Is he wearing cycling shorts with a suit?! Actually—he is.
The numbers of people “freaked out” by such an image are probably as many as the reasons for which they freak out.
“Who would wear that” we ask, “and where would he go like that?”
But what we fail to realize is that, since its origins in the early 1800’s, the modern-day suit has been shaped, molded, and developed by sportswear and athletic attire.
It was actually the British sporting jacket, which, designed for hunting and shooting, replaced the tailcoat and plunged the modern-day suit into the Twentieth Century.
One of the greatest occurrences during the 20th century was the birth of sportswear itself in the 1920’s, which marks the beginning of contemporary menswear as we know it today.
Slowly athletic attire and formalwear merged and mingled, especially in the post-WWII period, which has been characterized by a “casualizing” of styles.
This sporty influence has accelerated in recent years, wherein men accessorize suits with tennis shoes, All-Star Converse sneakers, and the like.
So, is it so strange that cycling shorts, swimming jammers, and other athletic attire would become part of the 3-piece suit?
You decide.
Photos Copyright Frankie Morello, text Copyright Men’s Fashion by Mark.