French sportswear brand Le Coq Sportif can be credited with bringing the tracksuit to the world. After first being seen in 1939, the simple tracksuit (or Sunday suit as it was originally known) has gone on quite a journey. 

Today, the tracksuit isn’t so simple. And just hearing the word probably paints a slightly different picture in every fashionista’s head. Some may still think of an outfit worn for leisure or sport, while others think of warm, comfy materials that make the perfect fit for a winter stroll.

Whatever your idea of a tracksuit, it’s fair to say they’ve undergone quite the evolution over the last 85 years. Here’s how tracksuits have gone from sporty and informal to stylish and luxurious.

Sporty Beginnings

For the most part of tracksuits’ existence, they’ve been exclusively positioned in the sportswear category. Throughout the 60s, Adidas even referred to tracksuits as warm-up suits due to them being a popular arrival outfit for athletes as they still are today.

Tracksuits have maintained their position in the sports world throughout many different eras, although their look has evolved enormously. Originally sports tracksuits were cheap to produce and focused on being lightweight. 

Nowadays, sports tracksuits range from muscle-fit options that are sported by professional athletes, to smart casual offerings that are closer to the original tracksuit. We’ve also started to see tracksuits designed specifically for different activities; some sports tracksuits are designed as workout attire while others may be worn for an arrival or warm up. 

Athletic Wear to Everyday Comfort

While tracksuits were originally designed for athletes, today they’re the go-to Sunday outfit for people from all walks of life. While sports tracksuits are predominantly made from nylon, comfier options come in the form of wool and cotton tracksuits.

As a result, brands from outside of the sportswear market have seized the opportunity to grab a piece of the pie. Fast fashion brands for instance began to offer affordable, cheap-to-produce tracksuits that can often be found in a tracksuit sale. 

At the other end of the price tag spectrum, we’ve seen the likes of White Fox, Essentials and Represent go big on oversized tracksuits that are made for ultimate comfort but are also seen as a desirable, stylish option.

The Rise of High-End Tracksuits

There was probably once a time when no celebrity would’ve left the house in a tracksuit, but that certainly isn’t the case today as the world’s most exclusive brands vie to offer the most desirable of tracksuits to their rich and famous customer base. From Gucci to Dior, there’s no shortage of brands offering tracksuits that come close to, or even top the 4-figure mark.

As a result, tracksuits have well and truly stepped out of the sporty pigeonhole that they were originally placed in. And interestingly they’ve gone from being worn solely by athletes to a popular choice with female fashion influencers of today.

In fact, from the world’s most well-known artists to British royalty, high-net-worth individuals can’t get enough of the outfit that was designed for stars of track and field. The fact that celebs are rocking up to ceremonies wearing tracksuits is a clear example of how the tracksuit has gone full circle.