From Wikipedia, the
free encyclopedia
Sportswear (or Active
attire) is
clothing, including
footwear, worn for
sport or exercise. Typical garments include
shorts,
tracksuits,
T-shirts,
polo shirts and
trainers. Specialised garments include
wet suits and
salopettes. Sportswear is also often worn as
casual
fashion clothing.
Functional
considerations
Functional considerations predominate
in the design of sportswear.
General
considerations
-
Clothing worn for some forms of
exercise should not create drag or be too bulky (cf.
bicycle racers)
-
Clothing worn for other forms of
exercise should not unduly restrict movement (cf.
Karate)
-
Often it is important that it
should be easy to launder.
Specific
considerations
-
In hot weather garments should
allow the wearer to stay cool
-
In cold weather garments should
help to stay warm. In cold climates sportswear
should not only provide warmth but also transfer
sweat away from the skin. For activities such as
skiing and
mountain climbing this is achieved by using
layered clothing: moisture transferring
materials next to the skin, an insulating layer,
together with wind and water resistant shell
garments.