Surely by now, the entire world knows that Kanye West sees himself as none other than “a creative genius.” Humble is definitely not Yeezus’s middle name, and the rapper reiterated to Jimmy Kimmel in their recent sit-down on Kimmel’s show, “For me to say I wasn’t a genius, I would be lying to you and to myself.” And apparently, amongst the numerous masterpieces that originated from this self-proclaimed genius are the leather jogging pants.
According to West, in his infamous BBC interview, he had pitched the idea to Fendi six years ago but was rejected off the bat. Whatever the case, even if the original idea did not belong to West, the rapper can undeniably be credited for putting this somewhat absurd fashion item on the map.
Absurd because these pants can look pretty ridiculous for its oxymoronic reputation of jogging-pants-not-meant-for-jogging. Victoria Gee, a fellow Laurier student remarks, “Wouldn’t they be weird to wear and sweat in? I mean they might be creative but I wouldn’t say they’re a genius idea.”
Gee certainly isn’t alone in her opinion regarding these pants. Fellow WLU student Daniel Tench’s thoughts on the pants were simple and straightforward, “They are hideous.” Sorry Kanye. Like many, you might be on Team Kimmel and believe that leather jogging pants certainly cannot be a trend. But nonetheless, they have become a hot topic and a coveted piece of clothing.
Walk into a Topshop, Urban Outfitters, or even a Forever 21, and you just might see a pair hanging on a rack among the Newest Arrivals. If you search “joggers” on an online boutique, you’ll discover jogging pants in not only leather or faux leather finishes, but an array of fabrics as well. High-end, designer brands also carry their own variation of the pants and a pair can easily have a four-digit price tag.
However, these pants could be seen as a solid investment if you are able to rock these kinds of leather sweatpants. “I don’t see anything wrong with wearing leather jogging pants as long as you manage to pull it off,” WLU student Moyo Arewa said. “However, I wouldn’t wear them because, with the exception of bags and jackets, I find leather hideous.”
Luke Bellissimo agrees with Arewa and sees nothing wrong with leather joggers in the context of fashion but said, “As actual jogging pants, they don’t seem practical at all.”
Jogging should definitely be avoided when donning these baggy leather pants because fashion certainly overrides function for this piece of clothing, which seems to be a prevalent theme in the world of fashion. Just because they are called leather jogging pants, does not mean that they will properly function as jogging pants. Keep this in mind when buying them.
It’s clear that leather jogging pants have many faults but they are shockingly comfy, and make a lazy outfit of a pullover sweater and running shoes look fresh and stylish for all genders. For females, they’re also capable of being dressed up with a pair of heels and a chiffon blouse for a night on the town if you want to go out with maximum comfort.
You can love them, hate them, or absolutely despise them but with all the attention leather jogging pants are receiving, does it still matter whether they’re a hit or a miss?
