Sportswear as Fashion

スポーツウェア・ファッション / late 19th century– / Style / Fashion History

The exchange by which mobility, protection and new materials from sport enter everyday dress and fashionable shapes return to athletic clothing. From divided skirts to stretch, nylon and neoprene, functional movement helped form modern casual clothing.

Sportswear as Fashion — Athleisure street dress, Madison, Wisconsin — contemporary sportswear example; photo: John Benson — John Benson from Madison WI — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 — Athleisure street dress, Madison, Wisconsin — contemporary sportswear example; photo: John Benson — John Benson from Madison WI — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 · CC BY 2.0

Sportswear as Fashion — AI-generated interpretation 1 — AI-generated interpretation, not a reference work

Sportswear as Fashion — AI-generated interpretation 2 — AI-generated interpretation, not a reference work

At a glance

Visual cues

Ease and stretch that preserve movement
Adjustments such as zips, ribs and drawcords
Team color, numbers and stripes used for identity
Functional fabrics including nylon, spandex and neoprene

Best used for

Translating movement performance into clothing meant for the street
Using sport-derived line, numbers and material for both team identity and fashion

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Dictionary entry

Type: Set numbers and short names boldly enough to read at distance, following seams and panel lines.
Composition: Reserve the range of motion first, then align panel lines and pockets with movement.
Material: Assign stretch, weight, waterproofing and ventilation to the exact places that need each property.
Caution: Stripes and numbers alone empty out the sporting relation. Be able to name the movement helped and the material doing the work.
Further study: Nineteenth-century cycling dress / Claire McCardell and active wear / The exchange between competition and everyday dress

Related entries

Streetwear (ストリートウェア)Shared effects: Exhilaration / Technique.Compare Sportswear as Fashion and Streetwear
Space Age Fashion (スペースエイジ・ファッション)Same Fashion History lineage.Compare Sportswear as Fashion and Space Age Fashion

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