Clothing worn for sport or physical exercise

This article is about clothing for sports. For fashionable clothing identified and marketed as 'sportswear', see Sportswear (fashion)

U.S. Navy sailors exercising in the presence of a fitness instructor. All of them are wearing sportswear appropriate for doing exercise. 100 m race record holder Usain Bolt (in yellow) and other runners in sportswear.

Sportswear or activewear is clothing, including footwear, worn for sport or physical exercise. Sport-specific clothing is worn for most sports and physical exercise, for practical, comfort or safety reasons.

Typical sport-specific garments include tracksuits, shorts, T-shirts and polo shirts. Specialized garments include swimsuits (for swimming), wet suits (for diving or surfing), ski suits (for skiing) and leotards (for gymnastics). Sports footwear include trainers, football boots, riding boots, and ice skates. Sportswear also includes bikini and some crop tops. Sportswear is also at times worn as casual fashion clothing.

For most sports the athletes wear a combination of different items of clothing, e.g. sport shoes, pants and shirts. In some sports, protective gear may need to be worn, such as helmets or American football body armour. Especially in team sports which involved blocking, intercepting, or pursuing small, hard projectiles such as cricket, baseball, and hockey (where balls or pucks are struck to speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour (45 m/s)) jockstraps (or jillstraps) are standard equipment at higher levels of play. Other undergarments, such as the sports bra, furnish a mixture of protection and comfort. Some protective or supportive orthotics resemble and function as undergarments (especially flexible harnesses and braces); though intended to be worn for sports, these are not generally conceived of as sportswear per se.

Sports fabrics are technical materials which help to keep the wearer comfortable during exercise. The type of fabric required will depend upon the intensity of the exercise and the activity. Yoga clothing should use fabrics with exceptional stretch ability for easy movement which will likely require the fabric to be of a knitted construction. Apparel for long-distance running will keep the wearer in good comfort if it has excellent moisture wicking properties to enable sweat to transfer from the inside to the outside for the garment. Performance clothing for outdoor sports in the winter or snow sports should use breathable fabrics with very good insulating properties.

In wealthy and rising economies, sportswear is a major consumption category in the personal health, luxury goods and leisure space, associated with aggressive media presence and marketing strategies of global scope, often centered around endorsements from celebrity athletes. At the very highest levels of performance, the durability requirement of a costly and technically advanced item of sportswear can be as short as a single competitive event. At lower levels of competition and participation, there are many possible trade-offs between form, function, aesthetics (fashion), performance style, durability and cost. This has led to an almost bewildering array of product offerings, especially where the collision between all these variables is most intense, in particular footwear (most especially runners and court shoes), with seasonal issues, tweaks, and respins from all the major brands, elevated to the level of iconic symbols in some cultural subgroups.

Functional considerations

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Male football players of opposite teams wearing different colour outfits, while the referee is in white T-shirt. Sports uniform may not always be standardized. While generally female players of indoor volleyball wear T-shirt and shorts, in this image taken during 2004 Athens Olympics, the Greek team is wearing leotards.

Sportswear is typically designed to be lightweight so as not to encumber the wearer. The best athletic wear for some forms of exercise, for example cycling, should not create drag or be too bulky.

On the other hand, sportswear should be loose enough so as not to restrict movement. Some sports have specific style requirements, for example the keikogi used in karate. Various physically dangerous sports require protective gear, e.g. for fencing, American football, or ice hockey.

Standardized sportswear may also function as a uniform. In team sports the opposing sides are usually identified by the colors of their clothing, while individual team members can be recognized by a back number on a shirt.

In some sports, specific items of clothing are worn to differentiate roles within a team. For example, in volleyball, the libero (a specialist in defensive play) wears a different colour to that of their teammates. In sports such as soccer and GAA codes, a contrasting colour or pattern is worn by the goalkeeper. In other sports, clothing may indicate the current status or past achievements of a participant. In cycling disciplines, the rainbow jersey indicates the current world champion, and in major road cycling races, jerseys of particular colours are worn by the race leader and leaders of auxiliary classifications.

