The Evolution of Women’s Sports Attire

The Evolution of Women’s Sports Attire
 
Brief introduction of Women’s sporting fashion
In the late 1800’s women were becoming more interested in physical exercise; however, it was not hard pushing, sweat inducing exertion as we know today. Rather it was more of a social and leisurely event, especially for the ladies of the upper class who played croque and tennis, whereas sports such as cycling, and swimming were becoming more popular for the ladies of this generation.
The real milestone in history regarding women’s sports was when women could compete in the Olympic Games from 1900. Times were finally moving forward, except for when you notice the fashion and attire that women had to compete in. Dresswear commonly consisted of a full-length skirt or dress, followed by long sleeves on a blouse or a dress and a high collar- how on earth did they do this?! That’s not even taking into consideration the heeled shoes!
Thankfully times have changed drastically, sportswear for women has evolved from being modest and impractical to practical and now a fashion statement.  Nowadays the increasing desire to exercise and look after our bodies has finally become the new trend. With a demand for not only practical and reliable active wear on the market but also an ongoing battle between brands to create sporting wear that is seen now as high-end fashion, I am all for it. What makes you feel even better when you are exercising? Knowing that you’re wearing a well-known brand or matching sets, funky patterns or colours the list is endless for women’s choices of what we can wear to exercise in or even wear out to the shops or dinner- stylish leisure wear is the new little black dress.
I have gone a little off topic however I found it very interesting researching this history and I didn’t fancy doing a full timeline, so lower down I have featured some pictures of the evolution of women’s sporting attire. 

My Choice of Clothing: Innov8 Winter Women’s Running Tight I paid £79.99 - RRP £99.99

 Key Features

• Combination use of mountain and trail winter conditions
• Water resistant and windproof, 3-layer nylon softshell to protect legs from winter conditions
• Soft brushed knitted fabric for warmth and comfort, keeps ankles warm whilst realising necessary body heat
• Calf panels to protect against fellside vegetation i.e. heather, bracken, roots and trees.
• 4 way stretch fabric for ‘dynamic movement’
• Design Extras
• Zip pocket on rear side also with extra pouch
• Comfort waist band
• Reflectors or ankles and logo
• Zip Legs
• Soft gripper tape on waist with tie

 Personally, I am very happy that I purchased these leggings recently with the upcoming Winter weather slowly creeping in. They are functional and durable with windproof and water-resistant material. The material is soft and stretchy yet has an added level of thickness which is ideal for the cold. The design is flattering and quite minimal which is what I personally prefer in leggings, however the added touches of panelling with the different materials and reflective logo are a good subtle adaptation to a usual pair of plain black leggings. The fit is a bit of a looser type, more like a cross between leggings and fitted trousers, this in turn does not bother me it might even be due to me being in between sizes however to someone else they may prefer a snugger fit. Further more the style is modern yet practical, I can wear these leggings whilst out on a walk or run and look the part or pair them with my other less casual outdoor branded clothing and a decent pair of trainers and stay on brand with fashion trends. The cost is rather expensive to some, although I myself am an active walker, runner and outdoor enthusiast therefore I understand that durable, comfortable and weather reliant clothing is a must so I find these quite reasonably priced in comparison to other brands. Innov8 is also a brand I am very familiar with; I know they have good footwear and active wear, so I trust the brand name to deliver when it comes to their clothing.
One of the biggest downsides to these leggings were the fact they are not sustainably made. I researched in great lengths into the materials and manufacturing. Ethically speaking the brand is great with a factory in China offering the local area employment and paying above the average salary, no under 18’s are employed and they are also recycling a number of materials such as paper, water, rubber and more.
The downside is these leggings are made from 5 different materials; Polyamide, Elastane, Polyester, Polyurethane and TPU Membrane (Thermoplastic Polyurethane Membrane) Only 2 of which are sustainable and do not a harm the environment, these are TPU and Polyurethane.
The rest of the materials used to make these leggings are not sustainable, Elastane cannot be recycled. In order to make polyester a great deal of fossil fuels such as coal are used and produce harsh chemicals which can cause serious environmental damage if the harsh chemicals used are leaked into water or untreated air. Polyamide is the least sustainable, a large amount of fossil fuels are used alongside heat and pressure to produce this fabric the worst part is it causes more damage than green house gases from Nitrous Oxide which is 310 times more potent than CO2.
After researching into the materials, it left me quite shocked that I was unaware of how much damage the process of creating Polyester and Nylon was doing to the planet, materials which majority of clothing are made from. I could go on but it’s straight forward to understand. Even though I do really like these leggings it has now made me rethink about buying clothes without researching the materials they are made from and instead finding a company that offers the same high quality product but with a more sustainable process even with a higher price tag.
 



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