Words by Lucy Couser
In a world where trends are coming out quicker than ever before, it’s so interesting to me that the entire switch we’ve had from suited and booted 7 days a week to almost complete abandonment of everyday suit wear to athleisure wear. What I have found through research is how this evolution actually came about. When did men and women exactly leave their suits behind and take a more casual approach to not only running errands but also coming to work? Without further ado, we will be diving straight into the evolution of menswear, but let’s start with how it all began.
Back in the day, the suit represented status and wealth; it was the norm to wear and the better the suit, the more accepted it was in society. There were a lot more rules and guidelines in the world of fashion during both the 19th and 20th centuries and as time has gone on, the rules have calmed down and individuality seems to be filling the air. This is not to say that suits are gone from the world; they still seem popular among office jobs and special occasions and some still appreciate the everyday wear of a suit.
Athleisure wear was introduced into the mix as a means of practicality for sports that became really popular, such as tennis, football and much more. We saw this trickle into the gang scene in the 80s. In films like The Godfather, they would take breaks from the suits and throw on some Sergio Tacchini tracksuits, which are still popular today and extremely fashionable. Their status and wealth brought to light how a tracksuit still holds the same importance.
Let’s not forget that tracksuits didn’t start in the 90s; in the 70s, they started to be represented beyond the field. The icon and legend Bruce Lee himself wore a bright yellow tracksuit in the successful film “Game of Death.” You could say he started the trend. Men looked up to the brilliance of Burce Lee and it makes no sense that others looked up to his talents and were inspired to show off their tracksuits. Like how all trends start, they usually come from a person of influence and the use of athleisurewear has always been started by celebrities, big house names and more commonly, online influencers.
With things like rap, hip hop and brands listening to the streetwear’s demands, athleisurewear made a grand entrance into these eras, where it was representative in these different industries. They would pair track jackets with baggy jeans or baggy grey bottoms with vests and much more.
Among the female scene, with the rise of reality television, we saw the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spear’s velvety, juicy couture tracksuits, which took athleisurewear to a whole new level for women. But without getting too far off track, the 90s created a huge stepping stone for fashion still 30 years later. This decade has brought formality and smart dress to an end for most places and even businesses. You could say all the 90s babies loved it so much they brought it into adulthood, with streetwear for men being the top form of style.
It was the same in the 00s, when the symbol of wealth and status didn’t always lie in suits but now in flashy jewellery and designer streetwear. People know you have money if you wear trainers and a designer outfit; the suit has more modernly become a piece for special occasions and some city-slicker jobs.
Now that we are in the 20s of this new 21st century, the same things from the nineties have remained true. Although it’s an emerging trend, office wear goes beyond having a corporate job, which is very interesting. I can see a lot more people embracing minimal outfits, from trench coats to tailored-fitted trousers.
The modern times around suits seem to be similar to the early 1900s, when streetwear was very popular, including men’s full tracksuits and men’s graphic tees. Although the future of suits can be very promising. They do say that trends come and go but the suit always stays in so it seems likely that suits, although they might not seem comfortable for some, do seem like something that could make a grand return. Suits are a timeless classic and while they might be dying out on the streets, in the world of officewear, their appreciation will never go overlooked and the future does look promising.
On the topic of office wear, we have seen, especially in recent years, an increase in smart casual dress codes and also remote work. Men are being told to work from home and the need to wear a suit for most people is thrown out the window. As the new generation enters the city, you can see a lot of jobs aiming for more smart, casual looks. This isn’t the same for jobs such as banks and financial and government roles but for your marketers and small businesses, they’ve loosened the rules of the dress code, maybe in an attempt to be down with the kids or they are prioritising comfort over the staple suit.
Let’s not forget who starts and ends the trends now! All the big house names, including Gucci and Prada, have been introducing less clean-cut smart pieces and have heard what the people want and played into the athleisure wear. This might be another defining factor why suits are being pushed aside and athleisurewear is approaching more and more in our shopping carts and on the streets. You could say there are so many trends at the moment that it is hard to keep up. It seems to be a cross-breed of suits and athleisurewear.
The evolution of athleisurewear has been a long journey but the future seems to maybe take a turn back into memory lane. We can expect that sportswear is going to be the highlight in the next year or two but expect a shift.
