Many of us wear activewear clothing and many of us appreciate it, but not a lot of us, including myself, really know when and where activewear came about. Activewear has advanced in terms of different fabrics, construction, and styles. In ancient times, people exercised in their street clothes. But those athletes that performed in the Olympics performed in the nude. Mainly because street clothes restrict movement.
The first modern Olympics in 1896 involved mainly upper class athletes who wore very rudimentary clothing, similar to a union suit or a T-shirt and shorts for track and field events. This is where we first see activewear really start to develop. Later we see that women started to use white dresses to play tennis.
Modesty was a huge issue still so women were not allowed to run or jog in shorts or pants, they had to still wear they’re long dresses. In 1922, Suzanne Lenglen competed at Wimbledon in a short tennis skirt. She also wore a headband to keep hair out of her face, rather than the customary hat. This was a huge gesture to new styles of activewear.
During the 1900 men wore shirts and shorts for their basketball activities.
Developments in science made new fabrics available. For example, nylon, first used by the military, began to be used in running shorts and wind-suits. These synthetic fibers made it easy to mass produce activewear items, and also to create clothing to meet the needs of the particular activity, such as concealed hoods and pockets, removable linings and water- and wind-resistant gear.
Today, activewear fashions continue to evolve. Activewear has become casual wear for many people, even for senior citizens who like the ease and comfort of warm-up suits and sweatshirts. New fabrics and styles continue to evolve for athletic wear.
Monica Melara
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