Style Satin Joggers for a Tuxedo Look

One of the best styles to come out of the year 2020 is satin joggers! These pants come in lots of patterns and fabrics from super casual to dressy and everything in between, like the pants I’m showing today.

While this outfit could definitely be a winner for New Year’s Eve, it’s a classic enough look for any special occasion. Satin joggers make the difference and update the look giving this all-black outfit some edgy style.

The term “tuxedo” originated in menswear around 1888. It was named after Tuxedo Park, a Hudson Valley enclave where New York’s elite wore them frequently, traditionally referring to a white jacket. Anybody remember in Downton Abbey when the men switched to black jackets and talked about how underdressed they felt? Lol! History in the making.

We’ve all seen celebrities on the Red Carpet or women musicians in tuxedo outfits, but it made me wonder who started this trend for women?

The History of the Tuxedo

In 1930, actor Marlene Dietrich wore a tuxedo in her film Morocco and kicked off a trend that was then adopted by Katharine Hepburn, Josephine Baker, and other stars of the day. Despite acceptance from Hollywood and the fashion industry, there was a backlash against women wearing trousers in a tuxedo suit that continued until the 1960s! Here is a great story from Refinery29:

Despite the embrace of Hollywood and the fashion world, there was a backlash against women donning pants that began with op-eds in newspapers in the 1930s and continued, believe it or not, all the way through the 1960s. According to exhibition co-curator Amanda Driggs, “Marlene Dietrich wasn’t allowed into the Monte Carlo Casino in 1956, because her trousers were not considered to be formal enough.”

I even experienced this fashion or gender prejudice in the 70s. To illustrate (and show my age, lol!), my small-town high school in Michigan didn’t allow girls to wear pants to school until my senior year!! And they couldn’t be jeans but had to be pants that were part of an outfit. Can you imagine?!! We’ve come a long way, baby! At least in most ways.

The big breakthrough for women came in 1966 when Yves Saint Laurent introduced the Le Smoking tuxedo suit into popular fashion and culture.

Read on to see my version of “Le Smoking Suit” with satin joggers.

Satin Joggers for a Tuxedo Look

The Joggers

I think that many of you are like me in that you added more comfortable styles into your wardrobe this year. I know that I wear sweatpants, joggers, and leggings much more often than I ever have. After all, for Zoom meetings, we only need to “dress up” from the waist up, right? Lol! And sitting for long periods of time in a chair requires that pants be comfy.

Satin Joggers (also in Olive, Navy, and Nude, Sizes S-XL)

So, now that I actually love these styles, I had to try a pair of satin joggers! While you can certainly style them with a tee or sweatshirt and sneakers, I decided to style them as a tuxedo suit.

Sequin Shell (Similar, sizes Regular, Petite, Plus)

Almost anything looks great with black satin, but sequins have been speaking to me lately. (Did you catch my last post on NYE: Time for a Sequin Skirt?) So I pulled out this very old tank top to wear with the pants.

Boyfriend Blazer (Also in Ivory, Sizes 4-12, oversized fit)

The next layer, of course, is the blazer. This black boyfriend blazer, shown in the post, Ebony and Ivory: The Versatile Boyfriend Blazer, made a perfect pairing. However, any black blazer would do, short or long, fitted or loose, whatever flatters you best.

Both the jogger style of the pants and the longer boyfriend style of the jacket add a current feel to this version of the tuxedo, don’t you think?

The Accessories

Shoes were a bit of an issue. Black shoes seemed like a natural, but booties are too clunky and sandals too cold this time of year. My black pumps have a chunky heel and I feel a more classic shoe is called for. I finally went with neutral pumps and I like the look. It allows the cinched hem of the pants to stand out and define the ankle.

Gold and black earrings and cuff are the only jewelry pieces I styled. A necklace would also work, but I wanted the attention on the sequins and to keep the look somewhat mannish.

What do you think of my version of the tuxedo? Can you see yourself styling similar pieces? Maybe it won’t work for your New Year’s Eve celebration this year–or maybe it will!–but it’s the kind of look you can pull off for any evening affair. Which I am hoping will return sometime in the new year! Here’s to tuxedos–for men AND women!