Spandex is the preferred material for form-fitting sportswear, such as used in wrestling, track & field, dance, gymnastics, speed skating, and swimming.

Sportswear is commonly used as a means for the promotion of sponsors of a sportsperson or team. In some sports, there are regulations limiting the size or design of sponsorship brand names and logos on items of clothing.

Thermal properties

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Sportswear design must consider the thermal insulation needs of the wearer. In hot situations, sportswear should allow the wearer to stay cool; while in cold situations, sportswear should help the wearer to stay warm.

Sportswear should also be able to transfer sweat away from the skin, using, for example, moisture transferring fabric. Spandex is a popular material used as base layers to soak up sweat. For example, in activities such as skiing and mountain climbing this is achieved by using layering: moisture transferring (wicking) materials are worn next to the skin, followed by an insulating layer, and then wind and water resistant shell garments.

Moisture-wicking fabrics

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Moisture transferring fabric

The moisture-wicking fabrics are a class of hi-tech fabrics that provide moisture control for an athlete's skin. They move perspiration away from the body to the fabric's outer surface where it can evaporate. These fabrics typically are soft, lightweight, and stretchy—in other words, they are well suited for making activewear. Moisture-wicking means that the fabric is absorbent and this can leave a barrier of wet fabric on your skin.[citation needed][dubious – discuss] Drywicking is the newest variation of moisture wicking. It is a smart two tier fabric that breaks the surface tension of sweat[clarification needed] and propels it through the hydrophobic layer into a natural wicking outer layer like cotton where it is assisted by evaporative cooling leaving your skin absolutely dry.[dubious – discuss] Besides the fact that your body can perform better,[clarification needed] it will chemically free prevent odors because a bacteria microclimate cannot grow on dry skin.[clarification needed] This broad category of fabrics is used to make garments like T-shirts, sports bras, running and cycling jerseys, socks, tracksuits, and polo-style shirts for any physical activity where the goal is to keep your skin as cool and dry as possible. Moisture-wicking fabrics are used to make apparel for outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, mountain biking, snow skiing, and mountain climbing. Due to the popularity of garments made from these fabrics, more variations are being introduced to the market.[citation needed]

Protective wear

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Sportswear also includes the variety of protective gear required for contact sports such as lacrosse, boxing and ice hockey. Different types of protective equipment are needed depending on the type of sport and position. The types of gears include the following: headgear, gum shields, shin pads, shoulder pads, and joint supports and protective gloves.

Headgear

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Sachin Tendulkar wearing pads to protect his legs. Both he and the short leg fielder wear cricket helmets for protection.

Headgear is required for most sports with high risk of head injuries such as American football, bobsledding and cycling. Injuries related to the head have the potential to cause serious damage to the spine and may be life-threatening.[1] Although sports like rugby and boxing do not require participants to wear head protection, trainers or referees may choose to depending on the player's history of head related injuries.[1] Certain positions of some sports may require different type of protections. For example, goaltenders for ice hockey wear different types of face masks compared to other positions.[2] They also have thick gloves with arm pads and shin guards to protect them from the high impact of pucks. In baseball, catchers and batters wear headgear for protection against the high velocity pitches. Headgear of different kinds must meet the standards of protection set by various organizations. Helmets for American football must be regulated by the National Football League or the National Collegiate Athletics Association. Although new rules of safe play have been in effect, players are still in danger of brain damage due to repeated blows to the head.[1] Football players are more likely to develop brain related disorders during or after their careers compared to other sports.[3]

Eye and face shields

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Field hockey players wearing protective goggles and mouthguard

Sports of all types may require eye or face protection depending on the players' need. Face masks come in different forms for different types of sports. In lacrosse and American football, the masks are metal rods attached to the helmet to cover the face.[2] While optional, face masks that might be seen in basketball or rugby are plastic masks that are usually molded to fit the players' face.[4] Such masks are worn to minimize additional damage to an already injured part of the face.

