Beginning Yoga Series: What Should I Wear to Yoga?

I have practiced yoga for about 6 years.  I remember walking into my first class, unsure of what to wear, what to, where to set up my mat, and what the words or traditions were.  Yoga is meant for everyone, but since it originates from a culture very different than our own, being a beginner yogi can feel very intimidating.  Not to mention the use of an entirely different language (Sanskrit) by some yoga teachers, and some classes that focus on chanting or meditation.  Yoga can feel like a very alienating experience, when it is in fact supposed be a very unifying experience.

I recently began teaching yoga, and through teaching beginners I am reminded of all the emotions I felt at the beginning of my yoga journey.  I wish I had had someone there to guide me through some of the questions I was experiencing in my mind, but did not feel comfortable enough to vocalize immediately.  As a result I will be writing a series of blog posts geared towards those new or newly interested in yoga (or if you just want to learn more).

This post: what to wear to a yoga class.

 Disclaimer: this will surely be geared towards women since I am drawing on first hand experience, and, well, I am a woman.  That being said, men will gain some insight from this post as well.

The first and most important guideline is to be comfortable.  You want to feel confident as much as possible, and what you wear can help your confidence.  Wear clothing that you can move around in, bend over in, and spread apart in where you won't feel overly exposed or restricted.  If you are unsure about an outfit, do these simple tests to see if it will work:

1.) Bend over and touch your toes
2.) Walk around and do a few lunges

How did that work?  Did your pants fall down?  Did your shirt fall up?  Were your pants so tight in the hips that it restricted movement?  [begin radio voice here] If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, this might not be the yoga outfit for you. [end radio voice]

Generally speaking, tighter fitting spandex-type clothing usually works well for yoga (with the popularity of yoga pants today, I am sure all of you had an idea that this was true).  The reason for this is because you can move freely and don't have the problem of shorts exposing your unmentionables as some loose fitting running shorts might do.  A loose shirt may fall up as you bend over in certain poses, and for this reason a tight fitting top may be more comfy (or you could try to tuck in a shirt, but again you likely won't feel as confident like this).  This isn't to say you can't wear running shorts, just make sure YOU feel comfortable in them first.  My first yoga teacher wore running shorts all the time, but I tend to feel uncomfortable and like I might show my undies off at any time... not my idea of confidence.

Yoga pants can be baggy!

If the idea of painted-on-looking yoga pants is repulsive to you, check out some new styles of yoga pants.  I have been seeing a new fad of pants that are very airy and baggy; they kind of look like the pants Aladdin and Jasmine wear.  This might be your cup of tea.  Though, I will say that it is helpful from the teacher's perspective to have students with tight clothing in order to check for proper form.

Secondly, wear shoes that you can slip off easily.  Yoga is done barefoot on a mat.  You can wear any shoes you like, but I like to wear sandals or Tom's so that I can easily slip them off right by my mat.

Leg warmers and other layers can be helpful

Thirdly, wear layers.  This tip is somewhat dependent on where your class is at and what type it is.  For example, if you are taking hot yoga, well, it's going to be hot.  Don't really need layers in that case.  The important thing to remember is that you ideally don't want to be cold since your goal is to warm up your muscles sufficiently so they aren't injured during any pose.  If you get cold easily, wear a sweater that's easy to zip off.  I teach outdoor classes, so this point especially applies when there is no climate control.  If in doubt, it's always easier to take a layer off rather than not have a layer to put on.  I really like the style of legwarmers and arm warmers, and they are really practical in this setting.  It's easy to wear capris with legwarmers until you move around and warm up, and then take the legwarmers off.  For outdoor yoga, you may even like to wear a tight-fitting hat to keep the sun off your face.

Fourthly, were your hair off your face.  Like with any exercise, those with long hair will likely find it more comfortable to have it out of your way.

And that's it!  You should be stylin' at your first yoga class!  Really, wear whatever you have and get started on your own personal yoga journey.  You shouldn't feel as if you need to go out and spend money on specific yoga clothing.  Wear what you have that you will feel the most comfortable in.  All I have provided you with are some guidelines that may help you feel more confident in those clothing choices you make.

As a side note, most of these suggestions will work great for when you try rock climbing, as well!

If you live near Wrightwood, California, I want to invite you to attend one of my outdoor yoga classes.  We have a lot of fun out in the mountains together, and I hope you can be a part of it!  Here is my website for more information: http://ceoverduin.wix.com/outdooryoga 

If you have any questions on what to wear, or any specific yoga questions, please leave me a comment below.

Namaste!