Trying to choose workout clothes can be overwhelming these days because there are so many brands, styles, and options of athletic wear available.

You’ve come to the right place to help you make sense of workout clothes, whether or not they make a difference, and which ones are best activewear brands for your needs.

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How to choose workout clothes

In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about choosing the best workout clothes for your next activity as well as answer the common questions people often have when making those buying decisions.

Should workout clothes be tight or loose?

For the most part, workout clothes should be fairly tight or fitted.

This is for several reasons. If you are using gym equipment, you don’t want to to get hooked on the machines. Wearing fitted clothes provides much less opportunity for that to happen.

In addition, most workout clothes are made of moisture wicking fabric which, when worn fitted against the body, allows your skin to stay cool and comfortable.

And finally, wearing fitted clothes allows you to see how your body is moving. This is really important for lifting weights, doing yoga, or Pilates. You’ll be able to see that you are properly doing exercises, stretches, and techniques to avoid injury.

But my favorite reason to wear fitted clothes is that they allow you to see your figure changing and developing through all your hard work.

Is 100% cotton good for the gym?

While cotton clothing can keep you cool, it doesn’t make for the best fabric for working out. Because even though it pulls moisture away from the body, it holds onto it and you end up with heavy, sagging clothes that grow and stick to your body.

Today, there are much better fabric options to keep you cool and comfortable your entire workout. Keep reading to see my best recommendations.

Which fabric is best for the gym?

Fabric has come a long way over recent years providing moisture-wicking, high performance garments for every type of exercise. Most of those garments are made of nylon/spandex. This combination produces garments that are top notch for your next workout and here’s why.

It pulls moisture away from your skin so you feel cool and comfortable
It’s durable and easy-care machine washable
It stretches and moves with your body
It doesn’t sag or grow as you exercise
It’s mildew resistant and doesn’t absorb odors as easily as polyester

Note: If you are doing a lot of outdoor activities, look for workout clothes with UPF fabric. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “UPF 50 fabric blocks 98 percent of the sun’s rays and allows two percent (1/50th) to penetrate, thus reducing your exposure risk significantly.”

How many workout clothes do I need?

Not sure if you need one workout outfit or dozens? Check out this post I wrote that lets you know how many workout clothes you need.

Is it OK to wear workout clothes in public?

Here in the United States, it is OK to wear workout clothes in public.

Recently, there has been a huge trend to wear workout clothes in everyday life. Especially after being at home for the past few years, we’ve adopted a more casual style of dress.

It’s not uncommon to see people meeting for coffee, having brunch, going for walks, or running errands wearing their workout clothes.

I would say that overall, workout wear is acceptable in day-to-day life with the exception of dinner at nice restaurants and nightclubs.

As you’ll see in the brands featured below, they understand that consumers are wearing their clothes for everyday wear, not just for working out, and are making clothes that fit that combination lifestyle.

Related Article: How to Organize Your Workout Clothes

Where do I get good workout clothes?

Look no further, I’ve created a list for you of the five best workout clothing brands, also referred to as luxury activewear brands.

They all use cutting edge technology and fabrics to design clothes that fit well, keep you cool and comfortable, as well as looking your best while working out.

5 Best Women’s Athletic Wear Brands

#1. Vuori

Inspired by the California coastal lifestyle, Vuori is an activewear brand focused on ethical manufacturing, sustainability, and community.

You can wear their clothes for working out, running errands, or just living life.

Their goal is to help you achieve a happy life while living on a healthy planet. They make fitness and lifestyle clothes for both men and women.

Here are some of their bestselling garments along with links to all of them.

Vuori Activewear (featured above)

#2. Alo Yoga

This Los Angeles based brand’s goal is to bring the transformative power of yoga to the world. They offer yoga classes in-store and focus on bringing you activewear that look great on and off the mat.

With Hollywood in its backyard, Alo Yoga has a wide celebrity following including Hailey Baldwin, Gigi Hadid, Taylor Swift, and Kendall Jenner.

Alo Yoga Workout Clothes (featured above)

#3. Tory sport

From designer, Tory Burch, comes the athletic wear line, Tory Sport.

This fashion forward brand brings color, pattern, and style to a traditionally boring activewear industry.

Tory Sport proves you don’t have to wear only black, white, and gray for your active lifestyle. In fact, they prove you can wear lots of color for any activity your day holds.

Tory Sport Athletic Wear (featured above)

#4. Athleta

I’ve been wearing Athleta for quite a few years. I’ve always loved the fit, comfort and durability of their apparel. Not only do they carry athletic clothes for yoga, Pilates, and weightlifting, but they also have clothes for walking, hiking, and many other outdoor activities.

Are Athleta leggings worth the money?

I have to say, Athleta leggings may be a bit more expensive than other brands but I’m still actively wearing some that I purchased more than five years ago. They’ve held up to weekly wear, been thrown regularly in the washer and dryer, and don’t sag, stretch out, or pill.

Why do people love Athleta?

Over the past few years, we have adopted a much more casual lifestyle and the clothes we wear for

What I find especially appealing is they recently expanded the line to fit women’s sizes XXS-3XL. They also carry tall and petite sizes.

In addition, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Athleta is a certified B Corp. which means they are committed to sustainability, reducing environmental impact, and committed to using Fair Trade factories.

Athleta Activewear (featured above)

#5. Lilly Pulitzer

Lilly Pulitzer has long been know for its beautiful dresses and resort apparel, but did you know this brand is wildly popular for its activewear?

They have honed in on country club sports including tennis and golf and they also have clothes for all types of activities. The clothes in their athletic line are known as “Luxletic” and feature UPF 50 fabric so you don’t have to worry about getting sunburned while enjoying an active lifestyle.

This line is also filled with gorgeous colorful prints you can only find at Lilly Pulitzer. If looking pulled together, bright, and happy is your go-to vibe for your daily active life, then this line is for you.

Many of the garments are cut to fit a wide range of women’s sizes from XXS-XXL.