What should I wear to Pilates?
Going to your first Pilates class can be intimidating.
Luckily, Pilates teachers will usually do everything they can to make you comfortable.
If you are feeling nervous, just remember that (literally) everyone in the class has been there; we were all at our first Pilates class once, too.
But nothing turns the first-timer jitters into a full-blown panic attack like a wardrobe malfunction.. or realizing your head is stuck to the headrest because your hair is caught in the hinge… or destroying the equipment by puncturing the vinyl with your gigantic engagement ring.
Here are some tips for what to wear to avoid any embarrassing snafus while keeping you safe and helping you have the best and most effective Pilates experience.
Wear comfortable clothing you can move in
Your Pilates class will have you moving in all directions, making big circles with your legs, and possibly even going upside down into inversions. Snug clothing that doesn’t ride up or fall off, and is easy to move in will be most comfortable.
Concentration is key in Pilates, and if you are fumbling with your clothing the whole time, it will kill your focus.
Pilates teachers need to see your body in order to cue and correct your movement precisely, and baggy clothing can make that difficult. Loose clothing can also get stuck in the springs or equipment presenting a safety hazard.
To avoid any wardrobe malfunctions, do the squat test before class, by squatting in front of a mirror to make sure your leggings aren’t transparent when stretched. (Pro tip: You might also want to check your crotch seams for holes.)
The Pilates teacher won’t care at all, but if, halfway through the class, you catch a glimpse of your bare *** showing through transparent leggings in the mirror, it tends to distract you from the workout.
Avoid sharp jewelry or clothing with zippers
Any sharp pieces on your clothing like zippers or even large rings can scratch and even puncture the vinyl.
Top-of-the-line Pilates apparatuses are made-to-order. The equipment costs thousands of dollars and takes almost a year to receive (as of 2022). The Pilates teacher will likely act like damage to the equipment is no big deal so you don’t feel bad, but I can assure you - they’re dying inside. Most people also feel horrible when it happens, so best to avoid it.
Jewelry can also get in the way of your workout by affecting alignment, and it can be a safety risk by causing distractions.
For instance, people will often avoid distributing weight evenly if a ring on a certain finger causes pain with weight bearing and necklaces can get stuck on your chin in inversions.
Leave the jewelry at home.
Make sure your feet/socks are clean
Many Pilates teachers are obsessed with feet.
If you are going to Pilates, be prepared to have your feet examined, touched, stretched, and cued… all of which can be really uncomfortable if you are trying to hide some foot funk. (Although if you don’t want your feet - or any body part - touched, just let your teacher know.)
(I used to just go into the bathroom and quickly wash my feet in the sink before a Pilates class, and carry a spare pair of clean socks in my bag. I now supply wipes by shoe station for clients in my Miami studio.)
Some studios and teachers prefer students to have bare feet because there are important bodily connections that start in your feet, and socks inhibit proprioception and make it difficult for the teacher to access alignment. They can also cause slipping.
However, you will definitely want to check your studio’s socks rule before you go.
Many studios, and especially group reformer studios, require socks as a sanitary measure, and some require grip socks. If you don’t bring socks with you, you may be required to buy grip socks from the studio.
(Here’s a fun story I will literally never forget: I was once in a group Pilates reformer class and the woman on the reformer next to me had a dead worm smooshed on her heel. Gross.)
Avoid make-up or bronzers
The dyes and pigments in make-up, bronzers, self-tanners, and even the dye in new, unwashed clothing can leave stains on the vinyl of Pilates equipment and damage the vinyl’s coating.
Shimmering lotions are like the gift that keeps on giving… and giving; it is so hard to remove the shimmer completely from the vinyl!
Avoid any embarrassing snafus by saving heavy makeup and pigmented lotion application for AFTER Pilates.
Tie your hair back
Loose hair is a safety hazard because it can get stuck in the springs and hinges of the equipment.
It also clogs up the wheels of the Pilates reformer and inhibits the apparatus’s performance.
Additionally, if you are messing with your hair throughout your session, you’re not going to be able to focus and concentrate on your movement which is going to negatively impact the flow of your workout.
Turn off the apple watch
This one goes back to the importance of concentration and focus. I don’t mind if clients wear fitness trackers, but if you are constantly checking incoming messages, or if incoming calls are interrupting your focus, it is going to affect the flow of your workout.
Flow in Pilates is one of the things that makes it so effective in bringing positive change to your life outside the studio. The repetition and flow present in the traditional Pilates method train your body to move with ease and grace outside the studio, in your daily life. One exercise flows into the next, seamlessly. You can’t do that if you are messing with your watch every 15 minutes.
You have to be 100% present to experience 100% of the benefits.
Read: Let it flow: Why flow is the secret sauce of Pilates
Skip perfumes and heavily scented body products
Breathing is an important part of Pilates. In fact, if you are in a traditional Pilates class, one of the first exercises you will do will be the Hundred, in which you take 10 deep breaths for a total of 100 counts.
Perfumes and heavy scents can be distracting for other clients in the room or even cause allergic reactions.
Imagine everyone in the class choking, trying to figure out where the smell is coming from… and it is you. Trust me. Skip the perfume.
These are some of the tips I have to help you get the most out of your Pilates experience.
But remember, every Pilates class, teacher and studio is different.
In a 90s trademark lawsuit, Pilates was ruled to be a generic term, which enabled anyone to call pretty much anything “Pilates.” And they do.
So, there is no way to make a blanket, sweeping statement about what Pilates “is” or what you will get from a Pilates class.
BUT, these will give you a general idea of what to expect at most Pilates classes out there.
Good luck!