Thread: Practice Outfit...

My teacher hasn't said anything specific on what to wear for classes, so I wanted to get an idea of what I need to practice in. What is most comfortable and best to help with this? I know I don't want to get anything that makes noise though. What do you all wear?

This is such a personal thing. Some people come to class dolled up in gypsy skirts and crop tops. Others wear funky pants (like Melodias or anything from Sharifwear.com). I personally just wear leggings, a sports bra (or athletic type tank top), and a hip scarf without coins. I'm fairly no-frills.

I do think you'll get the most bang for your buck, so to speak, if you wear form-fitting pants and tops. We're not talking 80's Jane Fonda gear, but anything you'd wear to yoga class is great. It's very important, especially at the beginning stages of your dance life, to let your teacher see exactly what your legs and feet are doing so s/he can correct any postural or alignment problems you might have.

If you don't want to make noise, there are plenty of hip scarves that have fringe only. (Many teachers and workshop instructors actually prefer these). I often get mine at Wal-Mart or TJMaxx for really cheap. All you need is some fringe and weight around your hips to help you feel the movement. Doesn't have to be too fancy!

Hey Sheryl!

The best practice clothing is breathable, movable and comfortable. Yoga or other workout pants work well on the bottom. Tank tops are good on top, or a sports bra with good support an coverage. You can buy all kinds of fancy dance tops (check out SharifWear, for starters), but basic workout gear works just as well. I typically dance barefoot, but if the floor is questionable or if we're doing lots of turns, I'll wear half-sole lyrical sandals, ghillies or ballet flats. Top it all off with a hip scarf--I've found nice, quite, fringey shawls at places like T.J. Maxx that are perfect and cheap.

Hi Sheryl,

Aww, I think it's so cute you're thinking about to wear. It's always the first thing I think of whenever I start something new -- what to wear? I usually wear black dance pants (got them on ebay for $22) and a tank or sports a bra or something similar. I bought some from Dancewear Solutions because they're inexpensive, comfortable and meant for dancing. Sometimes I wear a hip scarf, with or without coins. It depends on what everyone else wears, too, because in some classes the teachers talk a lot and it's impossible to hear him/her with too many people shimming their coins. But in regular classes, it's usually okay. Heck, I would say the hip scarf was my favorite part of being a beginner!

Depending on the studio floor, you might want to experiment with different footwear.

How exciting!

I tend to opt for fold-over or contrast-waist yoga pants, which highlight the hips and allow me to skip the hip scarf, with a tank top or sports bra.

Victoria's Secret usually has some good options for yoga pants. If you can catch them on sale like they are right now, they're a pretty good deal, and, in my experience, they wear well.

when i was learning at the gym, the teacher encouraged us to dress up and have fun so a lot of us wore skirts and fancy hip scarves and nice tops and we feel so very good about ourselves. then as i took more class i thought what a hassle and i switched to just pants and sports bra and realized that i was crap. from then i never wear anything nice for class or practice because it gives me illusion

why not just wear sport bra and pants and a t-shirt on top if you're not comfortable showing tummy? for shoes you may buy a pair of cheap ballet flats to start just to protect your feet.

enjoy the class!

Great! I was going to purchase something this weekend off the internet and wanted to get an idea. These will help me. We have a Walmart and TJ Max here, so I'll look for some scarves there that might work. Yay!!! I'm so excited...only three more weeks until my classes start up! I'll also go and look at some ballet slippers...not sure where we'll end up for class at this point. :)

Originally Posted by Ainsley

I tend to opt for fold-over or contrast-waist yoga pants, which highlight the hips and allow me to skip the hip scarf, with a tank top or sports bra.

Ditto. All you really need is something to form a horizontal line around your hips!

Just a note about ballet shoes, they're often a pain in the rear to fit. I tried on several before finding a pair I could live with. I would suggest you look at the store's return policy just in case they don't feel comfortable when you try them on at home. They might feel fine in the store but when you start dancing around in them, they might feel different.

I will also ad my 2 cents with saying that yoga pants or legging are the best if you are a begginer b/c with gypsy skirt, your teacher will not see you legs.

Qamar

yoga pants and a tank top from the local discount store clearance rack, something noiseless to tie around your waist, a supportive bra, water bottle & towel. that's all you need :) have a great time!

I like to buy my ballet shoes bigger than they recommend - for ballet, they should be super-tight, but you don't really need that for bellydancing, because no-one needs to see your perfect pointed arch! And cheapo will usually do - you don't need to splurge on fancy shmancy split soles or baby-kid leather.

No, I save all my money for splurging on super-expensive yoga-wear from Lululemon lululemon athletica, yoga-inspired athletic apparel. So many colorful tops and pants! And I just love the moisture-wicking qualities for hot sweaty classes.

I agree with the poster who said skip any type of skirt. I don't even allow them in my classes because as was previously mentioned, a teacher will not be able to see what your legs and feet are doing.

The great majority of my students do not feel comfortable showing their midriff, but it's helpful if they can at least wear a top that's close fitting. Sometimes in the winter they show up in these huge baggy sweatshirts, and I'll be darned if I can tell what they're doing under there.

Yoga pants, a tank top, and a hip scarf. Occasionally, I layer a Melodia top over the tank top. I have narrow shoulders and have a hard time keeping my bra straps from falling. Melodia tops have fixed that.

I like to wear clothes that allow me (and my teacher) to see what my body looks like. I don't want to cause any injuries just because my legs were hidden