Research on the early history and evolution of running shorts throws up pretty clear evidence that they did not exist in the Western world. Greek men preferred to run naked and kept their women away from sports events, though not out of modesty.
Not much is known about the early running costumes of people in the East where most running shorts are now made. The practice of foot binding crippled many girls so that they could only totter from one room to another. Males definitely ran long distances but probably in loose trousers.
Sports events as we know them in the twenty-first century probably began with the industrial revolution, but did not gather pace until the late twentieth century. It is true that the Olympic Games began more than two centuries ago, and that sports events survived in Western Europe in an informal way. However, it was only after the Second World War that sports attire industry really got into its stride.
In the early twentieth century running shorts bore a strong resemblance to the sort of undergarments that were used beneath trousers. The film, 'Chariots of Fire' depicts athletes competing in the 1924 Paris Olympics with garments well above the knee. It seems that little attention was paid to the kinetics of sports attire in those days.
Modesty was an important consideration in running shorts for girls in the early twentieth century. Shorts were quite loose fitting and cut to conceal the shapeliness of feminine thighs. There are recorded instances of girls' teams being disqualified from events because their running shorts were considered
Large scale events such as the London and Boston marathons attracted many thousands of competitors during the post modern era. These ordinary athletes altered the face of athletics by showing that participation and personal best performances are as important as record breaking. As they trained for the daunting challenges they talked about shoes, organizational details and the best kind of clothes.
In 1963 running shorts were still borrowed from other sports such as hockey, rugby or soccer. Made of cotton they came down over the thigh and stretched towards the knees. A thick seam always ran down the inner legs producing chafing of the inner thighs. This could be bad enough to start bleeding, and petroleum jelly was used to lubricate the legs and the crotch.
A fast growing sportswear industry, academics in sports science departments and small groups of athletes chatting as they jogged through the early hours, brought about enormous advances. The involvement of increasing numbers of women was also a significant factor which is manifest in colour coordination and various trimmings.
The history and evolution of running shorts has been brief, but dramatic. Flimsy scraps of coloured synthetic materials now allow for maximum freedom of movement whilst mesh linings support the genitals. Female athletes wear fashionable designs that are easily visible and ergonomically superior. Many now prefer garments that hug the midriff like bikini bottoms, leaving the males to wear what are in effect flimsy skirts with built in underwear. With concessions to modern dignity and performance we have returned quite close to the Greek notion of nakedness.
Not much is known about the early running costumes of people in the East where most running shorts are now made. The practice of foot binding crippled many girls so that they could only totter from one room to another. Males definitely ran long distances but probably in loose trousers.
Sports events as we know them in the twenty-first century probably began with the industrial revolution, but did not gather pace until the late twentieth century. It is true that the Olympic Games began more than two centuries ago, and that sports events survived in Western Europe in an informal way. However, it was only after the Second World War that sports attire industry really got into its stride.
In the early twentieth century running shorts bore a strong resemblance to the sort of undergarments that were used beneath trousers. The film, 'Chariots of Fire' depicts athletes competing in the 1924 Paris Olympics with garments well above the knee. It seems that little attention was paid to the kinetics of sports attire in those days.
Modesty was an important consideration in running shorts for girls in the early twentieth century. Shorts were quite loose fitting and cut to conceal the shapeliness of feminine thighs. There are recorded instances of girls' teams being disqualified from events because their running shorts were considered
Large scale events such as the London and Boston marathons attracted many thousands of competitors during the post modern era. These ordinary athletes altered the face of athletics by showing that participation and personal best performances are as important as record breaking. As they trained for the daunting challenges they talked about shoes, organizational details and the best kind of clothes.
In 1963 running shorts were still borrowed from other sports such as hockey, rugby or soccer. Made of cotton they came down over the thigh and stretched towards the knees. A thick seam always ran down the inner legs producing chafing of the inner thighs. This could be bad enough to start bleeding, and petroleum jelly was used to lubricate the legs and the crotch.
A fast growing sportswear industry, academics in sports science departments and small groups of athletes chatting as they jogged through the early hours, brought about enormous advances. The involvement of increasing numbers of women was also a significant factor which is manifest in colour coordination and various trimmings.
The history and evolution of running shorts has been brief, but dramatic. Flimsy scraps of coloured synthetic materials now allow for maximum freedom of movement whilst mesh linings support the genitals. Female athletes wear fashionable designs that are easily visible and ergonomically superior. Many now prefer garments that hug the midriff like bikini bottoms, leaving the males to wear what are in effect flimsy skirts with built in underwear. With concessions to modern dignity and performance we have returned quite close to the Greek notion of nakedness.
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