There is a version of sweatpants that works and a version that looks like you stopped caring. The gap between them is not as wide as it used to be, but you still have to know what you are looking for. Fit is everything here. Too baggy and the whole thing reads as a bad day. Too tapered and you are in athleisure territory, which is its own problem. What actually works is a clean, relaxed cut with a proper waistband, fabric that has some weight to it, and a color that does not scream gym bag. Charcoal, stone, navy. Those are the ones we keep coming back to. A well chosen pair looks right with a good sneaker and a heavyweight tee or a half zip, which covers more ground than most men expect. We have filtered out the ones that photograph well and disappoint in person. What is left is worth wearing outside.