Design 
Quality of Materials 
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Packaging Sure, you’ve got a few pairs of special occasion pants that aren’t the most comfortable. But hey, you only wear them three times a year at best, right? No big deal.
For everyday pants, it’s a whole different story. You need pants built around comfort with enough style that you aren’t leaving the house in sweats (save those for the gym, gents).
With the Daydrift Trousers, lululemon is attempting a balancing act between easy, relaxed comfort and just enough elevated tailoring that you can confidently wear them anywhere. Did they pull it off? Read on to find out.
Overview
The Daydrift Trousers join lululemon’s expanding line of men’s casual pants that the brand claims are “like everyday pants, leveled up.”
lululemon’s iconic line of ABC pants kicked off the brand’s foray into everyday men’s pants, but they’ve since added a collection of shapes and silhouettes like the Utilitech Twill Relaxed Pleated Trouser and now the Daydrift Classic-fit Trouser and the Daydrift Relaxed Fit Pleated Trouser.
Both Daydrift Trousers come in five different colors, ranging from classic black and navy to a warm olive brown and lighter solar grey.
Instead of offering numbered waistband sizes for the Daydrift Trousers, lululemon opted for the letter sizing system, with sizes available from XS through XXL. This makes sense given the stretchy, relaxed, spacious design of the pants.
I’m 6’0” with around a 33-34-inch waistline, which means I teeter between L and XL depending on the brand. I snagged an L in both styles of the Daydrift Trousers and still have extra room to move in.
Things to Consider Before Buying
When searching for a worthy pair of everyday pants, you’ve got a lot of boxes to tick. Comfort, material, and overall fit are three major features to consider.
Ideally, you want pants that are breathable, roomy, and relaxed, so you don’t feel hot and constricted all day.
The Daydrift Trousers are a stretchy, technical fiber blend of 69% nylon and 31% Lycra elastane. This is a nice, quick-drying, sweat-wicking combination that will stave off wrinkles and keep you cool and dry.
Both styles offer ample space through the legs with wider pant leg openings. This isn’t for every guy. If you usually wear slim and skinny pants, these might feel a bit big and expansive with more fabric than you’re used to.
My Hands-On Review
Style and Shape
The Daydrift Trousers comes in both Classic-Fit and Relaxed-Fit Pleated. Both styles are an athleisure take on classic men’s trousers, delivering both a stretchy, jogger-like material with far more structure and sophistication than any joggers on the market.
The Daydrift Classic-Fit Trouser offers a standard trouser cut with straight legs that sit at the ankle, front and back pockets, and even a faux fly that mimics the style of more traditional zippered trousers.
With the classic-fit, you’ll find that the pants loosely hug your physique but offer lots of room in the waist and legs for easy, unrestricted movement. This is great if you’re wearing them in a casual work environment, on weekend outings, and really in any casual setting.
The Daydrift Relaxed-Fit Pleated Trouser kicks the concept of loose-fitting up a notch. These pants come equipped with all the same features as their classic-fit counterpart—like front and back pockets and a faux fly—only with even more space through the waist, legs, and pant leg openings.
They’ve also got pleats, the little doubled-over folds of fabric on the front of dressier pants and trousers. Pleats, a mainstay of classic menswear tailoring, are making a serious comeback. Pleats not only add texture and style to a pair of pants, but they also expand when you sit down, giving you more room around your waist and hips. This makes a huge difference if you work a desk job or sit in the car or on public transit during a long daily commute.
If you’re used to slim or skinny fit pants, you might find these pants to be too roomy and relaxed. But if you’re going for a casual, slightly baggier look, these will fit just right. This trouser is a good fit for guys looking for a casual, relaxed trouser with a little stretch to it that they can wear just about anywhere.
The Daydrift Relaxed Pleated Trouser is for guys who aren’t afraid of a fully relaxed silhouette with extra material pretty much everywhere. Again, if you typically wear slim or skinny pants, you’ll feel like you’re swimming in these. But if you often go for a more casual, loose-fitting look, then these will be right on the money.
These pants allow you to move comfortably, but look good, which opens the door to tons of different settings. They are ideal for a casual weekend day walking around downtown, meeting friends for lunch, then hitting the beach or spending time outdoors. You could even keep them on for dinner and still look more elevated than your friends in shorts or jeans.
I enjoyed pairing them with either a t-shirt or looser-fitting, casual button-up, and low-cut sneakers or loafers with no-show. This combination created a seamless but stylish aesthetic that’s at once both put together and carefree.
