The history of the tracksuit

A nod to one of the greatest pieces ever made.

Function before symbolism

The tracksuit is a strange piece of clothing. Few menswear pieces have translated across class and cultural context like this one.

It has quietly slipped between worlds, both sport and leisure. Street and fashion. Utility and expression. And that’s exactly what makes it interesting.

Early versions of the tracksuit date back to the early 20th century, when athletes wore simple cotton warm-up sets before competition. The purpose was purely practical. Stay warm and loose, then remove it before the race.

Nothing about it was meant to be a statement about style; it was just part of the uniform.

And while this might not have entirely changed the tide of how people viewed tracksuits, the moment when American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists wearing Team USA warm-ups was a big one.

This was in 1968 at the Olympics in Mexico City.

Suddenly, the tracksuit carried meaning beyond performance.

By the 1970s, the tracksuit had begun to drift into popular culture.

Bruce Lee wore his iconic red one in Longstreet.

But the 1980s changed everything.

Hip-hop reframed the tracksuit entirely when artists like Run-DMC, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, and Snoop Dogg wore tracksuits not as sportswear, but as everyday clothing. Airports. Music videos. Press photos. On stage.

And while brands Adidas, Puma, and Fila had these items in their collections, they also shifted their marketing efforts to reinforce the idea that performance garments could live outside of sport.

Cinema, contradiction, and longevity

Fast forward, film and TV hits like The Royal Tenenbaums and The Sopranos only cemented the tracksuit’s place as a fashion statement.

Can the tracksuit work with everyday style?

So yeah, I love the heritage and the history of tracksuits. But in general, I sometimes struggle to find natural ways to wear them (or the individual pieces) without feeling like I’m wearing a costume.

They seem fun in theory, but to wear them in a way that blends in, they need the right fabric, shape, and look.

And this is where brands like Futsol are interesting to me: they are truly one of the few brands I’m seeing integrate the heritage and nostalgia of tracksuits in a natural way.

They sent me one to road-test, and I was lowkey blown away by how it didn’t feel like a costume or throwback. It’s something I’d actually wear around town, on trips, or to meets, dinners, and events.

The floral detailing on the sides is sick, the cuts are clean, and the materials feel considered.

If you’re interested, check out the matching set they’re selling online, and use CLAYTON15 at checkout for 15% off.

My only feedback is that we’re gonna need more color options.