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Who still remembers the tight, neon-colored spandex outfits of the 1980s? Preferably with leg warmers and sweatbands too? Just like in all types of fashion, there have been various trends in women’s sportswear over the years. Some trends more striking than others. In this article, I will highlight some of these trends from the past and discuss the current fashion. I’ll conclude with some good reasons to dress fun & hip when you go exercising!
Fitness Clothing in the 1970s
In the 1970s, people preferred relaxation over exertion, as you can see in this 1972 advertisement for a beauty spa! The ladies wear very comfortable, almost pajama-like outfits in neutral, dull colors and do exercises where it is questionable whether they are for relaxation or if there is actually any training involved! Due to the different approach to sports compared to today, the choice for these “relaxation suits” in this era was understandable.
Fitness Clothing in the 1980s
In the “Eighties,” the pace picked up and flashy spandex outfits with striking colors were pulled out of the closet. In the middle photo stands Jane Fonda: an American actress who also made her mark as a fitness guru in the 1980s and became especially known for the aerobics videos where she wore these fun outfits.
The spandex outfits are form-fitting, lightweight, sweat-resistant, and therefore ideal for all those quick steps. Although the suits accentuate the sexy female curves well, it is doubtful whether this trend will fully return in this form. Personally, I would feel more uncomfortable wearing something like this in a group class than feeling good and moving freely!
What is also fun to mention: in 2004, DJ Eric Prydz released the song “Call on Me” with an accompanying music video that probably brings back good memories for many. In this clip, we see a number of sweating ladies – and a lucky gentleman – who, with their outfits and challenging moves, parody the aerobics era of the eighties.
The exuberance of the 1980s also lends itself easily to all kinds of parodies:
Fitness Clothing in the 1990s
When I think of sports fashion from the 1990s, Melanie/Mel C, alias “Sporty Spice,” immediately comes to mind. Mel C was one of the singers of the then very famous British girl group: the Spice Girls, known for hits like “Wannabe,” “Say you’ll be there,” and “Who do you think you are.” I played their CD over and over again as a teenager, so this is also a bit of nostalgia for me! Mel C was the sporty lady of the group and therefore always wore sporty outfits, preferably in the colors blue, red, yellow, and/or green. In the “Nineties,” we mainly saw her in comfortable track pants from the brand with the 3 stripes, or from the photo, finished with a short top. Unlike the 1980s, much looser around the body and probably much more accessible for many ladies to wear to the gym. Apart from the Spice Girls, in this era, the “gabber culture” also emerged, characterized by the shaved heads, gabber house music, and tracksuits for him & her, think of the “aussies.” The tracksuits allowed them to do their dance moves (“hakken”) in complete freedom!
Fitness Clothing from the “Zeroes” to Now
Throughout the decades, we have seen various trends, from tight to comfortable clothing, from somewhat boring to flashy neon colors. In the last decade, some different trends from the past have returned, and it’s nice to mention that we still see the spandex fabric (see the pink pants in the photo) as well as leg warmers making a comeback. There is a new workout trend for women, the so-called Tripleshape Barreworkout, where leg warmers are part of the dress code and can be taken out of the closet again! The class on a barre (such a wooden bar as in ballet) is filled with ballet, pilates, and yoga exercises and therefore offers a complete workout for the whole body. The leg warmers, combined with spandex leggings, are very suitable, even though there are certainly also ladies who just enjoy wearing them for all other forms of exercise! I also regularly see the bright, striking colors that we saw in the 1980s in the gym, and I also have several shirts and pants with these colors in my sports wardrobe. In terms of footwear, I see more and more “barefoot” sports shoes among women. These are lightweight shoes that enclose your foot well, giving you the feeling of walking barefoot.
If I may speak for the ladies, I think we prefer to show ourselves in clothing that is both trendy and fresh, but also practical and comfortable, and that flatters our figures! The big baggy sweatpants and the faded shirt are a thing of the past!
Reasons to Dress Hip When Exercising?
Finally, here are some good reasons to pull out your trendiest and cutest outfit when you’re being active!
- Dressing nicely makes it much more fun and easier to actually exercise!
- So, if you’re more motivated to exercise, this also has a positive effect on the results of your physical activities.
- In a nice sports outfit that accentuates your shapes nicely, you feel much more confident, and you radiate this.
- Finally, it’s always nice when others look at you with admiration when you pass by in your super trendy outfit 🙂
References
- http://musthebbes.nl/trippleshapebarreworkout/
