The 13 best stretchy work pants that feel like sweatpants

When it comes to the best stretchy work pants for women, Athleta’s best-selling Endless High Rise Pant stands above the rest. I’ve worn these to work and to work out, and they remain superiorly comfortable and look incredibly put-together for either occasion thanks to their moisture-wicking, breathable, wrinkle-resistant, quick-drying fabric made from recycled polyester. 

The pull-on bottoms with a faux fly and two front zip pockets are available in seven colors, and they come in 25.5-inch, 27.5-inch, and 30.5-inch inseams. The brand also has a cargo version of the pants, which adds a touch of casual flair in the form of two additional cargo pockets and snap cuffs at the ankles that let you transform the hemline between a straight leg or jogger-style silhouette.

If your office has a business casual dress code, you’ll appreciate these polished trousers that sneakily feel like yoga pants. The secret is in the lightweight technical fabric with two-way stretch and a hidden high-rise elastic waistband. Elegant front pintuck detailing further distracts from the pants’ undeniable comfort. I wore the flare bottoms while sitting for hours and never felt any pulling or digging. Plus, I love that they have a UPF 50+ rating.

If you value comfort above all else, these Vuori bottoms are a near-perfect pick. They are about as close as it gets to wearing sweatpants to work — in the best way possible. The fabric feels identical to my favorite Vuori joggers: soft, stretchy, and perfectly cozy. Despite that, they still manage to look put-together thanks to the tailored silhouette and hook-and-eye closure. I was a little skeptical about the heathered color options (I usually associate heathered fabric with loungewear), but the Ecru shade surprised me with how sleek it looked. The texture is barely visible and looks much more polished in person.

That said, these lean more toward casual offices than business formal settings. I wouldn’t reach for them in a setting that requires suits or blazers. They’re especially well-suited for business travel (or any travel, for that matter) since they’re comfortable enough to snooze in but polished enough to head to the office straight from the plane. They are fairly wrinkle-resistant, too. I had them shoved at the bottom of my (clean) laundry hamper for a couple of days, and was able to shake them off and wear them without ironing. The only real downside is that popular sizes and colors tend to sell out fast.

Like many of the best stretchy work pants, these cigarette pants from Aday offer a snug and pleasant fit thanks to an elastic waistband, which is partially exposed. They’re crafted from a high-stretch fabric that’s breathable, quick-drying, and thermoregulating. The Italian-made vegan bottoms hit at ankle length, with a tapered silhouette similar to joggers, and they pair equally well with a pair of sneakers as they do with heels.

Former Business Insider commerce reporter Kelsey Mulvey tested the Turn It Up Pants when they first dropped and claims they’re worth the splurge. “I’ve been wearing the Turn it Up Pants for the past two months and they’re arguably one of the most versatile pieces I have in my closet. They’re not too loose or too fitted and are incredibly comfortable. Best of all, I can wear them with anything from a crisp white button-down, to an oversized sweater, to a casual T-shirt,” says Mulvey. 

M.M.LaFleur’s cigarette pants offer yoga pant-level stretch, a comfy high rise, and their durable fabric makes them one of our favorite machine-washable work pants to boot. Most notably, the Foster pants come with an innovative feature we can’t believe more brands aren’t imitating: an adjustable hemline. 

“These pants don’t wrinkle easily because they stretch to fit your curves perfectly. Plus, the concealed button hem makes it absurdly easy to shorten the pants to the perfect length for my 5-foot-2 frame. I wish every pair of pants had that ingenious hem!” — Malarie Gokey, Director of Learning and Development

Read more in our full M.M.LaFleur Foster women’s work pants review.

Cozy Earth makes my all-time favorite pajamas, so I was excited to try the brand’s daywear. I tested the Always Cropped Pant and found it aptly monikered, thanks to its versatility.

I wore these elastic-waist travel pants with sandals and a T-shirt for a day of running errands. The nylon-Spandex blend fabric was about as comfy as yoga pants, but looked more put-together. In the evening, I switched into heels and a blouse for a dinner date. I was impressed with how polished the pants looked, especially since they were forgiving after a pasta dinner. The faux fly helps give a more flattering look, too.

