Lija
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
Athletic apparel is some of the most comfortable clothing you can wear, yet, it is also some of the most unfashionable clothing you can wear. At some point long, long ago, style and function were decreed incompatible. Somehow, the world has gone on without questioning this for centuries – why do you think the first Olympians raced naked? You just couldn’t wear your running toga in the agora or you’d be laughed at. It was better to run around naked, and then slip on your market-wear when you went into town.
Things didn’t get better over the centuries, especially not for women. You only have to look at a few photos from the birth of the WPGA, and you’ll agree. A man’s argyle sweater-vest thrown in for six hot rinse cycles and a pair of balloon pants isn’t really what you’d call haute couture. Try just thinking back as far as high school, remember girls who played sports? Pretty or not, they weren’t allowed to look good. It was always men’s XL T-shirts and sweatpants with varsity soccer or volleyball plastered across the bum. This is just the way things have always been. Believe it or not, though, fashion and athletics are not as mutually exclusive as we’ve been led to believe. (more…)