Forget Sambas, Adidas Track Pants Are the It Item of the Summer. Here’s How to Wear Them

A tried-and-true classic, black pants with white stripes can oh-so easily be styled with other solid-hued pieces to create a fabulously chic and simple ensemble. For a casual weekend hang you can opt for a white tee and easy sneakers, or go a bit more elevated with a tube top and pointy-toe slingbacks for drinks with friends. If you really want to add a pop of color, do so with your accessories, like a green handbag, blue oversize scrunchie or red sunglasses.

Another basic combination is an oversize button-up shirt and slip-on kicks. Play around with different ways to tuck or button your top to find something a bit funkier than just a full tuck or buttoned up and hanging loose. For instance, leaving the bottom buttons undone for just a hint of midriff above your waistband looks incredibly sexy without actually showing very much skin. Or you can go the classic millennial route with a French tuck.

Athleisure used to be all about elevating workout wear to feel more polished, but we’ve since evolved beyond that notion to happily meet these sporty pieces where they are. Which is why it’s every bit as cool to wear your track pants with a button-up blouse as it is to pair them with a logo-adorned windbreaker or half-zip hoodie. Of course, you can always add a pointy-toe shoe or chain-handle bag to the mix for a luxe touch, but if you prefer sneakers and a fanny pack, by all means go for it.

If you’ve ever heard of the wrong shoe theory then you know how much fashion folk love the concept that opposites attract. Pairing loose, sporty pants with a tailored blazer—or even a slouchy oversize one—creates a fun dichotomy that works surprisingly well. Especially if you keep the rest of your outfit on the simpler side—basic T-shirt, neutral-hued crossbody, sleek flats or minimalist sneakers.

For a more advanced take on opposites attract, layer a sexy, Bridgerton-inspired corset top over wide-leg track pants. The key here is to match at least one color from your pants to your top (in this instance the repeating white from the stripes for a solid-hued corset) to give them a connecting thread. Continue with that idea as you add more pieces to your outfit, always tying at least one element back to your original duo.

Another hot summer trend this year is the Eclectic Grandpa aesthetic. Think Hawaiian shirts, penny loafers, kitschy knits, crochet and loose pants. Unlike the sexy combo above, this pairing isn’t quite so dependent on finding those connecting threads. Because Eclectic Grandpa already feels inherently chaotic (in all the best ways), you can have a bit more fun trying odd combinations, like green track pants with a blue sweater vest. Then again, you can never go wrong with a more monochrome approach.

One of my most vivid track pant references is definitely Britney Spears in the “… Baby One More Time” music video. And while I don’t know that a pink sports bra and pigtails is quite my aesthetic, I do love the idea of going full Y2K in styling a pair of throwback Adidas track pants. A cropped plaid cardigan and bucket hat work perfectly with black-and-white pants, while a cropped tee and platform sneakers look adorable with more colorful options.

Outside of the stripes on the side, these track pants are essentially one solid color, making them easy to mix and match with other solid-hued pieces. Eschew prints and patterns for simpler pieces to create your own color-blocked ensemble.