These Famous Women Don’t Wear Sweatpants, Here's Why

Italian director and actor Stanley Tucci Jr. has a thing against sweatpants. In a 2024 interview with the Wall Street Journal, Tucci scolded all lounge-wearing people without holding back. "You haven't been running. You just wear sweatpants because you don't want to wear pants," he said. "I sound like such a snob, but I'm sorry, just put on a pair of pants, wear a belt, get a nice pair of shoes. It doesn't cost a lot of money to dress nicely."

He's not the fashion police (well, he was as Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada), but is he wrong? While his reasoning might be more about taste, more celebrities have their own motivations. Most of them have nothing to do with trends. They’ve said it themselves: they dress up to feel good and to stay sharp. Just ask influencer and model Nara Smith, who explained, “I think a lot of how I perform during the day is how I dress.”

In her interview with Jay Shetty, the influencer shared that she feels most capable when she feels her prettiest. And whether we say it out loud or not, most of us can probably relate. It makes sense! You act differently when you feel put-together. Confidence makes you take up space (in a good way); you're more present. You feel like you can tackle obstacles. In addition to that, clothes are signals, to yourself and everyone else.

With that being said, here are the women who ditched sweatpants and haven’t looked back.

1. Nara Smith

"I don't own sweatpants, actually," Smith admitted."I used to own them, but then I got rid of them all. I think a lot of how I perform during the day is how I dress."

The model and influencer links productivity to presentation. For her, dressing well is less about impressing others and more about maintaining personal standards. She skips loungewear entirely, believing her performance improves when she feels her best.

2. Dolly Parton

"I don't wear sweatpants. I either wear tight pants or no pants," Parton said. This doesn't mean the glamorous singer doesn't dress comfortably from time to time, though. In fact, she has her "own little house clothes, like a little dress-type teddy, a long teddy, then I have a little jacket or shirt to match if I get cold."

"I call them my baby clothes because they're soft like a baby," Parton added. Still, you won’t catch her lounging in sweats. Not even offstage.

3. Victoria Beckham

"I wasn't going to automatically put on sweatpants, even if they are very nice Reebok sweatpants," Beckham said about her collab with the brand. "I wasn't just going to give up and put on an elasticated waistband."

Even during lockdown, when most people turned to loungewear, Beckham refused. That says a lot.

4. Eva Mendes

"Ladies, number one cause of divorce in America, sweatpants."

Whether tongue-in-cheek or a genuine philosophy, Eva Mendes made her stance clear on this. Sweats are not part of her relationship aesthetic. Whatever she's wearing at home with Ryan Gosling, it’s not drawstring. If it keeps their romance alive, what's wrong with that?

5. Scarlett Johansson

"I'm not the kind of person that just slops around in sweatpants," the A-list actress said. "I like to feel a little more together—you never know who you're going to see out there!"

Johansson avoids the casual look in public and chooses instead to appear polished (yes, even for a coffee run). For her, feeling pulled together is non-negotiable, and maybe it should be for all of us. Like she said, you never know who's out there! Even if there wasn't anyone to look good for, dressing up for yourself is a good enough reason to drop the sweats.

6. Zooey Deschanel

"Every time I leave my house I'm supposed to look polished," Deschanel said. I'm jealous of people who can put on sweatpants and go get a coffee."

Yes, the geeky New Girl star admitted herself she doesn’t feel comfortable stepping out in joggers. For her, public appearances require effort, and she’s self-aware enough to recognize the contrast between herself and the casual crowd.

7. Dakota Fanning

"If you ever catch me in sweatpants in class, that's not good," Fanning said. "I've tried not to dress like that." Fanning resisted the pull of lazy dressing. Maybe it's time we all do, too!