Are Yoga Pants Business Casual?

Deciding what to wear to work can feel impossible without a bit of help. Are you worried your yoga pants are not professional enough, or do you regularly wear them into the office? We're here to help answer your questions.

Yoga pants are usually not considered business casual. Although this pant style is very comfortable and breathable, we do not suggest you wear them to your job. With that said, we think thicker and looser yoga pants could work in a professional setting if you style them appropriately. As long as you avoid sheer and skin-tight styles, you can probably get away with wearing a pair of yoga pants in a business casual setting.

As we dive into this post, we will share a few business casual outfit ideas and tag some related products. Although yoga pants are not typically in a business casual section, there are a few ways to make them work for your needs. With that said, let's get right into this topic!

What Is Considered Business Casual?

When it comes to business casual guidelines, the answer can be tricky. In most cases, clothing that reveals too much skin or shape is not business casual and should not be in the office. Although business casual clothing should be comfortable, you want to make sure you don't look like you just rolled out of bed. If you feel like your outfit is too revealing or unkept, it most likely isn't business casual.

Why Are Yoga Pants Not Business Casual?

Yoga pants, although very comfortable and trendy, are usually tight-fitted and have an unprofessional look. That is not always the case, but they won't fit into a business casual environment more times than not. When we think of yoga pants, a soul cycle class or day of errands comes to mind, not a meeting or a company event.

Despite this pant style having a more athletic look, you can make them work for you with the suitable material and styling.

Can Yoga Pants Pass As Dress Pants?

If you have a pair of yoga pants on the looser side, they can usually pass as dress pants. When it comes to the material of yoga pants, avoid anything snug or remotely see-through. In most cases, yoga pants fall into the comfortable athletic look, so it's best to class things up with a blouse or dressy top.

Accessories are everything and will make or break a business casual yoga pants outfit. We recommend you try to style your yoga pants with a blazer jacket or sweater to achieve a business casual look.

Our Business Casual Suggestion

As you can see here, this outfit passes as business casual. Although this model is wearing yoga pants to work, the looser and straight leg cut give this look an office-appropriate feel. As long as you keep your pants on the straight leg side, they will look fine for work.

No Nonsense Women's Sports Yoga Pant

Here is a pair of straight-leg yoga pants from No Nonsense to give you a similar look. These pants are polyester, cotton, and spandex and promise to retain their shape and be comfortable throughout the day.

See these pants on Amazon here.

Nine West Women's Tatiana Dress Pump

Try these business casual pumps from Nine West with your yoga pants. These heels are 100% leather, have a synthetic sole, and are four inches tall.

Follow this link to see these pumps on Amazon.

How Can I Make My Yoga Pants Stylish?

There are countless ways to style yoga pants well. To start, we suggest you try pairing them with a stylish top, blouse, or jacket, and even adding a pair of heels or boots. The key to a stylish outfit using yoga pants is elevating your look with accessories and footwear. Yoga pants are more casual, so try to make up for that with your other pieces.

How Do You Dress Up Yoga Pants?

Sticking with a similar theme, dressing up yoga pants will come down to how you style them. For a business casual look, try pairing your pants with a stylish pump and sweater or blouse. Another outfit idea is a tucked-in shirt with a blazer or jacket to give you a professional final look. Regardless of what you choose, make sure to dress up rather than down when styling your yoga pants.

Romwe Women's Floral Print Ruffle Blouse

Here is a business casual blouse to try with your yoga pants. This blouse is a breathable polyester material and comes in various colors and patterns.

View this blouse on Amazon here.

VIISHOW Women's Floral Tie Front Chiffon Blouse

Here is another business casual top to pair with yoga pants. This flowy blouse is polyester and spandex, machine washable, and comes in a few different colors.

Check this blouse out on Amazon here.

Cicy Bell Women's Casual Blazer

This is a great business casual blazer to try with yoga pants. This blazer has an open front, button closure and promises to be breathable and lightweight.

Follow this link to see this on Amazon.

Are Leggings Appropriate For Work?

When it comes to whether leggings are work-appropriate, we say they are not. Like yoga pants, leggings are very tight and often sheer, which is inappropriate for work. Although not all leggings are skin-tight, we suggest you choose another pair of pants for work. Even loose-fit yoga pants are an excellent compromise to wearing leggings and are about the same comfort-wise.

BATHRINS Women's Loose-Fit Yoga Pants

Here is a pair of loose-fit comfortable yoga pants to try. These pants are a cotton blend, have a drawstring closure, and are machine washable.

See these on Amazon here.

Are Yoga Pants Better Than Leggings For Work?

Although both these styles can be questionable for work, yoga pants come in more business casual options. Between the two, leggings fall into an inappropriate category for work and can't usually be styled as business casual. On the other hand, you can style yoga pants to look professional as long as their fit and material are work-friendly.

Sarin Mathews Women's Boot Cut Yoga Pants

These pants are polyester and spandex, have a wide leg design, and feature pockets.

Check these out on Amazon here.

How To Wear Yoga Pants Modestly

Whether you wear them to the gym or work, keeping your look modest is as easy as looser and less sheer material yoga pants. From what we found, the best style of modest yoga pants are either boot cut or wide leg, so stay in that area when shopping.

Another way to keep your look on the modest side is to wear a sweater or jacket with your yoga pants or even a loose-fit top. The key to a subtle, more modest look is fit and material, so choose yoga pants that make you feel as comfortable as possible.

Can I Wear Yoga Pants All Year?

Regardless of the season, yoga pants are a great option. You can certainly wear yoga pants throughout the year and still be in style from what we found. The current trends point toward business casual and comfortable clothing year-round, so you don't have to pack up your yoga pants just yet. As long as you want to wear them, we say it is completely fine.

In Closing

Whether you regularly wear yoga pants to work or not, there are business casual styles. From what we found, yoga pants are not usually business casual, but you can make them work with proper styling and accessorizing. When it comes to material and fit, we suggest finding boot cut or wide leg yoga pants and some on the thicker side.

Although leggings are not work-appropriate, try switching them out for a looser-fitting yoga pant to wear into the office. Regardless of what you wear in a business casual setting, make sure to choose clothing that makes you feel confident, comfortable, and happy.

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