Sweats to Class: Comfy or Classy?

Is cozy chic?

BY Samantha Petrelli ★ April 12th, 2026

Photo Credit: Juju Martinez

Should I dress up for class today? This question runs through the minds of Syracuse students frequently, especially with SUfits Instagram looking for new post-worthy outfits. But how cute are sweats really? 

Back in high school, it was weird to wear jeans to class. No one ever wore jeans unless you were a senior on Commitment Day. Here at Syracuse, it seems as if everyone wears jeans to class or tends to dress nicer. Many times, there's also someone dressed in business casual for some sort of presentation that day.

Personally, I feel sweats to class CAN be done right, with the right look. Throwing together sweats in the morning isn’t as cohesive as a matching sweat set. . Something about the matching sets feels more intentional. And I’m not saying throw away all your sweats that don’t have a match – there is a time and place for every outfit. 

Jeans and any trendy top seem to be the mood at SU. While some people do wear sweats, dressing up looks like the more popular option. Dressing up is easier now, and more fun. But who says sweats can’t be fun? Or glammed up? Sweats are a given option for a Monday morning, but who says the look can’t be cute?  

Some of my favorite popular sweat sets include any of the White Fox Offstage Collection, the Aritzia Cozy Sweatfleece, and the Garage Ultrafleece in any of their signature colors. Comfrt in their signature line, ALO in the accolade, and SKIMS in the cotton fleece are trending too.

To find the best matching suit for you, there are 3 things you should take into consideration: style, color, and feel. First, style. Do you want your sweat set to be a hoodie or a crewneck? Hoodie is if you want to wear it out in rain or snow, or pair it with a jacket without a hood – like maybe a leather jacket– for those colder days. The crewneck can be for if hoodies tend to annoy you, and you don’t want to walk around with that every day. Next is color. Pick a color that suits your undertones, hair color, and eye color best! Especially since you will be wearing this color on the top and bottom. Lastly is feel. Do you want your set to feel more fuzzy and warm or more breathable and flowy? How warm do you want to feel? Do you tend to run warmer or colder? After assessing these 3 factors, finding the perfect set should come easier. 

There are some ways to add your personality to your sweat set outfit if you want to jazz it up a bit. For instance, if you are wearing a neutral colored set, you can wear some bright colored shoes like Adidas Sambas or Hokas.  Also, you can have a fun hairstyle to match the look and add some accessories. For hair, you could do a fun braid, updo, or add a claw clip or headband to help make the look more interesting. Chunky jewelry can spice it up too. 

And if you don’t have a sweat set, don't fret! Try to find a matching color sweatshirt to the sweatpants you already have and vice versa. For instance, I had a brown hoodie from American Eagle and then, one day, found sweatpants from Aritzia that were the same shade of brown — Bam! Now I wear them as a cute matching set. 

So, the verdict is (to me anyway), sweats to class are just comfy, not classy, UNLESS it is in a matching set. Then, it’s cozy-chic.

Edited by: Ava Ascenzo