February 10, 2010 9:27 AM
- Text
Sweatpants at the Office? Come On!
(CBS)
Who can resist lounging at home in a comfy pair of sweatpants? But have we taken our love too far?
CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller sat down with Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith to talk about this trend-turned- national obsession -- with more and more people sporting sweats out in public.
But should we be wearing them out to the store? To work? To the opera? It's a debate generating some strong opinions.
The rules of fashion are always changing. These days, you can catch anyone in a pair of sweats, any day of the week. But some experts say even the best-dressed celebrities have gone too far.
"(Actress Keira Knightly) looks good in anything, but the velour track suit, please, it has to end," said Zanna Roberts Rassi, senior fashion editor at Marie Claire.
Hollywood is setting a trend that the rest of us are all too willing to follow.
The Early Show took to the streets of New York City to get people's opinion on the comfy attire and one woman said, "I dress up for work, so when I'm off, I love sweatpants."
In fact, "comfort" has long been the sweatpants wearer's best defense.
Even Jerry Seinfeld drew inspiration from sweatpants for an episode of "Seinfeld."
"Again with the sweatpants?" Jerry asked George in the episode.
"What? I'm comfortable," he replied.
"You know the message you're sending out to the world with these sweatpants? You're telling the world 'I give up.'"
One blogger wants to know when our long national sweatpants nightmare will be over.
"The sweatpant is sort of emblematic really of a kind of apathy and sloth. Once you accept an item with an adjustable waistband, you may as well wear a sign on your head that says, "There is no accountability here," said Sean Macaulay, of The Daily Beast.
Sweat-brands like Juicy Couture and the PINK line from Victoria's Secret are pushing sex-appeal and sophistication. Now, high-end designers are following suit, show-casing sweats on this season's runways.
But can the "work-out" wardrobe transition into a night out on the town?
One man even admitted that he wore sweatpants to the Metropolitan Opera.
Still some make no excuses.
"Don't wear them in public unless you are performing a sporting event, or unless you are a member of the gymnastic Olympic team," Macaulay added.
If you still can't resist a pair of sweats, there are important rules to follow.
According to Marie Claire's Roberts Rassi, you should "always dress them up. Always, always wear a heel. Always wear something tailored, a blazer, a sharp shirt, or something with a sparkle."
But there is one look that even sweatpants supporters want to see come to an end -- "Wearing them with Ugg boots, can we please stop?" pleaded Roberts Rassi.
CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller sat down with Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith to talk about this trend-turned- national obsession -- with more and more people sporting sweats out in public.
But should we be wearing them out to the store? To work? To the opera? It's a debate generating some strong opinions.
The rules of fashion are always changing. These days, you can catch anyone in a pair of sweats, any day of the week. But some experts say even the best-dressed celebrities have gone too far.
"(Actress Keira Knightly) looks good in anything, but the velour track suit, please, it has to end," said Zanna Roberts Rassi, senior fashion editor at Marie Claire.
Hollywood is setting a trend that the rest of us are all too willing to follow.
The Early Show took to the streets of New York City to get people's opinion on the comfy attire and one woman said, "I dress up for work, so when I'm off, I love sweatpants."
In fact, "comfort" has long been the sweatpants wearer's best defense.
Even Jerry Seinfeld drew inspiration from sweatpants for an episode of "Seinfeld."
"Again with the sweatpants?" Jerry asked George in the episode.
"What? I'm comfortable," he replied.
"You know the message you're sending out to the world with these sweatpants? You're telling the world 'I give up.'"
One blogger wants to know when our long national sweatpants nightmare will be over.
"The sweatpant is sort of emblematic really of a kind of apathy and sloth. Once you accept an item with an adjustable waistband, you may as well wear a sign on your head that says, "There is no accountability here," said Sean Macaulay, of The Daily Beast.
Sweat-brands like Juicy Couture and the PINK line from Victoria's Secret are pushing sex-appeal and sophistication. Now, high-end designers are following suit, show-casing sweats on this season's runways.
But can the "work-out" wardrobe transition into a night out on the town?
One man even admitted that he wore sweatpants to the Metropolitan Opera.
Still some make no excuses.
"Don't wear them in public unless you are performing a sporting event, or unless you are a member of the gymnastic Olympic team," Macaulay added.
If you still can't resist a pair of sweats, there are important rules to follow.
According to Marie Claire's Roberts Rassi, you should "always dress them up. Always, always wear a heel. Always wear something tailored, a blazer, a sharp shirt, or something with a sparkle."
But there is one look that even sweatpants supporters want to see come to an end -- "Wearing them with Ugg boots, can we please stop?" pleaded Roberts Rassi.
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