Hanging loose: Baggy clothing steps back in limelight

I was probably in fifth grade when skinny jeans became trendy, and I remember specifically asking my mother to find a pair for me. I wasn’t old enough to really shop on my own yet, and she came home with “slim leg” pants from The Children’s Place that just weren’t going to cut it for me. 

“They’re just not skinny enough,” an older, wiser sixth grader said to me as I pulled on the extra fabric against my thigh. Looking back on it now, it would be quite controversial for a children’s clothing brand to make tight-fitting clothing. 

Long story short, I didn’t ditch my painted-on pants until “mom jeans” came back onto the scene a few years ago, and even those styles are more butt-hugging than not. Fast forward to 2019: baggy clothes have officially made a comeback. On the runways and on the streets, we’re seeing oversized coats, saggy denim and t-shirts long enough to be dresses — a style pop star Ariana Grande has since trademarked. Here, we’re listing some of the most on-trend and practical ways to add baggy looks to your everyday wardrobe. The bigger, the better.

Oversized Outerwear

Trends are typically made official during Fashion Week, but it’s no secret that designers get most of their inspiration from the streets, especially with today’s hype surrounding streetwear and athleisure. It-brand Balenciaga recently debuted oversized everything, from blazers to windbreakers, and Migos rapper Offset donned a ginormous purple puffer on the runway for the Off-White spring collection during Paris Fashion Week (PFW). 

The image of the rapper gracing the runway went viral, not only because of its meme-ability, but because he looked effortlessly stylish, cool and not to mention incredibly warm. We’re experiencing a particularly brutal winter, but who says the windchill should affect our sense of style? The Aritizia Superpuff is designer-quality without the hefty price tag, and comes in a plethora of hues to choose from. Size up for an Offset-inspired vibe. 

Cargo Pants

Jeans are classic, but let’s face it: they’re really uncomfortable most of the time. Lucky for us, cargo pants are back in style, and they’re the closest thing to sweats without looking sloppy. Don’t get us wrong — cargo pants never technically went “out” of style, but for the last decade at least, they’ve typically been men’s territory. While skinny jeans will always hold a place in a girl’s heart, women are embracing the new baggy pants trend. 

Think 90s Aaliyah vibes — when styled the right way, they’re sexy without being revealing, and cool without trying too hard. “Throughout history, women and girls have been expected to dress in typically uncomfortable ways,” said Heidi Torregroza, a School of Arts and Sciences senior. “So as soon as all the fashionistas and influencers started the trend, everyone hopped on — because finally!” 

Cool-girl brands like I.AM.GIA and UNIF have monopolies on the baggy pants trend right now, but you can also find an authentic pair of camo cargo pants at your local thrift store for just a few bucks. Torregroza lists the Salvation Army as one of her go-to spots when looking for pants.

Baggy T’s

Just because Ariana made the T-shirt dress look her signature, doesn’t mean you can’t add your own twist to it. For girls, pairing an oversized graphic tee half-tucked into those baggy cargos is the ultimate way to accomplish the cool-but-not-trying look. Oversized dress shirts are also a vibe for women these days, and can be dressed up styled off-the-shoulder with strappy sandal heels and your favorite bag. 

Tailored tops for men was the standard for a minute, but baggy tees on top of cargos or jeans is becoming much more acceptable for guys, thanks to the streetwear boom we’ve been seeing. Any guy can rock an early 2000s-inspired oversized shirt just fine.