Why Sports and Fashion Go Hand in Hand

Have sports influenced fashion or is it vice versa? If yes, in what way? Perhaps, you have noticed that most of the clothes you wear in summer (and not so hot seasons) remind you of the way famous sports stars dress. Even women are dressing up like male sports celebrities nowadays. So, we can say that sports are having a great impact on the fashion industry and erasing the gender gap.

Why else would corporations like Nike spend more than $3,2 billion on marketing? If one were to analyze the history and origins of fashion and sports, they’d see that there’s a strong correlation between these two phenomena. Today, sports are making an increasingly profound impact on the way we dress and behave in society. Some of the reasons for that include:

•         Changing lifestyle
•         Importance of wealthiness and wellness
•         Organic foods
•         Popularity of fitness and yoga
•         Decrease in alcohol and cigarette consumption
•         Individuality of every person (need to stand out from the crowd)
•         Desire to keep up with trends

 

And the list can go and on. All in all, fashion and sports serve the same purpose, which is to underline the individuality of every human.

Quick Historical Facts

Since the times of Ancient Greece, sports have been associated with something elite. It was an honor to take part in the Olympic Games. The athletes taking part in them were almost naked, but those who won obtained the right to dress up like representatives of the ruling class.

Another good example is the British Empire. Did you ever notice that most popular sports originated in that country? It is impossible to underestimate the role of tennis, soccer, golf, and rugby in today’s pop culture. People around the world are quick to copy the way famous athletes dress. Once women got equal rights with men, they tried to make sports fashionable as well. And even though sports somehow erased the gender gap, women still contrive to look feminine, sexy, and pretty in sports clothing.

What about today? Have a look around and you’ll understand the role of sports in the fashion industry. Today, some of the most popular sports include:

•        Extreme sports (e.g. surfing or parasailing)
•        Fitness (e.g. TRX or Zumba)
•        Long-distance running (Ancient Greek culture is back in trend)
•       Outdoor sports

And the list is by no means an exhaustive one. We should not forget that fashion is not necessarily a product, either. It could be a service, too. Because doing sports is fashionable today, various lifestyle brands are offering clothes and services like fitness or cycling clubs. Just check out the Rapha´s Cycling Club, for example.

Wearing sports-inspired clothes is comfortable. That is the main reason why people like shorts, shirts, baseball caps, etc. However, it can also be stylish. When fashion industry representatives first realized that, they added more colors, accessories, and details to sports clothing. The best fashion industry representatives are creating innovative clothing solutions for female and male athletes today. As you can see, history explains a lot.

 

You may use this information for your history or sports project. If you need to answer this question for one of your high school or college classes, you can buy homework online and increase your chances of getting a high grade.

What Experts Say

Most business, sport, and fashion representatives agree that sports and fashion go hand in hand. And their origins are another proof that. Here’s what some of the most famous people said about the connection between fashion and sports.

“One of the great examples and proof of the strong correlation between sports and fashion is a T-shirt. Initially developed specifically for sports, this element of clothing became one of the integral parts of our daily wardrobe. When it is hot in summer, you can notice hundreds of people wearing nothing but T-shirts and shirts. Even when it comes to blouses and dresses, one can notice that the style of some of them reminds us of a T-shirt.”

SIMONETTA, Rome

“There is a great impact of sports on the fashion, especially today. The way most football or tennis players dress is followed by their numerous fans around the world. Some of them support the trends in swimming when visiting beaches. For more than 30 years so far, football outwear dominates in the wardrobe of many young men. These elements of wardrobe have invaded the realm of fashion.”

EMILIO, Capri

“You should be blind not to see the connection between fashion and sports. It is obvious. The sports functional must has infiltrated the wardrobe of every man and woman who care about fashion trends. The popularity of the specific sport dictates these trends. On the one hand, we have well-dressed actors, actresses, and musicians that everyone wants to follow. On the other hand, we cannot doubt the popularity of different sports stars and their images. Currently, the most popular type of sports games worldwide is football, so I do not wonder that the corresponding style dominates among young people. Sportsmen’s fabrics do not have any barriers, and that is wonderful.”

RUDI GERNREICH, Hollywood

The 20th century was a time when sports began to play a dominant role in society. Some of the most successful sportsmen like Michael Jordan and David Beckham came up with their own style and hosted their own TV shows. Fashion retailers around the globe benefited from cooperating with the sports industry, too. There’s no denying the fact that a brand is a religion today, and so are sports.