Sporting Life

The introductory gallery was dedicated to exercise and dance. During the nineteenth century, light exercise was recommended for the improvement of physical well-being, beauty, and grace, thus the exhibition included a number of women's gym wear garments, beginning with a bifurcated gymnasium suit, circa1896. A Claire McCardell ensemble with matching striped Capezio ankle boots exemplified stylish active wear of the mid-20th century, and a Norma Kamali sweatsuit from 1981 and an Isabel Toledo gym dress demonstrated the less rigid distinctions between fashion and sport attire during the second half of the 20th century.

In the late 19th century, bicycling fashions were notable for the trouser-style garments designed for women. The divided skirt of circa 1888 woman's tailored bicycling ensemble was designed for mobility as well as modesty. Clothing for bicycling changed substantially during the 20th century, as demonstrated by a 1985 mans competitive racing outfit utilizing stretch materials and a streamlined design to maximize performance.

Hunting, one of the oldest sporting activities, has a number of distinct dress styles associated with the privileged classes of the 18th and 19th centuries. These include the riding coat, jodhpurs, dark tweed or tartan, and velvet hats. Hunting fashions blend style and function, as a circa 1926 Norfolk suit demonstrated. Its relaxed style, first introduced in the 1860s, was constructed to allow for ease of motion. Hunting garments have inspired clothing designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Jean Paul Gaultier, as well as shoe designers such as Manolo Blahnik, whose high-heeled shoes based on classic utilitarian duck boots were also on view.