{"id":9600,"date":"2023-12-23T23:08:57","date_gmt":"2023-12-23T16:08:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=9600"},"modified":"2023-12-23T23:08:57","modified_gmt":"2023-12-23T16:08:57","slug":"a-workout-uniform-has-unique-psychology-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=9600","title":{"rendered":"A Workout Uniform Has Unique Psychology Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">S<\/span>howing up to any social event\u2014a wedding, work happy hour, or Sunday brunch\u2014wearing the exact same thing as someone else is typically considered a faux pas.<\/p>\n<p>But attend any Pure Barre class on a weekday afternoon, and odds are you\u2019ll find a handful of middle-aged women sporting the same <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshop-links.co%2F1828736420695638286%3Fu1%3DSTMSFT-1012935&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/shop.lululemon.com\/\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/shop-links.co\/1828736420695638286?u1=STMSFT-1012935\">lululemon<\/a> top. Drop by a reformer Pilates class on a Saturday morning, and many of the Gen Z urbanites present will probably be wearing the same <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gopjn.com%2Ft%2F8-11924-270671-170958%3Fsid%3DSTMSSY-226219%26website%3D378726%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.aloyoga.com%252F&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.aloyoga.com\/\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/www.gopjn.com\/t\/8-11924-270671-170958?sid=STMSSY-226219&amp;website=378726&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aloyoga.com%2F\">Alo Yoga<\/a> set that they\u2019ll also wear to brunch afterwards. And depending on which of your local run clubs you show up to on any given evening, you might see a sea of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/tracksmith-eliot-runner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/tracksmith-eliot-runner\/\">Tracksmith<\/a> jackets, or a bunch of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/bandit-running\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/bandit-running\/\">Bandit<\/a> shorts.<\/p>\n<div class=\"\">\n<hr\/>\n<div class=\"experts-in-article noskim py-[24px] px-[40px]\">\n<p>Experts In This Article<\/p>\n<ul class=\"!ml-[18px]\">\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ash-modha-8ab94710\/?originalSubdomain=ca\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ash-modha-8ab94710\/?originalSubdomain=ca\">Ash Modha<\/a>, CEO of activewear company MPG <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barrys.com\/instructor\/daniela-celi\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.barrys.com\/instructor\/daniela-celi\/\">Daniela Celi<\/a>, instructor at Barry\u2019s in New York City <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\">Dylan Davies<\/a>, co-founder of Lift Society <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/julia-s-mangelsdorf\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/julia-s-mangelsdorf\/\">Julia Mangelsdorf<\/a>, fit and technical designer at running brand Oiselle <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kylarosemaher\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kylarosemaher\/\">Kyla Maher<\/a>, founder of Bozeman Run Club and content producer at running brand Janji <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/nataliapetrzela.com\/about\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/nataliapetrzela.com\/about\/\">Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, PhD<\/a>, associate professor of history at The New School and author of <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F3Ky7wiD&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Ky7wiD\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Ky7wiD\"><em>Fit Nation<\/em><\/a> <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/fashionispsychology.com\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/fashionispsychology.com\/\">Shakaila Forbes-Bell, MA<\/a>, Shakaila Forbes-Bell, MA, is a fashion psychologist and the founder of Fashion In Psychology. In 2016, Forbes-Bell became the first black person in the world to earn a master\u2019s degree in fashion psychology. <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s true that we have fewer options when getting dressed for a workout than we do for many other activities. We need clothing that\u2019s functional for our exercise of choice, and though the activewear industry has exploded in the past decade, there are still fewer brands to choose from than when shopping for attire to wear to the office or a night out.<\/p>\n<p>But that doesn\u2019t explain why we don\u2019t just tend to dress like the people we work out with. We tend to <em>like it<\/em>, taking pride in the fact that we appear to be in uniform while running, squatting, lifting, or pulsing next to complete strangers, close friends, or workout buddies who are somewhere in between.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/workout-uniform\/\" current-title=\"Why Does It Feel so Good To Wear a Workout Uniform?