Seems like it was about 1990 or so when fashion became a big deal for athletes, and kids. At the time my daughter was 14 and my son was 11 they thought they had to dress preppy, a complete 180 from their mom and I. My oldest grandsons are 24 and 21, and the younger ones 10 and 6, all of them, everyday, dressed to the nines.
But, looking good was a really big deal. I think Nike started that trend shit with the shoes, but I could be mistaken.
When I was in the service in Kansas City back in 1974, I went to a lot of MLB and NBA games. Hell, I watched some of the greatest players in that era in the NBA file off the team bus with all of them wearing t shirts and jeans, plain ole shirt and daily wear pants, fashion was no big deal
Unless you were a Clyde Frazier, Nate Archibald, a couple dudes who were slaves to fashion.
Some of the greats of all time, Russell, Kareem, Maravich, Cousy, Robertson, Baylor, West, all of them, no different than the man on the street, in the way they were dressed coming off the team bus.
Hell, I think Frenchy Fuqua, a RB for the Steelers was so fashionable he wore shoes that were clear high heels that actually had live fish in them. Course Joe Namath in the late 60's was wearing mink coats.