The summertime brings hot and uncomfortable weather. Some of the materials you have in the winter are too heavy and designed to keep the heat in. While flowing dresses and lightweight linens are a great choice, the right sportswear can make you comfortable, cool, and sweat-free all summer.
Activewear is typically stretchy and has a range of other perks designed for those who are going to be active and sweat. By choosing the right activewear (outside of regular cotton legging and a t-shirt), you might find this summer much easier to deal with - along with some healthier food options and plenty of water.
Is cotton the best summertime wear?
Cotton has a range of skin-friendly benefits; it might not be the best option for you throughout the summer.
Let’s say you have to run errands all day, it’s already hot at 6 am, and you have a day filled with school drop-off and pick-up, groceries, picking up the gifts for a party at the weekend - and that’s just the start of it.
Those cotton clothes, even if they are leggings and a tank top, will go through a lot. One of the downsides of using cotton clothing for very hot days is that it isn’t moisture-wicking. Cotton holds onto the sweat and keeps it close to the skin.
Suppose the cotton clothing happens to be damp but also isn’t well fitted. In that case, it can cause heat rash, rub the skin and be generally uncomfortable. Shop active clothing that is made with some of the suggested materials below to avoid this.
So how do you choose the right sportswear?
Photo byClaudio Schwarz onUnsplash
Fit
Depending on your confidence levels, you might often choose clothing that isn’t well-fitting, which will mean you might be uncomfortable throughout the day. In the heat, as you perspire, you are more likely to have an issue with chaffing and becoming uncomfortable.
Sportswear is designed from fabrics that offer some stretch but are mostly tightly fitted to the body. This means you can move comfortably and are less likely to have chaffing.
Versatility
No matter what you are doing, there are colours and fabrics to complement your day. The softer fabrics that are designed for busy days but just as easy are ideal for yoga and can be quickly layered, and are versatile enough to last your whole day.
To make your wardrobe even more versatile, try to choose colours that work well together, so when you need to leave at speed, you can put on what you need and head out for your day.
For the base layer, try to choose a moisture-wicking layer so that any sweat is moved away from the skin. For areas where the evenings get a little bit chilly, a looser cotton jumper is great.
Comfort
If you struggle to feel comfortable in the heat, the last thing you need is material that isn’t soft and comfortable. Fabrics that are made up of plastics or have any rubber aren’t breathable, which means that you will sweat a little bit more than usual, and it will not be able to escape the body.
These types of materials also increase your body temperature, causing you to sweat more and become more easily dehydrated. Choose lightweight fabrics that mention they are breathable in the description.
Wicking
You might’ve seen the words moisture-wicking on some clothing descriptions. What that means is when you sweat, the moisture you produce will be taken away from the body. There is nothing worse than having to wear sweat-soaked clothing all day when you are busy and have things to do.
Moisture-wicking fabrics work in two ways. The first is that they quickly move moisture away from the body, which is the wicking part. The second part of the process is that the outer surface of the fabric dries quickly so that the wearer never gets wet and the fabric doesn’t become saturated.
Anti-odor
If you are prone to sweating a lot, but you know you won’t be able to head home to change your clothing until the evening, it is best to choose a fabric that is anti-odour. While sweat itself doesn’t smell, it doesn’t take long for multiple layers of sweat to happen. Our sweat feeds our skin bacteria, which rubs back onto our clothing - this is what causes the smell.
Gym clothing often comes with other benefits, too, like being antibacterial, ultra-breathable, and support areas. Performance activewear often has a combination of the above great features.
And those are just a few reasons that sportswear makes the ideal summertime clothing! Of course, once you have your activewear on, you might as well fit in a workout too!
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