\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/WG_Editorial_Workout-Uniforms_feature_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-06-23\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/workout-uniform\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/workout-uniform\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/workout-uniform\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There will always be those who ignore or resist activewear trends (looking at you, that one man at every gym who wears jeans), and those who activewear trends do not serve (due to financial barriers, or limited sizing options, for instance). But for many of us, getting dressed to work out is far less individual than getting dressed for the rest of our lives.<\/p>\n<h2>Connecting through clothing<\/h2>\n<p>The truth is, we subconsciously wear \u201cuniforms\u201d in nearly every social setting we enter\u2014not just inside the gym. \u201cHumans are social creatures, so we use clothes as a way to communicate belonging,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/fashionispsychology.com\/about-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/fashionispsychology.com\/about-us\/\">Shakaila Forbes-Bell<\/a>, author of <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBig-Dress-Energy%2Fdp%2F0349431841%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx12079-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fworkout-uniform%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Big-Dress-Energy\/dp\/0349431841\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Big-Dress-Energy\/dp\/0349431841?tag=wgtrx12079-20&amp;asc_refurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;asc_source=direct&amp;asc_campaign=no-campaign\"><em>Big Dress Energy: How Fashion Psychology Can Transform Your Wardrobe And Your Confidence<\/em><\/a>. You can see this in the ways that groups of friends often dress similarly (cue <em>The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants<\/em>) or how different offices might have different unspoken dress codes. (Like how nurses tend to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/best-hoka-shoes-for-nurses\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/best-hoka-shoes-for-nurses\/\">gravitate toward Hokas or Danskos for their long shifts<\/a>.) \u201cIt has positive consequences, especially when there are people we want to connect with, or people who are in higher positions,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>The (subconscious) idea, says Forbes-Bell, is to dress similarly enough to others to follow any implied dress code and to appear as part of the \u201cin-group,\u201d but not <em>so<\/em> similarly that you\u2019re overtly copying someone else. \u201cIt\u2019s a balancing act,\u201d she says. \u201cWe love dress codes, because they can give us a framework of how to be. But then when we turn up dressed exactly the same as someone else, we feel we\u2019ve tipped the scales too far. We want to be similar, but we also want to be unique.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The same goes for when we\u2019re dressing for workouts, though we often err more on the side of similar. \u201cPeople like to get into a certain frame of mind when they\u2019re working out,\u201d says Forbes-Bell. \u201cDressing similarly to others helps them step into that part of themselves, which is slightly different from themselves at work or just hanging out. Uniforms allow us to step into different parts of our identity.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;A lot of fitness brands and fitness communities today are very much selling not only the exercise programming that they offer, but a form of community, and clothes become part of that.&#8221; \u2014Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, PhD, associate professor of history, The New School<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This phenomenon has become more common over the years as gyms, fitness studios, and workout groups have become increasingly social spaces central to our lives. \u201cA lot of fitness brands and fitness communities today are very much selling not only the exercise programming that they offer, but a form of community, and clothes become part of that,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newschool.edu\/lang\/faculty\/natalia-mehlman-petrzela\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.newschool.edu\/lang\/faculty\/natalia-mehlman-petrzela\/\">Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, PhD<\/a>, an associate professor of history at The New School and author of <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FFit-Nation-Americas-Exercise-Obsession%2Fdp%2F022665110X%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx12079-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fworkout-uniform%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Fit-Nation-Americas-Exercise-Obsession\/dp\/022665110X\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Fit-Nation-Americas-Exercise-Obsession\/dp\/022665110X?tag=wgtrx12079-20&amp;asc_refurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;asc_source=direct&amp;asc_campaign=no-campaign\"><em>Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America\u2019s Exercise Obsession<\/em><\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s not so much that people are like, \u2018I want to look like everybody else,\u2019 but more like, \u2018I want to look like the people in this particular community\u2014wearing a shirt that says Peloton, or something with a Barry\u2019s logo.