Why Sweatpants Are The Key To A Happy Marriage

While I’m never one to invite controversy, I have to address something. Eva Mendes said sweatpants are the No. 1 cause of divorce recently, which is a rather strong statement against my most favorite apparel ever. The New York Daily News reported on an interview she had done with Extra, where she shared that sweatpants ruin marriages, and she never wears them, fearing the risk of turning off boyfriend Ryan Gosling. Now, while I’d never want to turn off Ryan Gosling — ever (call me, Ryan!) — I seriously doubt sweatpants would do that kind of damage.

Thankfully, Ryan spoke out today and assured us she was kidding. More importantly, he told us his thoughts on sweats. Guess what? Ryan Gosling loves sweatpants. While he said Eva was joking, I'm not really sure why anyone would joke about sweatpants being evil in the first place. I'm very loyal to my sweatpants and can't imagine saying such a thing. Even if she was really joking, there are definitely people out there who agreed with her anti-sweatpants statement. (Anyone else having flashbacks to the mom who stopped wearing yoga pants?) I think they're all wrong. In fact, I move that sweatpants are actually the KEY to a successful marriage. Take that, sweatpants haters.

1. Sweatpants = Easy Access

You know what people DO hate? When we wear 16 layers of tight, intricate clothes. This is why all of us get laid less in winter — it’s all just too complicated. Fantasize about risqué quickies? Then wear sweatpants, obviously. Way easier access.

2. Comfort

There’s few feelings worse than wearing super skinny jeans — and then eating nachos. We end up feeling the waistband dig into our flesh, red marks of shame everywhere. Are we going to want to get frisky after that? No way. Comfortable “loungewear”? It expands with us. Praise everything.

"Sweatpants allow you to be comfortable in your environment. When you are comfortable your are happy! My boyfriend loves when I wear his sweats around the house, I know he is watching me walk away, with a smile," says celebrity fitness instructor Charity Lynette of Curvy Chick Fitness.

3. Freedom To Fantasize

Once upon a time, ladies were considered scandalous if they revealed a touch of ankle. Now people go out and about with boobs popping out. It's sexy, of course, but so is leaving something to the imagination. Hide the goods in sweats — and then have a fun reveal later. #Hot.

4. Sweats Are Sexy.

No, really. Gone are the days that sweats were sloppy and shapeless — in fact, a lot of today's sweats can reveal your curves rather than hide them, if that's what makes you feel good. “Many people feel more attractive and appealing in active/lifestyle wear, and their partners love the way it looks! It fits your curves in all the right places, and after a workout, the endorphin rush makes you feel sexy and energized,” says Andrea Fornarola Hunsberger, an NYC-based fitness expert and founder of Elements Fitness Studio.

5. Cozy And Happy

The reality is it can be much easier to keep things spicy when you feel attractive. "Yes, sweatpants, and their cousins yoga pants, can be a key ingredient to keeping a marriage together," says erotic writer Jacky Lang. A couple that feels comfortable and cozy with each other can have real staying power. "Speaking as someone who writes about romance and erotica, and therefore researches these topics too, comfort with your partner is a big deal," Lang says. "Comfort is closely related to trust, and partners with high levels of trust often have better sex lives. Lounging around together in comfy clothes is just one indicator that a couple has this level of comfort."

6. Money

You know what couples do break up over? Money. So spending a fortune on a ton of clothes is much more likely to incinerate your relationship than investing in comfortable staples like sweats.

7. Trust

Sweatpants indicate a high level of comfort, and if you have that in a relationship, as you would with a best friend, you have open communication, which breeds trust, says Pax Tandon, a positive psych coach and mindfulness trainer. That — not clothing — is the key to a successful marriage.

8. Vulnerability

Letting down your guard is key in a relationship. We can't be putting on a "best self" show every day forever — it's exhausting! "Wearing sweats allows you to physically, and therefore emotionally, let down your guard, be vulnerable, be real — which is a relationship essential. It's just to what extreme you choose to take it," says sex expert Laurel House.

Images: Instagram; Giphy