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Quarantined Russians Take Up the No-Sweatpants Instagram Challenge

Instagram / kativarnava, anndios

When the coronavirus pandemic pushed millions of people into government-mandated home isolation, the internet flooded with memes about our new collective reality of wearing the same pair of sweatpants for weeks at a time, hopping on video conference calls with no makeup and generally metamorphosizing into couch potatoes.

These Russian Instagrammers have had enough.

With the "stop treniki [a Russian word for tracksuits that can also refer to sweatpants] challenge," people are putting their best faces — and outfits — forward.

As Karl Lagerfeld himself once said: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.”

Here's a look at Russia's finest quarantine couture:

This look is perfect for a night out at a glitzy gala — or for simply trying out that new pasta sauce recipe.

Endlessly scrolling through TikTok never looked so glamorous.

The rest of our homes may be in chaos, but at least our looks are on point.

Just enjoying some shisha and wine before giving an impromptu kitchen concert.

Windexing the mirrors is absolutely a special occasion.

Cooking in high heels is hard work — the trick is to make it look effortless.

"I'm not a model, the camera just turned on by itself."

You. Better. Work.

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