Gray Sweatpants on a Date? Drake Says Yes, You Can

“Do you own a pair of gray sweatpants? This is all in the name of fashion research,” I dash off a quick text to a stylish guy friend of mine.

He responds within seconds, asking if we’re talking about “cozy” athleisure staples or the—ahem—“eggplant emoji” outlines these pants often create. I chuckle at the “fashion trends” the Internet has wrought these days. Yes, thanks to the meteoric rise of the hilarious hashtag #andthenheworegraysweatpants, the choice post-workout sportswear of jocks has become fodder for memes. Humble gray sweatpants are no longer eyesores but eye candy on a guy when worn with, well, not much else.

But if we’re to listen to Drake, the current arbiter of athleisurewear, gray sweatpants are a look that women can easily make their own. Clearly the rapper likes his ladies to really let loose, once rapping, “Sweatpants, hair tied, chillin’ with no makeup on . . . that’s when you’re prettiest” on “Best I Ever Had”—and let’s not forget that this is a man who has been romantically linked to such stylish women as Rihanna and Serena Williams. But before we go dismissing the fashion and relationship advice of “heartbreak Drake,” there is something to be said about stripping down to a more undone state in order to create a sense of intimacy between you and your partner. As Vogue.com Market Editor Chelsea Zalopany explains, “Although it’s definitely not a first-date look, it’s a look that says, ‘I’m happily comfortable with you!’ I mean, what’s better—especially in the winter—than cozying up with a glass of wine and someone you enjoy?”

The best way to style this borrowed-from-the-boys look for a night in with your bae? Try plush options in luxurious, good-enough-to-touch fabrics, such as Baja East’s cashmere jacquard-printed pair, and experiment with silhouettes that are more flattering for you, be it Yeezy’s snug cotton trousers or Champion’s oversize lounge shorts. Because after all, there is nothing sexier than a woman who’s comfortable with herself.