What are Tracksuits?

A tracksuit is a two-piece outfit that consists of a jacket (typically with a front zipper) and pants. It was designed to be worn over competition gear (like running shorts and shirts or a swimsuit) and removed before a competition.

The tracksuit is also called a warm-up suit, or “warm-ups,” because it is designed to keep athletes’ bodies warm before, during, and after competitions (especially important in cold weather). Sports teams will nearly always wear these clothes in a fabric that matches their school, team, or nation colors. Tracksuit bottoms are also referred to as sweatpants.

Tracksuits are now often worn in numerous situations in modern times. One of the first applications of synthetic fibers in sportswear was the tracksuit.

The shell suit, a descendant of the tracksuit, became popular in the late 1980s with breakdancing and hip-hop scenes. They were made from a blend of polyester and cellulose triacetate, and they glistened on the outside with unique color combinations. And on that account, check out these tips for wearing the color orange!

Most tracksuits have a mesh inner, allowing the user to don them without any underwear or socks. This resembles a bathing suit. It is commonly used by individuals who engage in physical activity.

A sauna suit is a type of tracksuit constructed of waterproof fabric like PVC or coated nylon and is designed to make the person wearing sweat profusely. Sauna suits are usually used to lose weight for a short period.

The Tracksuit’s History

The tracksuit was born in the 1960s, as mid-century affluence gave way to “space-age” technology. These early models, which used synthetic nylon textiles, laid the groundwork for the modern-day tracksuit: a monochromatic jacket and pant combination with stirrups, as seen on previous Adidas models.

When it comes to Adidas, the brand’s initial foray into apparel was, of course, a tracksuit, which was created in 1967 in partnership with German soccer great Franz Beckenbauer. Tracksuits were almost exclusively worn before or after sports until the 1970s, when they combined with fashion.

The tracksuit had become a non-athletic staple in the 1970s for various reasons, and it owes a lot to both mountain climbing and jogging in terms of functionality. Tracksuits had been the go-to gear for the recreational athlete as the popularity of jogging (soft “J” natch) and interest in personal fitness grew in the 1970s.

 

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Tracksuits, on the other hand, became as culturally significant as they were athletic throughout this decade. The addition of warm stretch velours made it a comfortable article to wear outside and one that could be worn indoors.

With the deep dive into disco music in the 1970s, the genre spawned a society that blended the flashy and the casual. It’s a mindset that has enabled jumpsuits—and, by implication, tracksuits—to become far more popular. With the introduction of a more fitted silhouette for tracksuits in the 1970s, it was only a matter of time until the tracksuit found a home away from the track.

While informal athletics thrived in the 1970s, the fitness craze that swept the 1980s merged popular culture with fitness in unprecedented ways, bringing the tracksuit into the mainstream for the first time, tracksuits were even more practical because of newly developed synthetic textiles like Gore-Tex and Sympatex, which kept the wearer comfortable throughout their athletic activity, not just when warming up. This concentration on early tech materials would eventually give way to “shell suits,” or what we now call tracksuits.

But it wasn’t just in fitness classes and suburban dance studios that you could see a shell suit or tracksuit in action. Dancers had two reasons to wear tracksuits as the decade’s blossoming hip-hop movement gave way to a rise in breakdancing. By the 1990s, the tracksuit had established itself as a hip-hop icon as well as an on-field athletic essential.

The tracksuit got fresh in the TMZ-filled 2000s when paparazzi photos showed a new wave of celebrities going about their regular lives in soft velour Juicy Couture. Britney Spears dressed her entire wedding party in personalized tracksuits for her 2004 wedding to Kevin Federline. The tracksuit became associated with the mafia lifestyle because of films like The Departed and television shows like The Sopranos, which gave individuals a notion of what to wear when giving orders and generating money without ever leaving the house.

However, as the tracksuit faded from mainstream fashion in the late 2000s, it was frequently reinterpreted and riffed on, with disco ball-esque materials and non-nylons respecting the tracksuit’s 70s heritage or pointing to the tracksuit’s decades-long link with hip-hop.

The modern tracksuit is a one-of-a-kind thing. In the 2010s, minimalism was a key design philosophy; hence most tracksuits have simple, monochrome designs.

Learn more about fashion history with this guide to Vans’s history and style.

 

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What Tracksuit Best Fits Your Sports Activity?

Dance

Dancing necessitates the use of comfortable attire that allows you to move freely. As a result, tracksuits that are rather baggy and loose-fitting, manufactured of technical materials that incorporate a percentage of cotton, are worth considering. Whether it’s an urban or modern jazz dance, this fabric is great for movements and dance steps.

Furthermore, you can customize the tracksuit bottoms’ length to fit your needs. You have as much freedom in selecting your style as you do in selecting your motions!

Running

Do you go for a run regularly and are looking for an appropriate tracksuit? Consider a close-fitting style that is both breathable and lightweight, as well as one that wicks away as much sweat as possible. In this instance, sports tracksuits with well-ventilated inlays are preferable to cotton, which can trap heat. When you’re out running, and the weather decreases, technical material will keep you warm.

 

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Cardiovascular and Fitness training

Cardio and fitness training are high-intensity activities that can easily make you sweat. Wearing a sports tracksuit composed of breathable and technological material that effectively wicks moisture away is therefore recommended.

The slim-fitting cut is exceptionally well-suited to these activities in terms of fit. It’s also important considering the garment’s durability must be high-wear to survive the constant wear and tear. Look into its stretchy characteristics as well, so you’re not constrained in your movements.

Pilates

You usually execute low-intensity and gradual motions, whether performing light gym, Pilates, or simply stretching. Rather than an outfit composed of a technical material that wicks moisture away, you’re more likely to need a soft and comfortable cotton tracksuit. Cotton can also provide warmth and comfort during the colder seasons, either before or after the practice.