You’ve decided to take up yoga, which means you’ve booked your first-ever session. It’s an exciting moment that could signify a real change in your life. Yoga carries many physical and mental health benefits, such as the ability to help you de-stress, mobilize your joints, and build strength in muscles you never knew existed. You’re making a wonderful lifestyle choice and are excited to get started – there’s just one burning question on your mind…

What should you wear to a yoga session?

Yoga fashion needs to tick three boxes; it should be:

• Comfortable
• Practical
• Fashionable

Nail all three and you’ll get the most out of your session without feeling self-conscious. With that in mind, here are some tips to help you pick the ideal outfit.

Ensure Your Clothes Are Flexible

Does this mean your clothes need to be able to perform downward-facing dog? No – but they should help you perform this, and all the other yoga poses. Flexible clothing moves with your body and stretches, so you don’t feel too constricted and rigid. For example, you don’t want to show up in a nice pair of jeans because they won’t let you stretch or get into any of the various yoga positions.

Instead, you want clothing that lets you move around without feeling uncomfortable. Some women like to wear fitted shorts or leggings – similar to cycling clothing – while others prefer wearing baggy joggers. It depends on what feels right to you and what helps you move with as much ease as possible.

The same applies to your tops; they must be flexible enough to allow lots of upper-body movement. Don’t wear something that’s too rigid and won’t stretch when you’re moving around on a yoga mat.

Pick A Sports Bra With Support

This is something a lot of women forget when they go to their first yoga session. Yoga isn’t a high-impact activity, so you assume that you can wear a regular bra. In reality, you spend a lot of time stretching, bending down, and getting into positions where gravity is at play. Consequently, you really need a supportive sports bra to avoid any feelings of discomfort and anxiety.

What’s actually better than this is a top that combines a supportive bra into its structure. Eden Ashram has loads of products like this – and they’re designed for yoga specifically. The benefit of a top/bra combo is that you don’t need to put on an extra layer or deal with annoying sports bra straps. You gain all the supportiveness you need, and you have a top that’s stretchy enough to handle your yoga poses.

Wear Stuff That Makes You Feel Cool

No, not from a fashion perspective – “cool” as in temperature-wise. This is where you can easily go wrong during your first yoga session. Finding stretchy and supportive clothes is quite easy, though some of them aren’t made from very breathable fabrics. That’s why many women prefer leggings to joggers – they’re simply more breathable.

You also see people wear vests instead of long-sleeve tops, but the key here is that you don’t feel too hot during the session. Yoga can make you sweat, though you need your clothes to be moisture-wicking so they stop you from feeling too hot and sweaty. If you can stay cool, then you’ll feel more comfortable throughout the session and be more inclined to go again.

The good news is that most athletic clothing or yoga-focused clothing is designed to be moisture-wicking and breathable. Try to stay away from things like cotton t-shirts – while they may feel comfortable and soft, cotton is not very breathable, and your sweat will cling to it.

You Don’t Need Many Accessories

Dressing for yoga isn’t the same as dressing to go out. You don’t need many accessories for a task like this. If anything, accessories will only get in the way and annoy you while you’re exercising. Avoid things like:

• Necklaces
• Bulky rings
• Watches
• Piercings in compromising places
• Excessive hair ties or clips

It’s really a case of less is more. To be honest, you’ll maybe need some type of hair accessory to keep your hair out of your face, and that’s it. Maybe a ring or two as well – but nothing too over the top. Layering your body with accessories might look nice and complement the visual look of your outfit, but it’s highly impractical when you’re stretching and lying down a lot.

Prepare To Go Barefoot

Here’s something many yoga newbies don’t realize: sessions tend to take place without any shoes or socks on. Why? Because going barefoot means you’re less likely to slip and injure yourself.

With that in mind, you should prepare to expose your naked feet – and this means it’s probably worth having a pedicure before you attend the session. Either book in at your local beauty parlor or perform a home pedicure to neaten up your nails, maybe give them a splash of color to match your outfit, and ensure your feet are presentable. It can be truly devastating if you attend your first session and see everyone taking off their socks and shoes, only to realize you’re really not ready to go barefoot.

Make Sure Everything Matches

All of the above tips deal with the comfort and practical sides of a yoga outfit, but what about the fashionable element? Look online for yoga outfit inspiration and make sure all of the different elements go together. It’s super easy to look great in a yoga outfit – but equally easy for things to clash.

Learn color theory to pick things that go well together, and you can even match things like your nail colors or subtle makeup to go with the look. You feel good when you look good, so now you enjoy comfort, practicality, and style all rolled into one.

And just like that, you’re ready to attend your first yoga session. As mentioned in the beginning, this is a great step towards better health and mindfulness. Yoga is one of those activities that you feel the benefits from immediately after. You’ll definitely want to go again, especially when you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing.