Workout wear with flair
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A selective overview of historical fitness fashion trends
by GENEVIEVE PAIEMENT
Ever since the ancient Greeks started exercising in the name of optimum health and body-worship, the Western world has been trying to stay fit and fight the eternal "battle of the bulge." And though doin' it in the buff is not uncommon, most people tailor their dress specifically for their personal workout purposes. So it has come to pass that sportswear has left an indelible mark on our popular consciousness and never ceases to affect the broader world of fashion.
Late 1800s-early 1900s
Working out was often just a by-product of your average harsh job on the farm or in the factory. But some people (mostly men) who weren't professional athletes did actually make it out to gyms. Of course they kept their flesh covered from head to toe, with men wearing a fetching tights-under-shorts combo, with the top matching the leotards. Thongs were but a twinkle in their descendants' eyes.
1920s-'30s
Flappers and bootleggers did their bit for loosening morals and fashion, and sports styles followed suit, getting sexier and slinkier. The advent of the tennis mini-shorts and mini-skirt meant that one could look sluttier than in everyday life, all in the name of sport.
1940s-'50s
Possibly the single most electrifying development in sportswear was the advent of the bikini (though one might argue that it qualifies more as leisure wear). Though it hit the market in 1946, the controversial French bikini only really blew up in the '50s, taking America by storm and single-handedly guaranteeing Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue's eternal success.
1960s
Along with the sexual revolution came a relaxing of the strict '50s hem and necklines in sports uniforms. It was just as much a free-for-all in the land of fitness fashion as the bedroom. People were bicycling in bikinis and skinny-dipping all over the place!
1970s
The original era of Participaction, Jump-rope for Heart and do-it-yourself yoga books, the '70s also ushered in the new, intense popularity of athletic wear and branding. Track suits and sneakers by the likes of Adidas, Nike and Puma became the uniform du-jour for entire families, paving the way for the '80s hip hop craze for the same look, with the addition of heavy gold chains (always practical while working out).
1980s
Jane Fonda can be held at least partly responsible for the aerobics obsession that plagued this decade. Her original Jane Fonda Workout was the 10th top-selling video of 1982. Bodybuilding grew in popularity, sweat bands were all the rage and morning TV exercise shows multiplied like fungi on an athlete's foot. An era when women thought it completely natural to work out in full makeup and teased hair.
1990s
"Extreme sports" and "No Fear" became household terms. Bungee jumping, skydiving and white water rafting seemed like natural office outings. Upwardly mobile types set off for hikes up mountains in exotic locals. People became obsessed with climbing stairs (Stairmaster, Step classes). Rollerblades ruled the land and bike shorts and spandex became everyday wear. Tae-Bo could be seen approaching menacingly on the horizon.
Today
Welcome to the land of hybridization. Yoga has become "Power Yoga." Aerobics can be divided into 50 different variations incorporating all manner of dances and levels of expertise. Tae-Bo, Pilates, spinning, stretching, toning--it's all out there and often available under one mega-gym's roof. Thank God, thongs-over-biker-shorts have gone by the wayside, but pretty much everything goes now. From loosey-goosey sweats to tights and tanks. The emphasis is on comfort.
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