Tracky Dack Day – May 1, 2027

History of Tracky Dack Day

Tracky dacks, or sweatpants, were designed in the 1920s for athletes. Credit for the original design and creation is attributed to French clothing designer Emile Camuset. The athletic, masculine look of sweatpants caught on as urban casual wear in the 1970s, then ruled the 1980s and 90s, until yoga pants crept shamelessly out of fitness studios into daylight. The popularity of wearing tracky dacks had absolutely nothing to do with being athletic. It was about the comfort of elastic waistbands in baggy pants. But, hey, who doesn’t want to look like they are on their way for a run or a workout, even though you never work out or set foot in a gym?

Although comfortable to wear, sweatpants tend to be baggy, loose, and shapeless, and not very fashionable. They have never been considered appropriate professional office attire Down Under, nor in the U.S. for that matter. At least not until the turn of the century gave way to a clothing style called ‘business casual.’ This brings us to the genius behind Tracky Dack Day.

Tracky Dack Day began as a fundraising idea for TLC for Kids, an Australian children’s medical charity. This day took its lead from America’s Casual Dress Fridays. White-collar professionals — those whose work requires wearing traditional suit-and-tie business attire in the office every day — started wearing ‘business casual’ to work one day a week, usually on Fridays. Business casual included slacks, or dacks, but never denim jeans, and a collared shirt. The practice grew in popularity and eventually made its way to Australia.

Tracky Dack Day takes casual dress Fridays down a few rungs on the ladder, allowing participants to wear tracky dacks or sweatpants to the office. The fundraiser operates in ways similar to walk-a-thons or jog-a-thons but does not require any physical exertion. All that is required to participate is a desire to help sick children and a willingness to wear a pair of comfortable tracky dacks to work. It’s a brilliant idea to enlist those who enjoy donating to charity but are not inclined to do a run or walk. And the idea of wearing sweatpants to work appeals to those who don’t enjoy getting all gussied up. ‘Gussied up’ is yet another Aussie English slang term made popular around 1900.

Australians encourage each other to “dack up and donate” on Tracky Dack Day by joining teams who solicit sponsors, or they write checks themselves for the right to wear their tracky dacks to work. Participating is not just about raising money for an amazing children’s charity. Tracky Dack Day is a show of solidarity with hospitalized children who are also encouraged to wear tracky dacks instead of hospital gowns or pajamas on Tracky Dack Day, so they can be part of the day that is all about “dacking up and donating” for the kids.