Fabric
Both the Daydrift Classic-Fit Trouser and Daydrift Relaxed Pleated Trouser are made of the same nylon and Lycra elastane blend, which is stretchy yet still has some structure to it. Unique fabrics like this are what allow lululemon to pull off making a classic men’s trouser feel like a pair of joggers.
These are mid-weight pants that are heavier than, say, lululemon’s ultra-lightweight Woven Classic-Fit Pleated Trouser, but lighter than, say, their Utilitech Twill Relaxed Pleated Trouser. This makes the Daydrift line a great choice for everyday wear since you won’t get too hot or cold.
While I like the softness, stretch, and breathability of these pants, they lack the full structure of some of my traditional cotton pleated trousers, which makes them more billowy and free-moving while you’re walking around. However, the recycled polyester-lined pockets with a hidden sleeve are quite nice as they hold your phone, wallet, and keys in place a lot better than sweats or joggers.
Function
So, where do you wear pants that feel like loose, airy joggers but look like traditional trousers? Well, kinda anywhere you want (almost).
While the Daydrift Trousers have a stretchy waistband with a hidden drawstring, they don’t have belt loops, making them inherently undressy. If you’re headed to a formal gathering like a banquet, wedding, or celebration, they probably won’t fit the vibe.
The Daydrift Trouser is cut like a traditional men’s trouser—and even has a faux fly and front and back pockets—but moves like athletic pants with a little extra material.
Similarly, on the other side of the spectrum, I probably wouldn’t run or work out in these pants. While the material would likely hold up great, the bigger, wider pant legs would likely get caught on something and, well, let’s not imagine that.
On the dressiness scale, these fall somewhere between jeans and traditional cotton trousers. I’d put ‘em right next to chinos. You could tuck a t-shirt into the Daydrift Trousers, but since they lack belt loops, you can’t tuck in much else.
As the name suggests, the Daydrift Trousers are made to be worn on those casual days when you’re drifting around between activities and want to feel comfortable and look good doing it.
The loose-fitting, free-flowing nature of these pants, paired with the fact that they don’t have belt loops, makes them ideal to be paired with casual tops like t-shirts, polos, and lightweight button-ups.
Grab these for casual daytime dates, meeting up with buddies for lunch, or out to a sports bar or casual event.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Reviews tend to lean positively on the Daydrift Trousers. One guy said the relaxed fit and wide legs are perfect for achieving that slightly baggier, casual look, and I agree. If you’re going for a more relaxed look, these do the trick.
Several guys noted that they’d really like to see belt loops added to the Daydrift Trousers so they can tuck in different shirts with them. While these pants still look great with untucked shirts, I get the appeal of wanting belt loops, which is a standard feature of traditional trousers.
My Thoughts Overall
What I Like
I like the stretchy, yet slightly structured material of the Daydrift Trousers.
These pants balance casual comfort and breathability with enough elevated style for everyday wear.
The roomy, relaxed fit achieves a baggier look that really works for some guys and pairs great with untucked t-shirts and button-ups.
What I Don’t Like
I wish the Daydrift Trousers had belt loops so I could wear them with a more dressy, tucked-in look.
Since these pants aren’t as structured as traditional trousers, the free-flowing material moves around a lot as you walk.
Who Is the Daydrift Trouser For?
The Daydrift Trouser is for guys looking for a pair of roomy and relaxed pants that they can commute, hangout, and socialize in without throwing style to the wind.
The Verdict
The Daydrift Trousers strike a fine balance between casual comfort and effortless style. With the stretchy, breathable fabric of a jogger, but enough structure and tailoring for everyday wear, these pants enter a new category of trousers altogether.
The Daydrift Trouser is cut like a traditional men’s trouser—and even has a faux fly and front and back pockets—but moves like athletic pants with a little extra material. This is perfect for a casual work environment or a busy weekend day when you’re bouncing from the park to the office to happy hour, then a night out on the town.
While I wish the Daydrift Trousers had belt loops so I could wear them with a dressier, tucked-in look, they still look great with most of my long or short-sleeved t-shirts and casual button-ups. The flowy, more relaxed fit pairs perfectly with looser shorts and low-cut sneakers or loafers with no-show socks.
These pants split the difference between comfort and style, so if you’re a guy who equally values both, these are a great choice for casual, everyday wear.
The Daydrift Trousers walk a fine line between casual comfort and structured tailoring, making them a comfortable, yet effortlessly stylish everyday pant you can wear from the beach to dinner. The only thing you really can’t do is wear these pants with a tucked-in look since they lack belt loops.
