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| Pictured: Benita Tank by Devi (Beebliss.com) |
A great yoga top will offer style and support in the yoga studio and in your life. When you have the right top, you can wear it for all kinds of athletic pursuits from running to dancing. Wear your top as a layering piece under a sweater, with dangly earrings and a great pair of jeans, and you’re ready for a trip to the coffee shop or even a night on the town. The possibilities are endless!
But with so many yoga clothing brands and styles out there, choosing just one new yoga top can be a daunting task. Here are a few things to think about before you begin your search.
1. Know Your Body. When you’re in the market for a new yoga top, you can save yourself a lot of time by knowing which parts of your body you want to emphasize and de-emphasize.
- Big chest. Look for supportive styles with thick straps and full coverage. If you’re busty, it’s important to take your top for a test drive in Downward Facing Dog and Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend). If the top holds you in and makes you feel comfortable in these poses it will probably work for you!
- Bigger in the middle. If you feel self-conscious about your tummy area, choose a style that emphasizes your smallest part (usually the ribcage underneath your bust) and floats away from the body as it approaches your waist.
- Small chest. If you have a small chest you’ve got an advantage in shopping for yoga tops. You can probably pull off light to medium supportive tops like spaghetti strap tanks or halter tops. But if you want your top and bottom half to look more balanced, try wearing a brighter colored top with a darker colored pair of pants, capris, or shorts.
No matter what your body type, look for a yoga top that will be long enough that you won’t feel exposed when you’re poses like Downward Facing Dog or Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend). There’s nothing more distracting than having to constantly tug at your top to make sure you’re not mooning the person on the mat behind you!
2. Know Your Colors. Yoga tops come in many different colors from basic to bright, so it’s important to find colors that match your skin tone and your personality. If you have a larger-than-life personality and love being the center of attention, you might feel comfortable in a bold color or print. However, if you want to get the most bang out of your buck, choosing a solid or neutral color might allow you wear your top more often or mix and match it in more ways.
3. Know Your Lifestyle. Are you planning to use your top just for yoga? Or do you want a piece you can use for other activities, too? If you want your top to double as a running top, you’ll want to find one with wide straps and a supportive built-in bra. If you want to wear it out on the town, to the grocery store, or other day-to-day tasks the appearance of your top might be as important as the functionality.
What are your tips for finding the perfect yoga top? Comment below!
Definitely a cleavage check before purchase! I like long cotton(and/or cotton blend) tops with a racer back so I can wear them all day and don't have to change for an evening class. And they layer well in cooler months. I've nearly given up on finding a good yoga top with built in support which is also long enough to keep my belly covered. I have a couple of Be present tanks which are my favs right now and still look great after repeated washings.
something that will cover my bee-hind in downward facing dog! im quite new to yoga (what have i been doing for the last 21 yrs without it??) and i figured that one out raaather rapid. something thats gunna rise and reveal as they say is a defo nono. im in ireland so no specific yoga clothing companies here, so im doing the best with what i have to be honest!finding the perfect outfit is quite challenging! wonder if anyone has it perfect?? tips if you do 🙂 xxx
I really want a good yoga top. I am a man and at home I practice topless (like Mr. Iyengar). At class I quite often wear a "Mr Lazy" t-shirt. This results in my teacher sometimes calling me "Mr. Lazy"! I am still looking for something that has a nice Yoga theme. Also, I wonder what people think about fabrics. The books say wear natural fibres, but when you get sweaty, cotton tends to stay wet … (bad_yogi)
@Counterforce,
I laughed out loud when I read your comment! Mr. Lazy. Classic! I'm not a huge fan of practicing in cotton for the reasons you've mentioned. Some cotton clothes get weighed down and misshapen when they get all sweaty. I prefer supplex. Some earth-friendly recycled fabrics that work just as well.
Thanks for that, SpoiledYogi. Supplex t-shirt will be on my Christmas list!
Definitely, this article contains a rich information and very helpful for selecting clothes for yoga. Yoga clothes are one of the accessories required for practicing yoga exercise. Yoga clothes should be comfortable and you also need to consider a lot of things before buying any yoga clothes.
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I am looking for a top that has a higher neckline. I've had a mastectomey and wear a prosthesis — the store where I order bras doesn't have a good sports bra, so I have to wear my special bra under the tops I choose. I haven't found anything that works yet, so I combine several — uncomfortable!