Eye protection is an additional support provided by sports goggles. Goggles may be worn in lieu of glasses or contacts. Goggles are reliable in the fact that they do not move around while the player is in motion and they protect the eye from foreign objects.[5] For swimmers and divers, goggles keep the water away from their eyes, thus improving visibility.

Mouth guards

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Mouth guards are used in many sports including but not limited to: rugby, lacrosse, boxing, water polo, ice hockey, American football, basketball, field hockey, and various martial arts.[6] Mouth guards reduce the risk of sport related dental injuries. Contact or some team sports have a risk of causing injuries related with the mouth, jaw, teeth and oral soft tissues. Wearing mouth guards may be recommended to sports players in some sports.[6]

Golf attire

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Golfer Tiger Woods in traditional men's attire

Golf has a long tradition of specialized attire—attire that reflects the tradition of Scottish aristocrats taking in fresh air while walking around the golf course, swinging their golf clubs, and exercising in a refined, genteel sort of way.[citation needed] Golf attire though, is also being influenced by modern fabrics and trends that stress function and durability. Golfers, like athletes in other sports, are athletes first, and public figures second. Athletes in all sports are showing a preference for moisture-wicking fabrics, crisp details, and modern fashionable colors.

Snow gear and ski apparel

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Professional USA ski racer Lindsey Vonn dressed for a race.

Different types of attire are needed for extreme weather conditions like snow. Thicker coats or jackets, gloves and boots are necessities in the cold. Winter sports such as snowboarding and skiing require the riders and skiers to be properly geared in the snow. Snow jackets differ from casual coats such that they may be packed with extra insulation and thicker coating materials. The insulation is usually made with down, which is the layer of fine feathers from geese or ducks.[7] These feathers are naturally insulated to keep the birds warm in the harsh winter weathers. The feathers trap air inside and keep the body heat from flowing out. Down is also considered to be the highest quality of insulation for jackets. It is light and compressible. Alternative types of insulation are being invented including: synthetic microfibers and polyester-based insulation.[7] These materials perform as well as down if not better and are becoming popular in the markets with the help of major brands using such materials for their equipment.

Winter gear must also be flexible so that it may offer a wide range of movement. An ideal jacket would have enough insulation to be warm but light, it should be made with material that are not restricting.[8] Jackets with down will be light and warm but they tend to be more expensive. Also down jackets usually are not water-resistant. Synthetic insulated jackets, however, are water-resistant and cheaper than down but lose their insulating factors and are heavier.[8]

Sales trends for activewear

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A woman wearing sports bra and boyshorts, which were conventionally women's sportswear but are now also worn as casuals or athleisure by women in the West.

As activewear becomes more fashionable and more popular with consumers, sales have increased. Activewear market was valued at $351,164 million in 2017, and is projected to hit $546,802 million by 2024, at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2018 to 2024. North America dominated the global activewear market in 2017, accounting for 42.3% of the total revenue.[9]

Some analysts attribute the growth in sales to an intrinsic change in the way activewear is designed. “Historically, what had been available to women were items based on a men's item that were just made smaller and turned a flattering color like pink,” said Scott Key, senior vice president and general manager of Athleta. “Women athletes expected more.” [10] Designers have recognized this "crossover" between exercise and fashion as a major opportunity for growth. It also synchronises with anoverall trend in American fashion towards a more casual style of dress.[citation needed] The trend has been so popular that it has spawned a new category of casual clothing, athleisure.

Gender difference

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Tennis player Maria Sharapova in different types of women's clothing- miniskirt (left), minidress (centre) and shorts (right).

