Ever wondered why it feels so good to dress like your gym buddies?
Experts unpack the interesting rationale behind workout uniforms.
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But that doesnt explain why we dont just tend to dress like the people we work out with.
(Like how nurses tend togravitate toward Hokas or Danskos for their long shifts.)
Its a balancing act, she says.
CEO of activewear company MPG
We love dress codes, because they can give us a framework of how to be.
We want to be similar, but we also want to be unique.
People like to get into a certain frame of mind when theyre working out, says Forbes-Bell.
Uniforms allow us to step into different parts of our identity.
It symbolizes community, camaraderie, loyalty, togetherness.
And when you go into a yoga class, theres not a lot of conversation.
I was looking to see what everyone else was wearing, she says.
New people come in and theyre shy, she says.
AtLift Societyin Los Angeles, for instance, nearly everyone wears Vans or Converse, says co-founderDylan Davies.
CEO of activewear company MPG
Humans are social creatures, so we use clothes as a way to communicate belonging.
In our business, thats table stakes, he says.
You have to have that in your product in order for people to even buy it.
The idea that we might embody the meanings we ascribe to clothes is known as enclothed cognition.
I must work harder, I must put in the effort and I must enjoy it.
It essentially changes your behavior.
[Companies] dont sell clothes, they sell ideas, they sell lifestyles, says Forbes-Bell.
Modha says MPG has found lots of success at studios where the instructors are already wearing the brand.
Of course, your clothes cantactuallymake you faster, or stronger, or change who you are.
Except theres something missing in terms of the sense of belief about themselves.
Because it easily could.
The athletic wear industry is alsoplagued with size inclusivity issuesdespite increased demandfor products made for larger bodies.
As much as it may foster connection for some, the workout uniform can just as easily foster exclusion.
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