22 March 2012 Last updated at 15:56

Team GB 2012 Olympic kit revealed

Team GB's kit launch ahead of London 2012 was a glitzy affair. Designer Stella McCartney's innovative blue-dominated patterns gave the likes of triple jumper Phillips Idowu a part comic-book-hero, part X-Factor-contestant look.

McDonald Bailey (number 35, centre) of Great Britain wins heat 6 of the Men's 100 metres event at Wembley Stadium during the London Olympics, 30 July 1948

But British kit was not always so bling. Athletes competing at the 1948 Games - the last time they were held in London - were gifted with a simple white vest and shorts, as shown by McDonald Bailey here competing in the 100m heats at Wembley Stadium.

The Great Britain (nearest camera) and Netherlands football teams before their first round match at Highbury Stadium during the London Olympics, 31 July 1948, which GB won 4-3 after extra time

Meanwhile, Team GB's football team were ready for action with office-type white shirts emblazoned with the Union Jack, complimented by billowing shorts and waxed side partings as standard.

Simplicity and hoops epitomised British kits during following Olympics, as seen on a shattered Mary Peters just after she secured gold in the pentathlon in the Munich Olympics in 1972.

Seb Coe (right) of Great Britain leads team-mates Steve Cram (middle) and Steve Ovett (left) in the final of the 1500 metres at the 1980 Olympic Games at the Lenin Stadium in Moscow, Soviet Union. Coe won the gold medal in a time of three minutes 38.4 seconds on 1 August 1980

Steve Cram (middle), Seb Coe (right) and (to a lesser extent) Steve Ovett (left) showed big hair was the order of the day at Moscow 1980, while the simple red, white and blue hoops remained.

Briton Daley Thomson throws the discus during the Olympic decathlon event on 9 September 1984 at the Los Angeles Olympics. During his career Daley Thomson captured two decathlon golds (1980, 1984).

1984 saw the innovation of a set of stripes down the side of the shirts, as shown here by moustachioed decathlete Daley Thomson.

Britain's Linford Christie raises his hands in celebration as he crosses the finish line ahead of the pack to capture the gold medal in the men's 100m final in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Spain in July 1992, pic courtesy of Tony Duffy/Allsport

The 1990s are not remembered for their fashion innovations, but magic eye illustrations were popular. Perhaps that is what influenced the kaleidoscopic pattern down the side of the Team GB running tops at Barcelona 1992, as shown here by Linford Christie as he wins 100m gold.

Kelly Holmes of Great Britain (3313) and Svetlana Masterkova (3700) of Russia lead the field in the 1500 metres final during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on 3 August 1996 in Atlanta, USA

1996 saw the introduction of more stripes in the union colours of red, white and blue, as worn by a young Kelly Holmes here on the right.

Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain leads the field during the 10,000 metres Final at the Olympic Stadium on Day Fifteen of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, 27 September 2000

Blue started to dominate outfits in 2000, as shown by Paula Radcliffe leading the way here in the 10,000m final at Sydney.

Kelly Holmes celebrates victory in the women's 1,500m at Athens in 2004.

White made a comeback in Athens 2004, as did Kelly Holmes, striding away to victory in the 1,500m.

And for Beijing 2008, red was almost relegated to the borders, as Team GB donned a simple white and blue ensemble - partly to differentiate themselves from the look of nations with similar focal colours, such as the US and France.

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Team GB 2012 Olympic kit revealed

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