# Poll: Is It Okay To Wear Sweatpants In Public? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 8, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936 "2009-02-08T17:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/81 "2009-02-08T20:52:48Z")
I tend not to wear sweatpants myself, but that’s just because I find sweatpants pockets inadequate: Usually not enough of them, or not deep enough, or both, for my usual array of pocket items. I had no clue whatsoever that they were some sort of fashion faux pas for general everyday wear. So no, I wouldn’t judge someone based on the fact that they were wearing sweatpants… Why would I? ---
**Author:** ![HolyFreakingMoly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ba0ec/32.png) [@HolyFreakingMoly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HolyFreakingMoly)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/82 "2009-02-08T20:53:56Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Hey, if you can’t judge people on their attire, what can you judge them on? That’s a big clue right there. Gee, I don’t know. I don’t find it necessary to judge people on any particular criteria. > [@DianaG](#): > > Clothes ARE valid data. You chose them. You put them on your body. You left the house that way. You may not have given it much thought, but that’s a choice too. > > I don’t believe that I’ve said anything even remotely like “My entire and unalterable opinion of you is based on what you’re wearing.” But I really can’t help but be amused that people seem to want it both ways. If you really don’t care what anyone thinks, then why defend yourselves so vociferously? And if you really DO care what people think, then accept that the way you present yourself influences peoples’ opinons of you. I don’t get what’s hard to understand about that. This is a debate board, no? I might argue it with you here, because that’s what I come here for, but if I noticed you sneering at my sweats at the grocery store I can assure you it wouldn’t hurt my feelings or compel me to explain to you that my house just burned down and it was all I had to wear. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/83 "2009-02-08T20:56:28Z")
> [@HolyFreakingMoly](#): > > Gee, I don’t know. I don’t find it necessary to judge people on any particular criteria. _Ever_? Really? How do you decide who to spend your time with? Do you just take all comers, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/84 "2009-02-08T21:03:39Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Clothes ARE valid data. You chose them. You put them on your body. You left the house that way. You may not have given it much thought, but that’s a choice too. You can make this claim about “choosing” all you want, but the fact remains that those choices – no matter how deliberate you want to argue that they are – say absolutely nothing about a person’s character. They provide zero data. ---
**Author:** ![HolyFreakingMoly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ba0ec/32.png) [@HolyFreakingMoly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HolyFreakingMoly)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/85 "2009-02-08T21:07:23Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > _Ever_? Really? How do you decide who to spend your time with? Do you just take all comers, or what? I give pretty much everybody the same consideration, yes. When I’ve decided not to spend my time with someone, it’s about me, not about them. I can make observations, take responsibility for my choices and not have to judge other people harshly in order to exclude people from my circle. It is one thing to say, “I don’t feel a connection with her, we really don’t like the same things or have the same interests” and quite another to say, “I’m not going to hang out with her because she’s a boring cretin and her clothes are hideous!” One is judgemental, the other is not. ---
**Author:** ![HolyFreakingMoly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ba0ec/32.png) [@HolyFreakingMoly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HolyFreakingMoly)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/86 "2009-02-08T21:10:20Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > You can make this claim about “choosing” all you want, but the fact remains that those choices – no matter how deliberate you want to argue that they are – say absolutely nothing about a person’s character. They provide zero data. I agree. I have friend. She is the kindest, most giving person I know. She’s also funny and intelligent although no mental giant. Mostly, she’s pleasant company. She also has NO eye for what looks good on her. She wears incredibly unflattering clothes and hair styles that just don’t suit her face. I wonder how many people have bypassed an opportunity to know this wonderful woman because of her dress or make up or hair. And, before it’s asked, yes, we are good enough friends that I’ve suggested some changes to her in terms of her hair and so forth. Some of them she’s taken, others not so much. Has NOTHING to do with what kind of person she is. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/87 "2009-02-08T21:29:24Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > You can make this claim about “choosing” all you want, but the fact remains that those choices – no matter how deliberate you want to argue that they are – say absolutely nothing about a person’s character. They provide zero data. They provide data. Has anyone in the history of the world showed up for a job interview in sweatpants? No? Why not? It has nothing to do with how well they do the job. In fact, whatever you wear has nothing to do with how well suited (!) you are for the job. But most people tend to consider very carefully what they wear to a job interview. