And while styles have shifted, the importance of what it means has never changed significance for those who follow. 

Although the class of Paris 2024 won't be sewing a badge on their tracksuits, as the London 1948 team did, Olympic kit has always been equally prized and treasured. 

In a world of marginal gains, kit can make all the difference and remember the adage - “If you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you play good.” 

In 2016, more than 48,000 items of kit were handed out to our Rio-bound athletes, including 3,444 trainers, 7,396 pairs of socks, 2,845 bags and 1,545 caps. 

Style is important in this business - check out Team GB's straw boaters for the opening ceremony in 1996 or those pale blue satin mini-dresses at Munich 1972. 

When American javelin thrower Mildred Didrikson won gold in 1932 she didn't take off her cardigan, and  the winner of the first Olympic marathon in 1896, Greece's Spyridon Louis, even wore an embroidered and heavily embellished waistcoat. 

But when it comes to style gold, British tennis star Evelyn Colyer is top of the podium, after winning her bronze in 1924. From the cloche hat to the Chanel-inspired cream jacket, it's a look that'll take some beating.

As we countdown to this summer's Olympic Games, we're taking a look back at some of Team GB's most memorable summer styles.

Paris 1924 

Simple and classic, it was the kit worn by Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell at the 'Chariots of Fire' Games. 

Brilliant white shirt embroidered with the fluttering Union flag, think of that opening scene of the Oscar winning film, as the British track and field team splashed across the sodden sand. Cue music. 

Berlin 1936 

A splash of red and blue was added, the hoops a feature of every Olympic kit through to Seoul 1988. Harold Whitlock, one of four British gold medallists at these Games, wore it to victory in the 50km walk - a huge British flag taking up prime real estate in the centre of the chest. Patriotic stuff. 

London 1948 

In the days after the War, Olympic kit was prized for more reason than one. 

"My Olympic uniform was the smartest thing I owned," said Team GB long jumper Lorna Lee-Price. "I even wore it to my sister's wedding.” 

Dorothy Tyler, who won high jump silver, 12 years after claiming the same medal in Berlin, said: "I remember being annoyed we had to buy our own socks - which used up two ration coupons." 

Montreal 1976 

With his seventies medallion necklace and sensational 'tache, is it possible to be more Olympic cool than swimming gold medallist David Wilkie? And check out this retro red tracksuit. There may be more hipster Olympians out there, it's just hard to think of one. 

Moscow 1980 

Now this is a swimming costume... the flags, the official pictogram and what about those towels? 

Margaret Kelly celebrates after claiming 4x100m medley relay silver, this throwback look is a wardrobe winner. 

Los Angeles 1984 

With rocketing temperatures, Team GB officials decided on a radical departure for these Games... the string vest. 

This classic adidas design - modelled by decathlon gold medallist Daley Thompson - featured an Airtex design to keep our stars cool in the white heat of competition. Functional and fashionable. 

Barcelona 1992 

The stylised Union flag makes this kit a retro winner - think Sally Gunnel, think Linford Christie, think the Searle brothers, think Redgrave and Pinsent and think Chris Boardman thundering around the velodrome. 

As nostalgic tracksuits go, these move straight into medal contention. 

Atlanta 1996 

Not a vintage Games on the medal table but Team GB still dressed to impress. Pinsent and Redgrave sported this new red, white and blue kit as they won pairs rowing gold to take their undefeated run to five years. 

It was the first time the British Olympic Association's new lion brand was on show too. 

And everyone wore their tracksuits a couple of sizes too big back then … as Tim Henman and silver medal winning tennis doubles partner Neil Broad show. 

Sydney 2000 

New Millennium and blue was most definitely the colour in the era of Cool Britannia. 

The was the first time the travelling athletes were known as 'Team GB' and the 300-strong squad won 11 golds among their 28 medals as Lottery funding made its first impact. 

The all-blue kit, with subtle flashes of white and red, certainly gave Great Britain some very G'days in Oz. 

Athens 2004 

Mark Lewis-Francis snatching relay gold on the line while Kelly Holmes did the middle distance double - this kit definitely delivered success. 

White returned as the dominant colour and what about the tracksuit... now that's worth a picture. 

Beijing 2008 

No doubting who Team GB were if you saw them coming. 

For the first time 'Great Britain' appeared on competition kit, with a predominately blue and white design by long-time partner adidas. 

And what about Chris Hoy's red, white and blue helmet, as he powered to three gold medals on those smoking hot pedals. 

London 2012 

A home Games calls for something different, a bit of high fashion for the high stakes, so Team GB drafted in designer Stella McCartney to produce this iconic kit. 

The uniforms were intended to capture 'what makes Britain British' with a spectacular launch event at the Tower of London. 

"I wanted the kit to be British, but understated, not ridiculous," said McCartney, whose design featured a multi blue hue rendering of the Union flag. 

65 medals and one Super Saturday later and the kit had become an instant classic. 

“I have so many incredibly proud memories from 2012," said McCartney. "I remember every single newspaper front page, and how incredible the athletes looked in the kit.” 

Rio 2016 

Stella McCartney returned for the Rio Games and she delivered another winning look. 

Aside from the technology and cooling fabrics in the clothes, a new coat of arms featured, drawing on symbols from the four nations that make up Team GB and from Olympic iconography. 

“The coat of arms is all around us in Britain. It’s so much a part of us that we barely even notice it, but it is so distinctively British,” said McCartney. 

“I believe we have one of the greatest flags in the world, so I wanted to use the flag as much as possible." 

The motto on the new coat of arms translated as ‘Joined in One’ - second on the medal table with 67 medals, Team GB certainly lived up to the promise. 

Paris 2024

Introducing... your kit for Paris 2024.

All athletes share a passion for their sport, but this internal fire burns brightest around major international tournaments.

In Paris, adidas will capture the flame that burns within every athlete through impactful fonts and detailed graphics – that feature across all apparel created for its 15 officially sponsored teams; signifying there is no international unifier like the passion for sport.

To express the fire within athletes, the kits’ graphics, typeface, and all over print use a repeated line pattern which is brought to life through pops of colour, conveying the roaring passion that is ready to emerge in the heat of competition.

Sportsbeat 2024