What to wear to Pilates.
Reformer, mat and hot classes ask different things of what you wear. Here is what actually matters, and what to avoid.
Pilates is unusual among training clothes. You are on your back, on your side, inverted, and in contact with equipment for most of the class. Fit and seam placement matter more here than in almost anything else you do.
What should you wear to Pilates?
Fitted, flat seamed, and high enough to stay put when you invert.
Loose clothing is the most common mistake. In footwork and short spine, anything baggy rides up or falls toward your face. Your instructor also needs to see your alignment, which loose fabric hides.
Fitted does not mean compressive. You want something that moves with you and stays where it is placed. A mid-rise waistband that holds through hip work, and a top that gives support without hardware digging in when you lie back on the carriage.
Why do seams matter more in Pilates?
You spend the class pressed against equipment.
On a reformer you are lying on a carriage, with your shoulders against blocks and your feet on a bar. A side seam that is unnoticeable while running becomes a ridge you can feel for an hour. The same goes for zips, clasps and bulky waistbands.
Flatlock seams solve this. The edges are butted together rather than folded over, so the join sits flush with the fabric instead of forming a ridge you can feel.
Reformer, mat and hot classes
Each asks for something slightly different.
Reformer. Seam placement matters most. Grip socks are usually required, and most studios ask for fitted clothing so the instructor can see your form.
Mat. More floor contact and more rolling, so a top that stays down when inverted is the priority.
Hot Pilates. Heat and sweat change the calculation. Synthetic fabric holds odour and can feel clammy once you are properly warm. Natural fibre handles this better, which is where merino earns its place.
What should you avoid?
Four things, in order.
Loose tops, which ride up and hide alignment. Zips, clasps and hardware, which press into you against equipment. Bulky waistbands, which fold during hip work. And anything you are not comfortable being inverted in.
Is merino wool good for Pilates?
Particularly for back to back classes.
Merino absorbs moisture into the fibre rather than leaving it on the surface, which gives odour causing bacteria less to work with. If you train several times a week, that means fewer washes and a garment that does not turn between sessions.
It also regulates temperature in both directions. A studio at 22 degrees, a hot class, and the walk home afterwards are three different conditions. Merino handles the range where a synthetic handles one.
What we make for it
A flat seamed set in Australian merino.
The Merino Micro Short is a rib knit with flatlock seams, a mid-rise waistband and a 100% merino gusset lining. The Merino Bandeau is a double-layer knit giving light support without underwire or hardware. Both are made in Melbourne.
Bought together they are 25% off, applied automatically in the cart. They are also rated through to sauna heat, so the set carries from the studio to the sauna without changing. More on that here.
Common questions
What should you wear to Pilates?
Fitted clothing with flat seams that stays in place when inverted. Loose tops ride up during footwork and hide your alignment from the instructor. Avoid zips, clasps and bulky waistbands, which press into you against the equipment.
What should you wear to reformer Pilates?
Fitted clothing with minimal seams, since you spend the class in contact with the carriage, shoulder blocks and foot bar. Grip socks are usually required. Most studios ask for fitted clothing so the instructor can see your form.
What should you not wear to Pilates?
Loose tops that ride up when inverted, anything with zips, clasps or hardware that presses in against equipment, and bulky waistbands that fold during hip work.
Is merino wool good for Pilates?
Yes, particularly for back to back classes. Merino absorbs moisture into the fibre rather than the surface, which resists odour across repeat sessions, and it regulates temperature across a studio, a hot class and the walk home.
What should you wear to hot Pilates?
Fitted natural fibre in as light a weight as possible. Synthetic fabric holds odour and can feel clammy once you are properly warm. Merino handles heat and moisture better and stays fresher between classes.
Do you wear shoes to Pilates?
No. Most studios require grip socks for reformer classes, and mat classes are usually done barefoot or in grip socks.