You might not be able to score official points for looking fly at the Olympics, but luckily for us spectators, that’s never kept athletes from competing for imaginary best-dressed medals. Of course, nothing speaks louder than athletic performance, but Olympic fashion choices carry their own weight: They can help set a team apart, express an athlete’s personality and culture, and make the whole spectacle more fun to get lost in.
With the 2024 Paris Games right around the corner, we rounded up the coolest retro Olympic uniforms: From opening ceremony styles and standout team uniforms to iconic solo looks, we wouldn’t mind seeing any of these throwbacks on the podium this year. You’ll see drastic trend changes throughout these 31 photos, but they all capture the exhilarating spirit of the Games that never seems to go out of style.
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1960: American sprinter Wilma Rudolph in the final steps of a race at the Summer Olympics in Rome. Rudolph, who couldn’t walk without the use of braces until she was nine, won gold in the 100- and 200-meter run and anchored the winning 400-meter relay team.
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