Sports Apparel

How to choose activewear that works

Most activewear disappoints for the same few reasons, and all of them are checkable before buying.

• High waist, always. A high waistband stays put through bending, lunging and lifting. Mid-rise rolls down on most body shapes and you'll spend the session adjusting it.
• Double-layer shorts, an inner liner under an outer short, stop riding up and chafing on longer sessions. The single most useful feature for running and distance walking.
• Check the fabric is opaque under stretch. Heavier fabrics and darker colours are safer; the squat test in front of a mirror settles it.
• Avoid cotton for anything sweaty. It absorbs and holds moisture, staying cold and heavy. Technical blends move it away from the skin.
• Pockets change how usable a piece is: a phone pocket in a waistband means you can run without carrying anything.

Choosing for the activity

Yoga and Pilates

Soft, seamless, high-waisted with a wide band that won't roll during inversions. Comfort and stretch matter more than compression, and you want something that stays put when you're upside down.

Running

Moisture-wicking, light, with a secure waistband and ideally a pocket. Double-layer shorts prevent chafing; flat seams prevent rubbing over distance.

Gym and weights

More compression, opaque fabric, and something that doesn't shift when you're on a bench or the floor.

Walking and everyday

Comfort over performance. Quick-dry tops are useful in British weather regardless of intensity, because you'll get rained on.

How to layer for outdoor exercise

Exercising outdoors here means starting cold and finishing warm, often in rain.

• Base: a technical tee or long-sleeve that moves moisture. Never cotton. It holds sweat and chills you when you stop.
• Mid: a light fleece or long-sleeve, removed once you warm up
• Outer: a lightweight wind or rain jacket that packs small enough to tie round your waist

Dress for about ten minutes into the session, not for how it feels at the door. You'll be considerably warmer once moving.

How to wash activewear so it doesn't smell

Technical fabrics hold odour in a way cotton doesn't, and the usual fixes make it worse.

• Wash after every session, and don't leave damp kit in a bag. That's where the bacteria causing persistent odour establish themselves
• Never use fabric conditioner. It coats technical fibres, traps bacteria and destroys the moisture-wicking finish. This is the most common cause of activewear that smells even after washing
• Cold wash, inside out, on a gentle cycle
• Don't overload the machine: technical fabrics need water flow to rinse properly
• Never tumble dry. Heat destroys elastane permanently and is why leggings lose their shape
• For established odour, soak in a solution of white vinegar and cold water for an hour before washing

How long should activewear last

With regular use and correct washing, around a year to eighteen months before elastane fatigues. Signs it's finished: the waistband no longer holds, fabric has thinned and gone sheer where it didn't before, or odour won't wash out. Rotating three sets makes a substantial difference, because elastane recovers with rest.