The rise of the lowly sweat suit

The nation's warmup junkies can now stock up on apparel ranging from jump suits through vests and parkas, turtlenecks and dresses, skirts and button-down shirts, all in cozy old sweat suiting. It may seem an improbable gift to fashion, but nowadays people wear warmups everywhere, and they're made of everything from the old gray cotton to shocking-pink satin. Fashion is returning the favor, frosting sweat suits with lacy collars and appliquè and inspiring athletes to mix an assortment of items, as these pictures, taken during the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., attest.

1 After practice, hurdler Debbie Melrose sports shorts and top from Newport ($35), sprinter Patricia Jackson a soccer-inspired outfit from USA ($45).

2 Tom Hintnaus, the national pole-vault champion, comes down soft on the side of AMF Head's reflective warmup, Scotchlited for night work ($119).

3 Looking like a sure winner, spectator Irena Ferris takes four in her pointelle undershirt and pair of short warmups, both from Ruth Robbins ($45).

4 Lavender and wildflowers suit 1,500-meter champion Mary Decker, and so does the cut of her suit, 50% cotton, 50% acrylic. Ruth Robbins ($60).

5 With top world hurdler Edwin Moses, Oregon track athletes get ready to get set in Lynvention's long and short appliquèd suits ($52 and $44).

6 Oregon half-miler Essie Kelly (with world-class quarter-miler Willie Smith) in sweat-shirt dress by Monika Tilley for Elon Sport ($60).

7 Former Oregon Wide Receiver Don Coleman and wife, Levernis, both have it soft in Ultra Sport's velour "sweats" (his $104, hers $112).

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