In sports like tennis, while men generally wear shorts (along with T-shirt or sleeveless shirt), in case of women there is an option of wearing miniskirt, skort or shorts (along with top), as well as minidress (which is a single clothing combining miniskirt and top).

See also

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References

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• Sports clothing at Wikimedia Commons

3 Types of Sportswear

Sportswear is becoming increasingly popular in the modern age and some people's wardrobes are practically full of it. There is no denying the fact that sportswear has a massive impact on fashion and is coming close to becoming the most popular choice of clothing for people of all demographics. It's comfy, practical, and stylish; what else could anyone want? Sportswear can be broken down into three categories: activewear, athleisure, and gym wear.

Gym Wear

Gym wear focuses on practical clothing that can withstand a heavy workout in the gym. Shirts and bottoms have to be made from moisture-wicking materials to absorb sweat and footwear should be light and comfortable so it doesn't obstruct a leg workout. Here are some examples of common gym wear items:

Technical T-shirts - Made made from moisture-wicking materials that absorb sweat and keep you dry while you train. Figure-hugging, emphasising your body shape making it look great too.

Sports Bra and Leggings - Both are made from materials that absorb sweat and offer maximum comfort while holding the body in place.

Technical Socks - Socks designed for gym uses have extra padding to reduce the chance of blisters which can really hinder a workout and your motivation. They are made to absorb sweat to keep your feet dry.

Trainers - Trainers made for use in the gym are lightweight and comfy.

As it can be seen, gym wear has distinctive features which set it apart from other types of clothing; they are all practical, lightweight, and comfy. Gym wear is normally made to be flattering, figure-hugging, and tight around the muscles, making it look great on bodybuilders.

Activewear

Activewear is a lot more casual than gym wear and can be used for a range of purposes, both inside and out of the gym. The most common types of activewear worn are tracksuits, which have come a long way from their humble beginnings as shell suits, as well as stylish trainers. This style of clothing is made to be more comfortable than formal wear and is very popular among teenagers from around the world.

When tracksuits were first worn they were associated with jogging but have received much popularity from the Hip Hop music scene and are now seen as a trendy urban outfit. It seems that activewear is being worn less in the gym now and more on the street, with the newer ranges being produced with style in mind rather than practicality. The term "trainers" is definitely losing its original meaning as a shoe designed for sports and they are now regularly worn for casual purposes.

Companies that once manufactured goods solely for sports have begun to focus more on fashion and now make "sportswear", like shoes with wings and oversized t-shirts, that probably aren't really appropriate for any kind of sport at all. Nevertheless, wearing activewear casually is now a huge trend.

Puffer jackets are an example of clothing that was originally made for sports purposes but is now worn on catwalks. The puffer jacket has become more fashionable than sporty and is commonly worn in the Hip Hop fashion scene.

Athleisure

Athleisure is a new term that has been added to the English dictionary meaning "casual, comfortable clothing designed to be suitable both for exercise and everyday wear". The main difference between activewear and athleisure is that although activewear is sportswear worn for casual purposes, athleisure is a mix of sportswear, such as hooded sweatshirts, combined with other types of casual wear like jeans and denim jackets. This makes athleisure a hybrid of sportswear and casual wear ensuring that you stay comfortable and be extremely stylish at the same time.

Athleisure has been a growing trend since 2014 and it can be safely said that the craze is here to stay. Before athleisure became a trend, sports clothes were generally worn by people who were actually leading active lifestyles, now sports clothes are worn by people of all ages and body types.

In the UK, leggings have actually become more popular than jeans, and the famous jeans company Levi's has reported a massive drop in sales due to the athleisure trend, as well as approximately a loss of $2 billion in the last two decades due to sportswear in general.

Specialised Sportswear

This type isn't a category on its own but can be a range of different clothing items designed for specific sports like helmets for American football and shin pads for football. Specialised sportswear isn't really linked to fashion, as you wouldn't see someone walking in the street with a fencing helmet on, but is crucial for the sport it is designed for.