Thanks to the cropped silhouette and lightweight, stretchy fabric, these pants kept me plenty cool in 80-degree weather.

I love that I could wear these for long travel days since they’re comfortable, stretchy and don’t wrinkle. They’re equally great for packing, though. They fold up nicely and are compact.

Though the website says these run true to size, I found they run a touch small, though it wasn’t too bothersome for me. I’m 5-foot-7 and they hit me right above the ankle — shorter people might find they fit more like long pants.

These moisture-wicking bottoms with two zip pockets from Lululemon have lots of stretch, and they’re just as comfortable as the brand’s ultra popular leggings. Still, with a high waist and subtly flared hem, they’re polished enough to don in a business setting. Wear them with a silky button-down shirt tucked in, or throw over an oversized blazer in a contrasting hue.

Spanx recently rebranded their Perfect Black Work Pant collection as the “PerfectFit” line. Executive editor Sally Kaplan swears by hers as reliable, stretchy slacks. In our experience, these are pants you can pull on and forget about because they go with everything. They’re more of an investment piece, but definitely worth the cost even if you wear them just once a week.

“The Perfect Black Pant borrows from the trademarks Spanx is renowned for, such as a smoothing, elongating effect. But unlike its shapewear, you won’t feel constricted. The Ponte material has four-way stretch and a pull-on band that’s easy to get on. In other words, it’s a really well-made iteration of the black work pant,” she writes.

Read more in our full Spanx Perfect Black Work Pants review.

We’ve tested over a dozen of the affordable, high-quality basics from Quince, and can attest that these sleek Ponte pants are a must-have for anyone looking to update their petite workwear wardrobe. They have just the right amount of elasticity to fit comfortably even when sitting for long periods, and they’re available in inseams that suit a short frame. Another bonus: this pair is wrinkle-resistant, so don’t worry about wearing them right out of your suitcase. The straight-leg style comes in nine colors, including classic black and an eye-catching burgundy.

Read about more pieces we’ve tried and loved in our full Quince review. 

Though these flare pants feel just like your favorite yoga pants, this Gap pair looks a lot more elevated and work-appropriate thanks to a sophisticated pintuck pleat down the front of each leg. The ultra high-rise waist sits above your hips, for a super comfortable feel that looks great with a top tucked in or draped with an oversized blazer. The pants, which have a zipper and a snap closure, are available in black or navy with inseams that fall past the ankles and drape handsomely over shoes.

When it comes to the best stretchy work pants, an elastic pull-on waist might be the number-one comfort feature to look for. Everlane’s offers just this in their Easy Pant, complete with a flowy straight leg silhouette made with lightweight cotton twill. The breathable silhouette and fabric make these four-pocket bottoms with a 28.5-inch inseam ideal for the warmer months. They come in four neutral goes-with-anything hues and pair perfectly with its legendary Day Glove flats.

What I love most about these wide-leg bottoms is how many colors and fits they come in. Abercrombie & Fitch offers a whopping 23 shades to choose from, ranging from classics like black and tan to statement jewel tones like a bright red or emerald green. Beyond that, these pants tout a partially stretchy waistband to maximize comfort, and also come in a curvy fit that offers an additional 2 inches through the hip and thigh. I’ve found this pair versatile enough to dress up with comfortable heels and a white button-down shirt, or dressed down with crisp sneakers and a T-shirt.

Universal Standard is one of our favorite brands to find plus-size clothing for women because it considers how differently bodies are shaped in order to design fits that flatter them. It uses its own letter sizing system that equates a medium to a size 18 (the average size of a woman in the US), and its unique Fit Liberty program lets you exchange many items for a different size up to a year from your purchase date, no matter how used the clothing is.

These stretchy wide-leg Ponte trousers from the brand’s best-selling Stephanie collection are among our favorites because they have a high-rise, fully elasticated waistband comfortably pulls on over apron bellies. They also have pockets with invisible zippers, so you can secure your valuables on your person. 

See more inclusive brands in our guide about where to buy plus-size work clothes.