I swear by these $44 Old Navy yoga pants that look like slacks and are my go-to airplane outfit

• Since the pandemic, I've become "hard-pant" averse, forgoing my typical jeans and slacks.
• Now, I typically opt for soft, stretchy pants that can be dressed up to look more formal.
• Old Navy's $44 wide-leg PowerSoft pants have become my go-to for casual-yet-comfy outfits.

On a recent business class flight, I was feeling under-dressed compared to my fellow travelers, many of whom had gone business casual while I went casual cozy.

I showed up wearing my typical airplane outfit: stretchy pants, a tank top, and a sweater. Those stretchy pants became my saving grace — the wide-leg yoga pants from Old Navy can be passed off as trousers in a pinch, keeping me from feeling too much like a slob on my flight.

Since the pandemic, many of us have turned towards "workleisure," foregoing our typical jeans or "hard pants" and choosing instead comfortable outfits that are still put together.

Not only do these $44 pants fit the bill, but I'd recommend them to anyone looking for new travel attire that's stretchy but still manages to look like real pants.

These yoga pants make me look put together but are still super cozy

I bought the black Old Navy PowerSoft wide-leg pants a few months ago for $44.99, not on sale.

What I like about them most is the shape: They're high-waisted and sit right at my belly button with an elastic waistband, nipping me in at the waist before flaring out at my legs. The material feels like your typical yoga pants, but as long as no one's looking too closely, I think you could pass them off as trousers — even at the office.

Typically, I wear them with a black tank top for a casual-yet-cute outfit for running errands or grabbing a drink with friends, and they have also become my go-to pant when traveling — when you pair them with a bodysuit or white T-shirt, it gives a model-off-duty vibe.

My only tip is Old Navy sizing generally runs large and these pants are no exception — I recommend opting for a size smaller than you'd typically get. The sizes range from extra small to 4x, and come in five neutral colors, including black and tan.  

Old Navy is far from the only brand with stretchy trouser knockoffs. Lululemon is known for its workleisure offerings and Athleta also has cool pants that could pass as office wear, just to name a few.

These pants are cheaper than the typical offerings at Athleta and Lululemon though and because Old Navy often runs sales that shave off an extra few bucks, I might just snag a new tan pair next time.