American Sportswear: Exploring Interchangeable Separates
Earlier this month, Die Workwear had a brilliant feature on the Korean brand Eastlogue. Regarding the inspiration for Eastlogue, Dong Ki, the mind behind the brand’s unique image of military futurism and functional workwear, revealed, “I’m keen on American and British sportswear… That includes hunting, fishing, hiking, military, and outdoor gear.”
Hunting, fishing, military — when did sportswear and workwear become seemingly indistinguishable? Menswear brands like Lady White Co. and Corridor are considered modern representations of classic American sportswear, but what does that actually mean? The genre exists somewhere in the middle of a robust Venn diagram featuring workwear, athleisure, outdoor wear, and so on. A rudimentary internet search reveals info about how women’s styles in the 1920s moved away from a Parisian idea of elegance towards pieces that were more sturdy and versatile. Before sportswear, people purchased wearables that fell within well-defined parameters. In the US, wardrobes might’ve consisted of a handful of utilitarian garments for work and maybe one formal outfit for events. The original premise of sportswear was to have “interchangeable separates” that were easy to look after and could be combined in various ways based on mood or setting. This type of thinking may seem obvious in the modern age, but in a time of largely uniform-dressing, it must’ve been a revolution in creative expression via getting “fits off.”
When discussing men’s clothing, the classification of sportswear is at the heart of this entanglement of different themes and styles— ubiquitous in a way that’s hard to make sense of. Often what we think of is jersey material— shirts, hoodies, and densely knit socks. It’s about pure, democratic wearability. The word “sport” brings to mind activewear, but sportswear is more about taking advantage of leisure time, whatever that may consist of for any given person. This marriage of comfort and functionality permeated the lines of L.L. Bean (who really created a smart shoe with GH Bass called the “Sportoccasin”) and Eddie Bauer, and acted as the building blocks for outdoor clothing and tech wear. There’d be no Patagonia or Arc’teryx without the “sportswear” movement. This same DNA can be found in Polo, Champion, Woolrich, and on and on. And beyond gear for the outdoors, the lines are even blurred when it comes to conventional workwear; we watch Carhartt’s leisure line grow bigger and comfier every season. Streetwear companies have simply taken these interchangeable separates and added pictures and logos (and manufactured exclusivity) to them.
In 2020, a handful of brands have elevated taken-for-granted basics to a level of minimalist masterpieces. We’re talking about democratic luxury alongside $300 dollar pants. Lady White Co. is the premier nuevo-sportswear brand (“USA Sportswear” shows prominently on their site’s landing page), and their LA factories imbue every tee with a certain sense of Californian calm. Corridor, out of New York, employs custom-milled fabrics that add a touch of nuance to staple styles (amazing bucket hats, too). Taking sportswear to college, Adsum and Aime Leon Dore exist somewhere in the realm of adult-contemporary streetwear by fuzing technical and ivy league sensibilities with tasteful graphic work. Making clothing for people that want to wear the absolute highest quality versions of normal-people clothes, Paa combines New York construction, Japanese textiles, and subtle detailing for high end products maximizing the leisure attributes of each garment. Putting on their gear just puts you at ease. These are just a few of the brands that are currently putting out amazing clothing that fits within the sportswear *Alex Trebek voice* genre. They’re all 100% worth supporting if your budget will allow it.
If you’re looking to explore sportswear in a way that impacts your wallet - and the environment - less drastically, there’s always eBay. A lot of the aforementioned brands draw inspiration from heritage sportswear styles. A search on eBay for, say, “Columbia” or “Eddie Bauer” in your size will likely turn up hundreds of appealing listings. In addition to those known classics, this is also a great way to find shirt jackets from Corridor’s bloodline, Polartec items in the vein of Adsum, and Anoraks that would make Paa proud. A deadstock Velva Sheen or Screen Stars tee may run you slightly less than the brand-new Lady White version. It’s the type of stuff that’s on these brands’ moodboards or even given to their pattern maker to reference. Many of these items can be had for less than $50 and, compared to vintage workwear or denim, many will be in immaculate condition because they’ve just been sitting in an elderly person’s closet for 25 years.
So, with a range spanning track pants, hiking jackets, and that horrible Dior x Jordan necktie, there may not be any clear way to define what “sportswear” really is in 2020. It’s like, Taoist in nature or something — both everything and nothing at the same time. Let’s just say the term encompasses all types of regular-ass clothes that people wear when they’re not in a suit.