\u2019 That might seem like the ultimate conformist move, but I think it\u2019s to distinguish yourself from the broader community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s less that we\u2019re erasing our identities by dressing like others, then, but attempting to define who we are and what we aspire to be. \u201cIt does make you feel like you\u2019re a part of something,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barrys.com\/instructor\/daniela-celi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.barrys.com\/instructor\/daniela-celi\/\">Daniela Celi,<\/a> a Barry\u2019s instructor in New York City. \u201cIt symbolizes community, camaraderie, loyalty, togetherness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Part of why our clothes can be so key to making us feel like we \u201cbelong\u201d is because they are so central to how others perceive us. \u201cIf we have vision, that\u2019s a big part of what we take in about people,\u201d says sports psychologist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esaulmovement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.esaulmovement.com\/\">Emily Saul, LMHC<\/a>. \u201cWithout having any conversation, without knowing any details about a person, we go, \u2018Well, they look like that.\u2019 And when you go into a yoga class, there\u2019s not a lot of conversation. So all you\u2019re using to make sense of the people around you is where they sit in the room, what they\u2019re wearing, and how good they are at yoga.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Knowing \u201cthe right\u201d way to dress can also signal competence in a way that can help those new to a workout feel like they fit in. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kylarosemaher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kylarosemaher\/\">Kyla Maher,<\/a> a content producer at the running brand <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.skimresources.com%3Fid%3D104860X1561639%26xs%3D1%26xcust%3DSTMSSY-1145449%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fjanji.com%252F&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/janji.com\/\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=104860X1561639&amp;xs=1&amp;xcust=STMSSY-1145449&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fjanji.com%2F\">Janji<\/a>, was an avid runner when she moved to Bozeman, Montana, a few years ago But she didn\u2019t have much experience with trail running, which is popular in the area. \u201cI was looking to see what everyone else was wearing,\u201d she says. \u201cI was like, \u2018I want to fit in with these people, and I want them to like me, and I want to look legit.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now, since founding the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bozemanrunclub.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.bozemanrunclub.com\/\">Bozeman Run Club<\/a> (which is sponsored by Janji), Maher sees a similar pattern happen weekly. \u201cNew people come in and they\u2019re shy,\u201d she says. \u201cThey don\u2019t have any of the gear\u2026And the next time they come they\u2019re in a running vest and they\u2019re fully decked out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Clothes can signal competence in more obvious ways, too: The finisher shirt from the recent local marathon; the merch proving you survived Orangetheory\u2019s Hell Week; the not-so-subtle brag of wearing apparel from a far-flung Barry\u2019s location.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that gyms can be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gymtimidation\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gymtimidation\/\">vulnerable, intimidating spaces<\/a> makes the stakes of feeling like one \u201cfits in\u201d all the higher. \u201cThe gym is still a place where a lot of people don\u2019t necessarily feel like they want to stand out because they\u2019re nervous about their performance, or they don\u2019t want to draw attention to their body or themselves,\u201d says Petrzela.<\/p>\n<h2>The role of functionality in the workout uniform<\/h2>\n<p>Sometimes our workout uniforms can easily be explained by functionality. At <a href=\"https:\/\/liftsociety.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/liftsociety.com\/\">Lift Society<\/a> in Los Angeles, for instance, nearly everyone wears Vans or Converse, says co-founder <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dylandavies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dylandavies\/\">Dylan Davies<\/a>. That\u2019s because those brands are best for lifting weights, since their flat soles provide the most stability and energy transfer from the ground.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, it benefits athletic wear brands to convince us that each of our fitness pursuits requires a different, specific set of outfits\u2014that means they sell us more clothes. While there are times when do need some different gear for different modalities (like wearing a more supportive bra for running than for yoga), the idea that different activities truly need entirely different wardrobes is a bit extreme.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s easy to dismiss the [fitness] clothing industry as just trying to sell us more stuff, when actually, much of it serves a need,\u201d says Petrzela. \u201cAt the same time, capitalism is voracious and will stop at nothing, especially because people are desperate to get the thing that will turn them into the person that actually goes to the gym. So we see so much advertising that makes us think we need a different pair of pants for Barry\u2019s class and for yoga class and for an outdoor jog. And there\u2019s a little bit of truth to that, but at some of the fittest moments of my life, I was wearing the same mesh shorts to do everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cHumans are social creatures, so we use clothes as a way to communicate belonging.