going to the beach. These versatile high waist lounge pants for women are super flowy and come in a few different darker shades. They have an elastic ankle and a rope drawstring waist. There is a V front detail that I’m not a big fan of but unless you’re wearing a crop top with it, it easily goes unnoticed. These lounge pants for women do run a bit big but that is also the style of these nomad lounge pants. There are no fat days when wearing these lounge pants for women.
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Skinnygirl Sierra Jogger Lounge Pants; Courtesy of Skinnygirl
4. Sierra Jogger With Zipper from Skinnygirl
I purchased the Sierra Jogger with zipper from Bethenny Frankel’s Skinnygirl brand pre-pandemic. My original plan for these lounge pants for women was that they were going to be my new travel pants. They feel like sweatpants but can pass for tailored pants. Flash forward to 2020 and I now treat them as full-on sweatpants. They have pockets and cute zipper accents at the ankle. The cotton pants come in black, gray and fiery red and are easily paired with sneakers, sandals or flip flops. They are perfect for running to the store, through the airport or around your backyard.
Bliss Body Leggings; Courtesy of Bliss Body
5. Dreamy Fit Leggings by Bliss Body
These Dreamy Fit leggings by Bliss Body are more textured and would work great under a skirt or dress. The Bliss Body leggings are durable but slightly see through so wearing them under a dress allows you to show off that textured look without showing off your panties. The waist can be a bit tight so sizing up is recommended. I also have an excellent 15 percent off discount code for everyone to use since they are on the pricer side of leggings. Use code goliveyourstory15 at check out to receive 15 percent off your order.
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