Fashion staples to playgrounds: how sportswear took over your wardrobe
Do you still have the trendy sunglasses you wore last weekend or the cosy pair of trainers you wear everywhere? It may surprise you to learn that these classic pieces of daily clothing originated on the sports pitch!
Our wardrobes are now mostly dominated by sportswear, and this trend is only growing. Let's go back in time and see how some of our most beloved outfits and accessories changed from being sports equipment to classic fashion pieces.
The 19th-century polo grounds are exactly where the traditional polo shirt, a staple of preppy fashion today, originated. However, tennis was the sport that really made this airy and adaptable clothing popular.
The conventional button-down shirts were too constricting for tennis stars like Jean René Lacoste, so Lacoste created a cotton shirt with three buttons that was short-sleeved and breathable. This ground-breaking style served as the model for the contemporary polo, displacing the stuffy button-down and opening the door to a more fashionable and comfortable alternative for both on and off the court.
Tennis is also credited with giving rise to the comfortable trainers that we all know and love today. King Henry VIII used plimsolls in the 18th century, but a US company didn't create mass-produced rubber tennis shoes until the late 19th century, when they unveiled Keds. This invention set off a trend, and soon other sports like track and field and basketball had their own line of specialised shoes.
In 1984, a young basketball sensation called Michael Jordan and a famous brand collaborated to design the Air Jordans, which went on to become a cultural phenomenon. The trainer's status in the fashion world was cemented when these shoes went beyond the court and became a sought-after fashion accessory.
Surprisingly, some of the most sought-after sunglasses available today have an athletic background. Iconic frames, lenses, and designs emerged from the requirement for safe and effective eyewear in a variety of sports. During sports like skiing and mountain biking, polarised sunglasses from famous brands helped sportsmen protect themselves from UV radiation and other debris.
The advent of various coloured tints for different sports provided elegance as well as safety. These athletic styles soon gained popularity among both celebrities and ordinary citizens, hiding the distinction between daily fashion and athletic performance.
The history of the popular baseball hat is surprisingly extensive. Baseball players used wide-brimmed straw hats back in the mid-1800s. These were quickly replaced by more sensible wool hats that provided more comfort and sun protection and had a narrower brim.
The Detroit Tigers were the first team to use a logo on a cap in 1901, and this unintentional step started a global trend for branded headgear. People who live in nations where baseball is not often played wear baseball hats, which have become a global fashion phenomenon. They have evolved from their athletic beginnings to become multipurpose fashion pieces.
Though its beginnings are in athletics, the contemporary blazer may evoke visions of formal attire. These jackets were first created in British college cities like Oxford and Cambridge as sensible and cosy clothing for sports like shooting and rowing. Perfect for a variety of sports activities, the single-breasted style with pleats at the back and front allowed for more freedom of movement.
The blazer's roots are in British university rowing crews, where they were made to be comfortable and flexible // Picture Courtesy – Shutterstock
The blazer moved from athletic fields to boardrooms and schools over time, eventually becoming a representation of refinement and academic success. But the athletic beginnings of the blazer have not been overlooked. It's back in style now, making it a casual yet fashionable choice for outerwear.
