Sweatpants
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Sweatpants are a kind of informal, comfortable trousers.
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[edit] Design
Sweatpants are always made from cotton fleece and the distinguishing characteristic (between sweatpants and other athletic pants) is the elastic band located around the ankles. Sweatpants, proper, are traditionally ash gray in color though they are now available in essentially any color. Sweatpants are usually quite baggy and loose, which makes them easy to slip into and out of and allows a great deal of flexibility and comfort. Additionally, sweatpants typically have a drawstring cord located on the inner waistband. (Pockets are occasionally included.) The sweatpant variations listed below are made from different materials.
[edit] Variations
There are many variations on the sweatpant design that have evolved to define their own subcategory. These variations include fashion pants, windpants, tearaway pants, and muscle pants.
[edit] Fashion pants
Fashion pants typically refers to "fashion conscious" sportswear, such as the pants made by Juicy Couture and others. The distinguishing characteristic is that fashion pants lack the elastic band at the ankles.
[edit] Windpants
Very similar to sweatpants are windpants, also known as windbreakers, which are lighter and serve to shield the wearer from cold wind rather than insulate them. Windpants are almost always made out of polyester or nylon. Some have polyester tricot. The nylon makes swooshing sounds when one walks while wearing them. Windpants often have zippers on each ankle allowing athletes to unzip the end of each leg to pull the pants over their footwear. Some windpants have zippers that run the full length so the pants can be simply unzipped from the athlete. Shorts are normally worn under the windpants in this case.
[edit] Tearaway pants
Tearaway pants, also known as breakaway pants, rip-off pants, or (in the UK) popper pants, are another variation of sweatpants, and are closely related to windpants. Tearaway pants are windpants with metal snaps running the length of both legs. Some tearaway pants have had snaps on only part of the legs, but normally the snaps run the entire length. Some tearaway pants are reversible. Some do not have pockets but since shorts are usually worn underneath tearaway pants, many people open the top snaps to gain access to pockets in their shorts.
Sometimes, there are buttons above each set of snaps to add more closure. The buttons and snaps allow athletes to remove their tearaway pants in a timely manner to compete in some sports. Basketball and track and field are the two sports most commonly associated with tearaway pants and windpants.
Adidas is the largest manufacturer of tearaway pants (and probably all sports pants period). Nike, Inc., is the second largest. Other manufacturers are Spalding, Russell Athletic, Teamwork Athletic Apparel, Wilson Sporting Goods, And 1, Reebok, Champion, Polo Ralph Lauren, Converse, Old Navy, Foot Locker, Tommy Hilfiger, Fila, and numerous other brands.
[edit] Muscle pants
Muscle pants more closely resemble regular sweatpants than tearaway pants or windpants. Muscle pants are usually made out of thin cotton material. Muscle pants are often characterized by wild patterns and sometimes flamboyant designs. Muscle pants were designed for use in bodybuilding; bodybuilders needed a special kind of pants to accommodate their bulging muscles and bodies while working out.
Muscle pants can be traced as far back as late 1990. A number of brands have manufactured these pants, including International Muscle (previously known as International Baggyz), California Crazee Wear, Platinum Everywear, Zero Gravity, Stonewear USA, Kushi, Appartus, and many others.
The most famous brand name of muscle pants was Zubaz, which was licensed to include sports team logos and names on their muscle pants and other apparel. Zubaz's slogan was "Dare to be Different."