&#8221; \u2014Shakaila Forbes-Bell, author<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Still, functionality is more central to our workout apparel choices than to our choices around most of our other clothing. You research the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/fast-running-shoes\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/fast-running-shoes\/\">right kind of running shoe<\/a> for your high arches; you look for form-fitting, stretchy clothing that moves with you during yoga; you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/anti-chafing-running-shorts\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/anti-chafing-running-shorts\/\">hunt for workout shorts<\/a> that don\u2019t ride up or cause chafing. That could be one reason why we\u2019re more likely to dress like our friends\u2014we care about how the clothes perform more than how they look, and we rely on endorsements from trusted workout buddies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSocial influence is how you learn how comfortable those shorts are to move in, how they perform during a long workout, and what features set them apart from another pair of shorts,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/julia-s-mangelsdorf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/julia-s-mangelsdorf\/\">Julia Mangelsdorf<\/a>, fit and technical designer at running brand <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oiselle.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.oiselle.com\/\">Oiselle<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ash-modha-8ab94710\/?originalSubdomain=ca\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ash-modha-8ab94710\/?originalSubdomain=ca\">Ash Modha<\/a>, CEO of activewear company <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.skimresources.com%3Fid%3D104860X1561639%26xs%3D1%26xcust%3DSTMSSY-1145449%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fmpgsport.com%252F&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/mpgsport.com\/\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=104860X1561639&amp;xs=1&amp;xcust=STMSSY-1145449&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fmpgsport.com%2F\">MPG<\/a>, thinks we shouldn&#8217;t overstate the role of function in how we dress to workout. He says that since the athletic wear industry has grown so much and become so competitive, making functional products is now a given. (He thinks basic demographics are the best explanation for the workout uniform phenomenon\u2014people of the same age group and economic status tend to work out in the same spaces and buy the same clothes.) \u201cIn our business, that\u2019s table stakes,\u201d he says. \u201cYou have to have that in your product in order for people to even buy it.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Workout clothes as aspiration<\/h2>\n<p>Fitness spaces are inherently aspirational\u2014most of us work out to get stronger, fitter, healthier, faster. And just like we might dress for the job we want, many of us are subconsciously dressing to be the fit person we want to be, whether that means mimicking the styles of those around us or the influencers we see on social media.<\/p>\n<p>The idea that we might embody the meanings we ascribe to clothes is known as enclothed cognition. \u201cFor example, you may have a specific idea of a woman who wears <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fclick.linksynergy.com%2Fdeeplink%3Fid%3DvTvGS%2F1ZeSQ%26mid%3D46643%26u1%3DSTMSLS-383087%26murl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.gymshark.com%252F&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.gymshark.com\/\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/deeplink?id=vTvGS\/1ZeSQ&amp;mid=46643&amp;u1=STMSLS-383087&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gymshark.com%2F\">Gymshark<\/a>, and see them as someone who is committed to their workout goals, who works super hard,\u201d says Forbes-Bell. \u201cWhen you wear those clothes, it puts you in the mindframe of, \u2018I\u2019m a Gymshark girl, so I must be like this. I must work harder, I must put in the effort and I must enjoy it\u2019. It essentially changes your behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fitness brands carefully craft these images of what their clothes represent, and who the ideal version of their customer is. \u201c[Companies] don\u2019t sell clothes, they sell ideas, they sell lifestyles,\u201d says Forbes-Bell. \u201cThey\u2019re selling the idea that wearing this can help you connect with other people, and be the fittest version of yourself.\u201d (It must be said that this is problematic if the clothes are only designed for certain body types, further cementing the messaging that fitness looks a specific way.)<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;When you wear clothing that supports you, that fits you, that allows you to feel good, that offers a sense of confidence, and then it\u2019s much easier to authentically connect with other people in the service of belonging.