Don’t be fooled by the slow, cat-like movements – yoga is one of the most physically demanding activities out there. And as with every physically demanding activity, the right clothing can spell the difference between a good yoga session and a great one.
Yoga attire is simple: it has to be light, comfortable, absorb sweat, and be flexible enough to follow your body throughout your entire yoga session. In this article, we’ll show you what kind of yoga clothes to buy, depending on what kind of yoga you’re doing.
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Types Of Yoga
In case you didn’t know: there’s actually more one type of yoga out there. We can classify yoga into three different classes:
- Beginner yoga: usually Hatha and Vinyasa yoga. Good for getting your basics down.
- Advanced yoga: Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga. More challenging poses held for a longer length of time, these yoga classes also require props.
- Other types of yoga classes, like hot yoga and Bikram yoga: usually taught in heated rooms to promote detoxification of the skin. May use a mixture of advanced and basic poses.
Knowing which kind of yoga you’ll be attending can help with deciding what kind of yoga clothes you want to wear. It’s challenging enough holding a pose – you shouldn’t have to stress out about your clothes either!
Essential Yoga Clothes For Women
There are two types of clothes that are ideal (and accepted in) all yoga classes.
Tops – Tanks and Long Sleeves
First things first: you don’t want any wardrobe malfunctions, so don’t go stretching around in a loose shirt or skimpy top! Wearing a tank top with a tight fit allows you to move around without exposing yourself too much.
Our picks:
It’s usually a bad idea to just wear long sleeves to a yoga session unless they’re the tight-fitting ones. Pairing a long-sleeved top with something like a singlet can help you keep warm in AC’d yoga studios. Either way, tops should be snug, not too tight, and ideally be moisture-wicking so you don’t get bathed in sweat.
Bottoms – Tights and Shorts
A good pair of yoga bottoms is definitely an investment that’ll pay off in the long run. You’re looking to buy moisture-wicking bottoms, ones that can stretch, and something that is breathable enough to wear for a long session. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want less fabric the more intense the session, so thigh-long shorts and cropped tights for advanced yoga, and longer, looser ones for calmer sessions.
Our picks:
Since some yoga bottoms can get a little see-through, going with neutral or darker shades can help hide things like panty lines from the rest of the class. And make sure your new pants don’t bunch up when you move or otherwise you’ll be stopping in the middle of your pose to adjust them.
What Do Men Wear To Yoga?
Plenty of brands like Lululemon also offer male options for yoga attire. Just remember to make allowance for all extra bits down there, you’ll want something breathable, loose, and comfortable!
Not Too Far A Stretch
As you can see, there are plenty of brands out there that offer trendy yoga clothes that flatter your form while still remaining functional. But remember that the key to picking the best yoga clothes is to pick something that you’re comfortable exercising in. Because at the end of the day, you’re not wearing yoga clothes to be fashionable, you’re wearing them to do yoga!
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