Do you remember, years ago before athleisure was really a thing, all the people proclaiming loudly that leggings are not pants? I was a proponent of this—I firmly believed that leggings were terrible and that under no circumstances should they be worn in a non-athletic capacity. But oh, how the tables have turned. Now, it’s a rare day that you’ll find me in anything but leggings.

While it’s now acceptable to wear workout clothes pretty much anywhere, however, I still find myself wanting to style them post-workout in ways that don’t scream “I am a sweaty monster who just finished up at CrossFit.” This winter, I would reach for a cute pullover sweatshirt and really lean in to the athleisure/streetwear look… but now that the weather is warming up, I find myself gravitating toward lighter, more polished pieces. Enter: the button up shirt.

Back in those days when leggings weren’t considered pants, a button up shirt would often be your saving grace: Conventional fashion wisdom said that as long as your butt was covered by your shirt/dress/tunic, you wouldn’t upset the pants status quo, so throwing on an oversized Oxford—maybe cinching it at the waist with a belt (I shudder to remember)—would often do the trick.

The 2019 version of this is a little more laid back and sporty. Tied around your waist, they serve some serious ’90s vibes. With the sleeves rolled up and a hint of sports bra showing, it says, “Yeah I just got done with spin class and now I am ready for bottomless mimosas.” I personally love leaving my button up unbuttoned to show off my matching cropped sports bra and leggings, or tied around my waist to pull together a leggings-and-oversized-t-shirt look.

What I’m trying to say is, button ups add polish to your workout clothes and make them appropriate for virtually any situation. And isn’t being comfy and stylish the ultimate dream?

8 button ups to wear with your workout clothes

Grayson's The Hero Shirt in Tumbled Linen Plaid $138

Everlane The Linen Relaxed Shirt $58

Aday Something Borrowed Shirt $135

Reformation Violet Blouse $128

Madewell Chambray Classic Ex-Boyfriend Shirt $72

Rollas Slouch Stripe Shirt $120

Sezane Tomboy Shirt $110

Ganni Striped Denim Shirt $315

Here are 4 more ways to style your leggings, because why would you want to wear anything else? Then find out what your work bag says about your personality.