As someone who became a teenager in the ’90s, casual sportswear was a big deal. Britpop stars such as Damon Albarn and Liam Gallagher were often spotted wearing Adidas zip-ups and T-shirts. The Spice Girls had Sporty Spice, whose whole “thing” was wearing sportswear. Then, in 1997 Jason Nevins’s remix of Run-D.M.C.’s “It’s Like That” came out, and it once again made me consider sportswear in a way I hadn’t before. I loved how casual it was but how, when kept pristine, it still looked smart. I could probably go on, but all of these above influences played a role in my love of layering casual sports tops, trousers and sneakers into my own wardrobe. There are three vintage Adidas pieces I wear regularly: a pair of Firebird tracksuit trousers, a classic T-shirt and a vintage Originals jacket. Thankfully, Adidas hasn’t left us scrabbling around for the quality vintage pieces in retro shops—it knows that its customers love this side of the brand, which is why its Adilette slides continue to be popular years after they were first launched.