&#8221; \u2014Emily Saul, LHMC<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It makes sense that people working out together might dress similarly to the person they aspire to be. That may be a literal person\u2014like the super-strong barre instructor always wearing cool <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgirlfriendcollective.pxf.io%2Fc%2F2372336%2F1157119%2F14640%3FsubId1%3DSTMSLS-1134203%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fgirlfriend.com%252F&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/girlfriend.com\/\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/girlfriendcollective.pxf.io\/c\/2372336\/1157119\/14640?subId1=STMSLS-1134203&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fgirlfriend.com%2F\">Girlfriend Collective<\/a> sets, or the leader of the run club who has a brand partnership with <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshop-links.co%2F1827150103410156288%3Fu1%3DSTMSSY-1049055&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fworkout-uniform%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.hoka.com\/en\/us\/\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/shop-links.co\/1827150103410156288?u1=STMSSY-1049055\">Hoka<\/a>\u2014or more of an abstract set of attributes. Modha says MPG has found lots of success at studios where the instructors are already wearing the brand. And though Janji does sponsor Maher\u2019s run club with a 15 percent discount code for members, her group has bought so much of the brand\u2019s product that the small city of Bozeman has become one of Janji\u2019s top markets per capita.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, your clothes can\u2019t <em>actually<\/em> make you faster, or stronger, or change who you are. \u201cPeople say, \u2018I want to be like that person, or perform like that person, so I\u2019m going to get the clothes they wear, and that\u2019ll get me there,\u2019\u201d says Saul. \u201cExcept there\u2019s something missing in terms of the sense of belief about themselves. It isn\u2019t the clothes you wear that makes you a fast runner, or a good runner, or a worthy runner\u2014it\u2019s the characteristics you bring to that effort as a runner.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>When wearing a \u201cworkout uniform\u201d <em>doesn\u2019t<\/em> feel good<\/h2>\n<p>Though wearing Janji can help new members of the Bozeman Run Club feel like they fit in, Maher is intentional about showing all kinds of people wearing all kinds of outfits on the group\u2019s Instagram, so that not owning the right clothes doesn\u2019t feel like a barrier for anyone.<\/p>\n<p>Because it easily could. Athletic wear is often expensive, providing a significant barrier to looking the part for people who can\u2019t afford to buy $90 lululemon leggings. The athletic wear industry is also <a href=\"https:\/\/wwd.com\/fashion-news\/fashion-features\/the-growing-plus-size-market-faces-itty-bitty-assortments-and-lack-of-options-1234881354\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/wwd.com\/fashion-news\/fashion-features\/the-growing-plus-size-market-faces-itty-bitty-assortments-and-lack-of-options-1234881354\/\">plagued with size inclusivity issues<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/plus-size-fitness-fans-call-for-more-inclusive-sports-gear-equipment-11649096633\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/plus-size-fitness-fans-call-for-more-inclusive-sports-gear-equipment-11649096633\">despite increased demand<\/a> for products made for larger bodies. (Plus-size options are often sold online only, and many brands max out at size 3X\u2014with some exceptions, like Girlfriend Collective and .) These accessibility issues reflect larger, stubborn issues that plague the fitness and wellness industries at large: namely, that fitness looks a certain way and is for a certain kind of person.<\/p>\n<p>For some, the \u201cuniform\u201d in a given workout setting may just not feel right on their body, or align with their personal taste and style, which could lead them to feeling like they don\u2019t belong in that group. As much as it may foster connection for some, the \u201cworkout uniform\u201d can just as easily foster exclusion.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps it\u2019s obvious, but it\u2019s worth stating: Any fitness group where there\u2019s real pressure to dress the same as everyone else, or social consequences for not doing so, is not a group that\u2019s worth your time. \u201cRelationships are formed much more by interpersonal connections and conversations than just by wearing the same thing,\u201d says Saul. \u201cAnd when you wear clothing that supports you, that fits you, that allows you to feel good, that offers a sense of confidence and then it\u2019s much easier to authentically connect with other people in the service of belonging.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimers__after_content mb-[18px] mt-[16px] pt-[16px]\">\n<div class=\"outline-earmark relative mt-[8px] pt-[10px] pl-[20px]\">\n<p>\n            Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Showing up to any social event\u2014a wedding, work happy hour, or Sunday brunch\u2014wearing the exact same thing as someone else is typically considered a faux pas. But attend any Pure Barre class on a weekday afternoon, and odds are you\u2019ll find a handful of middle-aged women sporting the same lululemon top. Drop by a reformer &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9600","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9600"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9600\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}