Yoga Clothing: How do I dress up for class?
Far from wanting to be a “fashion” article, we will give you some advice on what to wear while practicing yoga: a small guide for beginners and for anyone who wants to have fun or renew themselves from this point of view.
We have illustrated the newest and most unusual types of yoga; we have tried to highlight the philosophical aspects of this discipline; we have shown how some asanas can also be used for therapeutic purposes; we will continue to inform you about these topics with the same enthusiasm and accuracy as always, but today we allow ourselves a variation on the subject, touching on a less courtly subject, but certainly of widespread interest: which are the best clothes for practice? How do you dress to do yoga? It is absolutely legitimate in fact, for the newcomer just enrolled in the course, to ask such questions, so here are all the answers! The first thing to consider about yoga clothing is, paradoxically, that it is much more free than other disciplines: you do not need either a “uniform” (such as in the pool, where you often need the appropriate costume) or specific equipment (such as shoes, electronic devices, etc.). This total freedom can generate in the budding yogi a sort of horror vacui that disorients him.
Our coordinates to help you take your first steps in the world of yoga clothing start from two basic concepts: comfort and comfort.
Convenience: we leave in the closet the sweaters that are too tight, the uncomfortable pants, the fabrics that force. Before the lesson, it would be advisable to remove the watch and any accessories that obstruct or even interfere with the movements, such as rings, necklaces, bracelets that tinkling and should then be placed in the bag. More personal is the question of glasses: they can be slightly annoying in some asanas, but obviously students who need them should not hesitate to put them on, sometimes removing them to perform some position.
Comfort: below we will show you which are the most common yogic outfits, but much more important is to choose the clothes with which you feel comfortable. If you feel embarrassed with that type of trousers (for any personal reason) or with a short jersey you are afraid to stay in a bra during some asanas, it is good to turn to another type of clothing so as not to risk losing your concentration during the lesson. Avoid all those garments that, for the most imaginative reasons, have potentially distracting characteristics.
Given these that, in our opinion, should be the compasses of your yogic shopping, here are our tips & tricks to guide you in your choice:
- Leggings are among the most popular trousers in yoga rooms. Being tight they allow the teacher to have a perfect view of the alignments and the degree of folding of the leg. They do not hinder the movements and there are countless shapes. But if you don’t think they are appropriate for you, you can turn to softer and wider garments made of natural fabrics. The common “gym trousers” or “tracksuit trousers”, better if not synthetic, are also suitable.
- When choosing the jersey, beyond the season, keep in mind that in yoga you may find yourself in unusual positions so consider necklines and lengths if you have generous shapes or fear to remain with your back uncovered (eg in the candle, in the position on the head, in the dog looking down, etc.), otherwise you will deviate from the fundamental principle of “comfort”.
- Don’t forget, except in summer, to bring a slightly heavier jersey with you to cover yourself during the final relaxation. Depending on the season, it can be a sweatshirt, a long-sleeved shirt, even a simple shawl in late spring.
The use of socks during the lesson is extremely subjective: it would be better to practice barefoot, but climatic requirements, particular floors, personal modesty can induce students to use socks. Choose them with an elastic not too tight (always for the principle of comfort), natural fibers and, if you find yourself, with non-slip rubber. For the sake of completeness, we inform you that there are also yoga shoes, easily available are those of Nike.
The dress does not make the yogi … Now that you have all the necessary information you can search in the closet or go out in search of what you need In the latter case you will be amazed by the incredible offer of the market capable of satisfying the capacity of all pockets. Obviously the economic aspect is absolutely personal: you will not have trouble finding yogic clothing of the best sports brands (Nike, Adidas etc …) as well as manufacturers not famous, but highly specialized. Here you will find garments in ecological fabrics, selected fibres and excellent quality. If you can not or do not want to spend too much in this area, even low cost brands have their own yoga section. We invite you only to prefer cotton or linen, to try everything carefully (even moving your arms and bending your legs) and to ensure the good workmanship of the products.wherever your choice will change, always keep in mind that when you sit on the mat the contour disappears and the dress dissolves. You are all the same, all symbolically dressed only with your breath.
