If you want to know the origin of an iconic piece of menswear, there are two good places to look: the military and the world of sports. In the case of the tracksuit—designed to keep athletes warm before and after competition—the answer is straightforward. But its journey into the modern wardrobe had its fair share of twists.
French brand Le Coq Sportif invented sweatpants in 1920 and introduced the “Sunday Suit,” with an added top, 19 years later. But the tracksuit didn’t enter casual wardrobes until decades later. Chalk it up to a new supply from a well-loved maker and a big moment on the world stage.
First, in 1967, Adidas released a tracksuit in collaboration with German soccer player Franz Beckenbauer. And then, in 1968, a display at the Mexico City Olympics by US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos made international news. Smith and Carlos raised black-gloved hands on the podium while wearing tracksuits made by US brand Wilson Sporting Goods.
The “Black Power salute”—which Smith later called a “human rights” salute—sparked controversy, but it also contributed to the tracksuit’s reputation as emblematic of both youth culture and counterculture. The style broke containment, moving from the sidelines of sporting events to the closets of hippies, university students, and stars like Bruce Lee and Bob Marley.
By the ’80s, tracksuits had been adopted by B-boys and hip-hop artists. Run-DMC wore them in the video for “My Adidas.” They became a staple of the genre (as well as a de facto uniform of football hooligans and Brit-pop enthusiasts across the pond). By the 2000s, the tracksuit was mainstream, and the high-fashion houses got in on the game. Nowadays you can buy one from Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and others. But some of our favourites still come from sportswear specialists. If you want to channel Damon Albarn, how better to do it than in a jacket and pants with three stripes down the sides?
The trick is to make yours look unique. You could break it up, wearing the jacket with jeans or the pants with a polo. But the easiest way is by bringing some outerwear into the mix. Throw a tweedy jacket or a big ol’ topcoat on top and you’ll look both considered and cool. As cool as Damon? Maybe not. But in this instance, close is more than good enough.
Photographs by Phoenix Johnson
Styling: Andrea Ríos
Grooming: Levi Monarch
Models: Idriss Marcus at Next Models and Luke Markette
