TRIVIAL PURSUITS: Who Invented Sweatpants?

There is debate now about how acceptable it is to wear sweatpants as every day fashion, but how did this comfy clothing get its start?

Who invented sweatpants?

 

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The first pair of sweatpants were made in the 1920s by the founder of a sports store in France—Le Coq Sportif—Emile Camuset.

 

Camuset saw them as much-needed comfortable sportswear for athletes of the day. The simple gray sweatpants were named for their ability to absorb sweat.

 

Over the years, athletes have worn them to work out or to stay warm before events. They were popular among Olympic athletes from many countries, and NASA astronauts trained in them.

 

They remained mostly sportswear until the 1980s when more leisure attire became fashionable.
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