Jogging bottoms – The fashion must have for 2010!
The jogging bottom - which is traditionally worn in the gym - has now taken pride of place in a woman’s wardrobe, according to new figures released by fashion store Debenhams.
Debenhams is seeing sales evidence to suggest that joggers will join the likes of little black dresses, leggings and trench coats as a staple in every woman’s capsule wardrobe for Spring 2010. Tracksuit bottoms are already flying out of stores, as the retailer reports them accounting for 40% of sales within its Pineapple range in October, compared to just 25% in September. Star performers from the range were up a huge 73% on last year.
Fashion bosses at Debenhams are attributing this to high profile celebrities such as Cheryl Cole and Madonna sporting tracksuit bottoms as their off-duty uniform of choice this summer. The rise and rise of this comfy item of clothing was bound to happen sooner rather than later, especially after the film Fame was re-released earlier in 2009.
Historically, jogging bottoms have been around since the 50s and were designed to be worn commando when exercising, allowing athletes’ bodies to breathe and avoid chaffing. They were picked up as a fashion item in the 70s, when gloss nylon jersey was a look to lust after.
Debenhams sales of women’s jogging bottoms reached a peak in the late 1980s and 1990s, selling over 10,000 items a week when the hip hop and breakdance scenes took jogging bottoms on as their uniform, revolutionizing them as one half of the shell suit. The 90s saw the jogger become more of a recreational fashion piece, and its public outing would often draw connotations of being chavvy. Now as we look forward to 2010, this traumatized fashion piece is most definitely due a style makeover and Debenhams is predicting another peak in sales as the jogger embraces its fashion moment.
Said Debenhams Design Director Karen Peacock: “The return of jogging bottoms as a fashion piece is great news. It’s undoubtedly the comfiest item of clothing in every woman’s wardrobe, and now it can be worn out to the shops, to a club or on a date! Our customers already seem to love this comfy style option, just like they did when leggings came back into fashion a couple of years back.”
Debenhams is also attributing this sudden leap to big names such as Michael Kors and Isabel Marant sending their models down the runways in the sport-luxe jogger look during recent fashion weeks.
With the trend set to be big, Debenhams is even thinking of asking its top designers such as Matthew Williamson, Jasper Conran and Henry Holland to come up with a new version of the traditional jogger.
For more information, visit debenhams.com.
