These 'Dressy' Sweatpants Are Killing It on Kickstarter

The menswear brand Public Rec was launched by a sweatpants aficionado on a mission to make loungewear look less like PJs.

learn more about Catherine Clifford

By Catherine Clifford

Public Rec

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

It almost feels like cheating when you're wearing something that looks awesome and is super comfy. It's usually one or the other -- not both.

That's why Chicago-based Public Rec has been so successful on Kickstarter. The "dressy' sweatpant, made by once-upon-a-time finance guy Zach Goldstein, has raised $93,000, more than six times the crowdfunding campaign's $15,000 goal. The campaign ends July 18.

"We think there is a gap in menswear. As guys have become more active and the line between work and play has blurred, men's apparel has fallen short in satisfying this lifestyle," Public Rec states on its campaign.

Related: How Crowdfunding Is Changing the Fashion Business

The "All Day Every Day" pant feels like a sweatpant, but is ordered with a specific inseam and waist measurement, like more traditional fitted pants. With a slightly tapered leg and a faux zipper, from a glance, they look like more dressed up than your average comfy pants.

For the first 100 Kickstarter backers, the price was $86 a pair; now, backers can get them for $95.

Related: This 3-D Printed Fashion Show Pushes Haute Couture in a New Direction

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

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