Posted by 2021 A to Z: Letter I
is for
International Sweatpants Day (January 21)
The first pair of sweatpants was introduced in the 1920s by Émile Camuset, the founder of Le Coq Sportif. The first sweatpants to be made were simple knitted gray jersey pants that allowed athletes to stretch and run comfortably.
The day is aimed at celebrating the comfy joy of days when “the thought of getting all dressed up in a suit and tie or high heels makes you want to crawl back into your warm bed,” according to Days of the Year.
Let’s be honest, with COVID-19 and all the lockdowns since March 2020, isn’t every day International Sweatpants Day?
During COVID lockdown, I took a Fashion as Design Coursera class. Week 2 was about Heroes, and how wearing certain garments can inspire heroic transformations, while heroes can elevate everyday clothing to iconic status. That week, one of the videos was about recreating Bruce Lee’s tracksuit.
Lee wore the iconic red tracksuit in 1971 on a show called Longstreet. It was the first time this style showed up on US television. MoMA spoke to Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee about the tracksuit and her dad.
I posted the video below for you if you want to watch it.
Featured image: “I is for Identity” from Digital Synopsis, created by UK based graphic designers Liam + Jord
Dara Rochlin Book Doctor 