For some students, every day at the U feels like a fashion show — people are dressed to impress. As someone who struggles to make it to morning classes but still enjoys piecing together outfits, I try to find a balance between comfy and cute. Winter — if you can even call it that in Miami — is the perfect time to pull out a beloved staple: sweatpants. Here are some of my favorite trends and styles.

To Dye For  

A subtle tie-dye pattern is the perfect way to add a pop of color to your outfit without stopping traffic completely. These joggers would look great paired with a white or black tank top, perfect for a day on campus. When I think about tie-dye, summer t-shirts usually come to my mind. But tie-dye is re-appearing as a hot trend, and it’s ready to make an appearance in everyone’s closet. Shop the style at Forever 21 and Shopbop.

Feeling adventurous? Skip the stores and DIY your own tie-dye sweats with this tutorial from eHow.

Sporty Spice

Whether it’s joggers with a stripe down the side or some 90s tearaway pants, athleisure seems to dominate the fashion scene among college students. Athletic-inspired sweatpants are an ideal addition to your wardrobe, whether you hit the gym afterward or not. The links will take you to my favorite sporty looks from Aritzia.

Seeing Stars 

If you look around campus, there’s no doubt you’ll see star-themed jewelry, jeans and more. The star trend is here to stay, and it’s not too late to jump on the bandwagon. If you’re really loving the look, go for these sweat-shorts from American Threads — you could even re-wear them for Fourth of July festivities! Or if you’re into a traditional sweatpants, take a look at Bloomingdale’s white and gold pair.

Animal Print

“Animal print has been dubbed the new neutral,” said Alice Bell, an editor of Vogue magazine, in a 2018 article about wearing animal prints. If what Bell said is true, it totally makes sense to incorporate animal prints into your everyday school look! I’ve found many variations of animal print sweatpants, which allows me to be creative while keeping up with this trend. 

Gabby Shapiro, a junior at the University of Miami, said she loves her cheetah print sweat-shorts. “Lately, I’ve been super into the animal print trend because so many YouTubers are wearing them, and that’s where I get my inspiration for my style.” 

These Nordstrom sweats are a great place to start if you want to branch into the animal print pant world.

Cargo & Camo 

My favorite part of cargo-style sweatpants? They don’t actually look like sweatpants! Plus, it’s simple to dress them up or down. The Victoria Secret Pink collection has a variety of neutral and colorful cargo joggers. Camo — whether it be shirts, pants or jackets — has been all over the fashion world in the past year. Put the print on sweatpants, and you’ve got a whole new mix of cute and comfy. Hint: these ones from Southmoonunder can also be worn to a camouflage-themed party!

words_ania ermarkaryan illustration_emmalyse brownstein