The History of Gym Wear

As early as the medieval times, children dressed in loose-fitting, informal clothes for playing sports. But gym wear and sportswear evolved most dramatically throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. This happened for a variety of reasons, including new technology that allowed advanced textiles to be produced for apparel. Today, gym wear is equal parts function and fashion, from performance-enhancing fabrics to designer label sweatpants.

  1. Women's Gym Wear

    • During the 1800s, sports clothes for women were designed with an emphasis on modesty. Corsets, gowns and long sleeves were customary, even for athletic activities such as horseback riding and tennis. Women wore long skirts to play tennis as late as 1910, but skirts split into pants and hemlines were shortened as the 20th century progressed. Still, Alice Marble raised eyebrows in 1932 when she wore shorts onto the court for the first time in the history of professional tennis.

    The Evolution of Sneakers

    • Essential for most athletic endeavors, the first rubber sneakers produced in the United States were Keds, which were developed in 1892. Twenty-five years later, Marquis Converse produced the first shoe with soles specifically for basketball--the Converse All-Stars. Adidas sneakers, which gained popularity after Jessie Owens wore them in the 1936 Olympics, were created by Adi Dassler in 1924. Toward the later part of the 20th century, sneaker companies began producing specialized sneakers for less mainstream sports, such as walking and skateboarding, as well as a general type of shoe for cross-training.

    Synthetic Fabrics

    • Synthetic fabrics became prevalent in gym wear following the invention of spandex in 1959. These textiles are ideal choices for sports apparel because they are easily washable and can be dyed vivid colors. Spandex is the synthetic fiber used in Lycra, which is known for being strong and stretchable. Another advance in gym wear textiles was Gore-Tex, a thin membrane that is resistant to water and wind. It can be laminated to other fabrics to create breathable, weather resistant clothes for sports like skiing or outdoor running.

    '80s Fitness Craze

    • In the 1980s, workout clothes exploded into popular culture, blurring the boundaries between gym wear and fashion. The brightly colored leotards, leg warmers and oversized sweatshirts that women wore to aerobics were featured in movies and music videos. The lightweight nylon jogging suit was another popular trend in gym wear, usually in bright color combinations like hot pink and electric blue.

    Performance-Enhancing Gym Wear

    • Some fabrics help optimize ability.

      As the gym wear industry expanded, some brands began developing apparel that could potentially enhance an athletic capacity. In 1992, Speedo produced a range of bathing suits using fabric made from polyester microfibers and Lycra. This combination was more water resistant that skin, allowing swimmers to improve their performance. Nike, Reebok and Adidas have also done significant research into making gym wear with new fabrics and materials that optimize athletic ability.