What do I wear for yoga?
My husband is a really sharp dresser.
He is the guy wearing a Charles Tyrwhitt button-down shirt and Italian slacks at work or dark-wash German denim on his day off. No golf shirts and baggy shorts for him; he is always looking his best. But one thing that has astonished (and still delights) me about him is that he always wears running shorts and a running-appropriate undershirt under his stylish garb. Why? because he can and will drop his pants at a moment's notice to go for a run.
Running is a possibility no matter where he is or what he is doing. He is always an athlete, even when he is dressed up.
My husband’s readiness to run at a moment’s notice recently inspired me. I love to get dressed (and I mean dressed with a capital D) in the morning. Choosing my outfit, earrings, and shoes brings me great joy. I also love to put a bit of makeup on for sparkle. So much so that when deciding whether to study therapeutic yoga, I felt sad thinking about having to wear yoga clothes with such frequency to embrace this role. Then I thought of my husband and challenged the high walls of image and expectation.
I mean, how can one miss the yoga teachers and practitioners on IG who are perfectly dressed in their tights, in spare studio spaces, with a perfectly placed plant? Isn’t that how yoga is supposed to be?
What we see presented to us as yoga is mostly illusions and impossible standards that can create a daunting barrier to actually getting on the mat. And, of course, that is the whole point—getting on the mat—actually practicing—not the trappings that capitalism would have us believe define yoga.
“What do I wear for therapeutic yoga?”
I get this question quite often, and though it sounds glib, here is my heartfelt answer: wear comfortable clothing that you can move in. I love my yoga/workout clothes, but I don’t want to wear them all the time, nor do I feel anyone needs to for therapeutic yoga.
Your life, whether at work or practicing yoga, is your life. Dress for your life, therapeutic yoga included.
When I go to my favorite boutique now to buy my everyday clothes, like jeans (favorite brands: Kut from the Cloth and Liverpool) and cute tops or sweaters, I’m thinking about my life, including teaching therapeutic yoga. So when I’m in the dressing room, my measure is this: Can I get down on the floor? Roll around? Lift my arms and bend over? How about twisting? Can I throw my shoes off and get barefoot on the spot? Will I be comfortable getting into shavasana or sitting on a meditation cushion?
If the answer is yes and I love the clothing, these are great clothes for therapeutic yoga practice. What a relief. You see? You might already be in your yoga clothes right now.
Here’s the thing about therapeutic yoga - it’s gentle.
You aren’t going to sweat unless your air conditioning is broken or you have a menopausal hot flash, I promise. I know some people want to sweat - they want to be pushed. But beloved you, there are enough places in life where you are put through your paces, but in therapeutic yoga with me? I’m more interested in witnessing your nervous system settling, seeing your understanding of your magnificent body blossoming, your symptoms melting away, and celebrating how your insight and awareness grow, not your ability to do beautiful but meaningless acrobatics in a perfectly curated space in the correct yoga pants.
We humans tend to create a lot of barriers to entry.
Especially for any kind of yoga. We are deluded into believing we need the right clothes, a peaceful setting (best if it’s a studio), stars perfectly aligned, and the right vibes. The bar becomes so high that it’s more likely you’ll never do it at all because life is not perfect. But I’m here to tell you that therapeutic yoga is made for the imperfect life.
Just as my husband is ready for a run at a moment’s notice, I relish dropping to my mat— or the floor or into a chair—or simply into the breath inside the greater chaos of life. Because, truly, that is where the practice of yoga actually matters. So wearing normal clothes tells your big, beautiful brain that yoga—the art of cultivating peace, presence, and listening to the wisdom of your body—is something you can access anytime and anywhere, no matter what you’re wearing.
Life is sacred in all of its mess.
So it really doesn’t matter what you wear. Being a yogini is a way of moving through the world. Wear what makes you feel most like you. I’ll meet you there.
Would you like to experience the power of therapeutic yoga?
I’m Nona Jordan, and I help women access their innate intelligence and wholeness to create a life with less pain, greater ease, and more energy for what matters most. I believe that connection, movement, breath, and stillness will transform how you move through the world.
If you would like to see if Therapeutic Yoga is a good fit for you, click below to book a 30-minute chat. I’d love to connect with you.
