This season it is all about the track, track pants, half-zip track tops, athletic inspired stripes and detailing and of course track jackets, particularly in 70’s inspired colours and styles. It is for this reason that we would like to pay reverence to the kings of retro sportswear – Fred Perry. Fred Perry’s Sports Authentic range reimagines its original pieces from the unmistakeable era of the 1970’s, a decade that brought in a new kind of sportswear in advanced colours and fabrics that saw pieces designed originally for sports transition in to popular streetwear. The Fred Perry Sports Authentic track jacket replicates an original sample from the brand’s own archive – bringing you retro sportswear at its very best.
Wear It With
Featured – Reebok Club C Chalk White Leather Retro Gum Trainers, Edwin Black Marbled International Crew Neck T-Shirt, Fred Perry Sports Authentic Snow White Colour Block Tape Track Jacket, True Religion Tony Skinny Fit Washed Denim Jeans, Herschel Charlie Dark Shadow Card Holder
The track jacket was designed in the 1960’s as part of the tracksuit, when mid-century prosperity paved the way for new, innovative fabrics. The tracksuit was designed, quite literally, to be worn on the track and was worn exclusively by professional athletes, before being adopted by recreational athletic enthusiasts as popularity of the design rocketed. It was in the 1970’s that the tracksuit began making its shift from sportswear to streetwear as the decade’s preference for both casualwear and bold, often garish designs and colourways in disco music’s heyday, meant that the tracksuit had found its home in street fashion.
Wear It With
Featured – Fred Perry Black Laurel Wreath Taped Track Jacket, Barbour Bowlam Cognac Chukka Boots, Barbour Steve McQueen SMQ Sandford Tan Waxed Jacket, Farah Aged Port Polka Dot Crew Neck T-Shirt , BOSS Orange Barcelona Distressed Charcoal Modern Regular Fit Jeans
The 1970’s also saw a huge fad for athletics, particularly jogging, as well as a rise in kung-fu films and athletic actors, who could forget Bruce Lee’s (very well fitted) red number in the cult drama Longstreet? In the 1980’s, the track jacket found itself on the backs of musicians and fans of the decade’s thriving hip-hop scene, as well as break-dancers who were inspired by the styling of the music genre’s leading men – Run-DMC.
Images: fredperry.com
Whilst sportswear brands such as Adidas were taking over in the states, Fred Perry’s sportswear was creating waves across the pond in British music and youth subculture. The brand’s famous Laurel Wreath logo (which features along the tape of the Sports Authentic tack jacket sleeve) became the signature of British subcultures from the 1950’s onwards, adopted by each movement as their own including the Teddy Boys, Mods, Skinheads, Two Toners, Ravers and Britpoppers… just to name a few.
Wear It With
Fred Perry Sports Authentic Ivy Green Tape Track Jacket, HUGO 708 Dark Indigo Denim Slim Fit Jeans, BOSS Orange Jordi Sand Brown Suede Belt, Polo Ralph Lauren Handford White Leather Trainers, Pretty Green Oldbury White Oxford Shirt.