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/88 "2009-02-08T21:41:33Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Has anyone in the history of the world showed up for a job interview in sweatpants? I would be willing to bet that, yes, they have. I would be further willing to wager that this has actually happened multiple times and that, furthermore, the applicant has gotten the job from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/89 "2009-02-08T21:42:20Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Except that I’ve repeatedly said, it’s okay to wear whatever you want. Just be aware that people \*are \*judging you. And that it’s downright silly to act as though the clothes we put on our bodies are less of a choice than the words that come out of our mouths. Is it really impossible for you to believe that I just get clothes out of my drawer without looking at them? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/90 "2009-02-08T21:51:56Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > Leaving the house to get your mail, to walk your dog, to go for a run - acceptable sweatpants situations. This is what I was going to say - it’s been mild here for the last few weeks and the sidewalks are clear so I’ve been running outside in the AM. However, even though the sidewalks are clear it’s still about -10 (C) - regular running pants just aren’t warm enough. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/91 "2009-02-08T21:55:53Z")
> [@HolyFreakingMoly](#): > > I agree. I have friend. She is the kindest, most giving person I know. She’s also funny and intelligent although no mental giant. Mostly, she’s pleasant company. She also has NO eye for what looks good on her. She wears incredibly unflattering clothes and hair styles that just don’t suit her face. I wonder how many people have bypassed an opportunity to know this wonderful woman because of her dress or make up or hair. And, before it’s asked, yes, we are good enough friends that I’ve suggested some changes to her in terms of her hair and so forth. Some of them she’s taken, others not so much. Has NOTHING to do with what kind of person she is. You could nominate her for _What Not To Wear_. I think we all know someone like this. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/92 "2009-02-08T22:03:32Z")
I never wear sweatpants out in public. I’m afraid my gun will slip out of the waistband and shoot me in the leg. I went to Target today (wearing jeans and a long-sleeved tee FWIW) and for the life of me can’t say what any of the other shoppers there were wearing. I figure some were wearing yoga pants or sweatpants, 'cause it’s not uncommon. It just doesn’t matter at all. You don’t judge what you don’t notice. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/93 "2009-02-08T22:11:19Z")
Alright, well maybe the thing is some people look at them as being too casual to wear in public, if you will. Is that closer? Just for fun, while I was at the grocery store I performed a highly scientific experiment of what people were wearing. Just kidding, I made a tally of it. I did not count children (anyone looking 18 or over was counted). I did not count employees, who were all wearing black slacks and a Kroger shirt: Shorts: 8 Jeans: 39 Sweats/athletic/yoga: 11 Scrubs: 1 Other: 22 Yellow mini dress with brown cowboy boots: 1 Now, amoung the shorts-wearers were a couple or three who had on nice tailored denim or khaki shorts. The rest were just sloppy running shorts or cargo pants-type. So, I figure that two or three would have been wearing jeans if it were colder (it’s around 70 today) and the rest would have been in sweats/athletic type pants. Today being Sunday, most of the ‘other’ category was still in their church clothes. So, maybe 20% of people around here wear such stuff to the store. Does that seem comparable to other areas? ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/94 "2009-02-08T22:35:25Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Is it really impossible for you to believe that I just get clothes out of my drawer without looking at them? Not at all. Is it really so hard to believe that says something about you? ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/95 "2009-02-08T22:36:53Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > You can make this claim about “choosing” all you want, but the fact remains that those choices – no matter how deliberate you want to argue that they are – say absolutely nothing about a person’s character. They provide zero data. Really? I consider “slob” a character trait. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/96 "2009-02-08T22:44:53Z")
“Snob” is a character trait, too. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/97 "2009-02-08T22:46:46Z")
Yes, but I own it. I don’t pretend that you’re all unreasonably judging me for something I inexplicably claim to have no control over. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/98 "2009-02-08T22:58:16Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Really? I consider “slob” a character trait. That’s the thing, though. If the person’s clothes are neat and clean, they don’t look like a slob to me. The older lady in the above link, for example - she doesn’t look like a slob to me. She does to some other people - but I don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/99 "2009-02-08T23:00:11Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > Alright, well maybe the thing is some people look at them as being too casual to wear in public, if you will. That’s about how I feel about them. I would never do it; to me, it would be like going out wearing pajamas. So that’s what I tend to think about if I notice somebody wearing sweatpants at the store: “Eww, how can you stand to go out in public in PJ’s?!?”. (Of course if she looked about 50 and attractive, it wouldn’t stop me from trying to flirt.) Now, it’s not that I’m a snappy dresser or anything - heck, if I make an unplanned trip to town, I usually have to change my clothes just to get into a presentable pair of jeans and a shirt without holes and stains. I look a bit worn around the edges, but I tuck my shirt in and I wear shoes and socks in public. I’m fairly tidy for a slob. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936/100 "2009-02-08T23:21:27Z")
> [@3acresandatruck](#): > > (Of course if she looked about 50 and attractive, it wouldn’t stop me from trying to flirt.) Huh. Now, why didn’t I see YOU at the Kroger?? 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-okay-to-wear-sweatpants-in-public/484936.md?page=6)