In honor of teaching my VERY FIRST yoga class at Y2 Yoga today, I thought it would be fun to do a post about my “must haves” for yoga. These are the clothes and accessories that always go to class with me.
First up, the most important accessory – the mat.
The Manduka Black Mat Pro. This mat is on the pricey side but worth it’s weight in gold. It’s thick, grippy and extremely high quality. If you invest in this mat you can be sure that it will last for a very long time. I asked for this for my birthday last year! 🙂 (Note, Manduka makes other mats that are not quite as thick and a little less expensive!)
Next up, Yogitoes mat towels. I think we own like six of these!
Yogitoes towels are made to cover your mat to prevent your hands and feet from slipping. They are very absorbent and the rubber nubs underneath keep it in place on your mat. Yogitoes are especially beneficial in hot yoga classes when you are heavily sweating.
Tip: they work much better when slightly damp so you’ll either want to wait until you are sweaty to put it down or most hot yoga studios have spray water bottles so you can wet the area where your hands and feet go before class.
Tip 2: they get smelly, even after washing them (gross, I know). One way to combat this is to wash them separately from your other clothes and add vinegar and baking soda into the wash.
My most favorite yoga pants.
Lululemon Wunder Under Crops. I like to wear crops for hot yoga so that my arms don’t slip on my legs. These are the most comfortable pair that I own! I wash them over and over again and they maintain their shape and quality. Also, the wide waist band doesn’t cut into you and is very flattering!
And to go with the pants…my favorite top.
Lululemon Power Y Tank. I have this in four different colors and wear it all the time for yoga, running and teaching classes. My favorite things about this tank are the longer length and the built-in bra with removable cups. Perfect to avoid showing “headlights” and to add some shape for those of us who are lacking in the shape department! 🙂
To keep the hair out of my face and the sweat out of my eyes, the best headband I’ve found!
Sweaty Bands. I picked one of these up at the Marine Corps Marathon Expo and it quickly became my favorite headband. They are grosgrain ribbon on the outside and velvet on the inside. They have tons of cute designs. My favorite thing about Sweaty Bands is that they do not move!
Most studios will have blocks but if you have a home practice or are a germaphobe, you may want to purchase you’re own.
Blocks are extremely useful for bringing the ground closer to you. There are so many poses where using a block can make all the difference in alignment and your comfort. Never be ashamed of using a block in a class! Form always comes first!
What are your must have yoga accessories?
It just so happens that Gilt is having a “Fit Sale” Thursday. They are offering great deals on yoga clothes and accessories (including Manduka mats!). They are also featuring deals on tons of running shoes. The sale starts at noon. Check it out!
Love this post! I had an amazing practice this morning with a Lululemon ambassador here in Houston. Thought of you! 🙂 I’ll have to check out that Fit Sale! Thanks!
An amazing yoga practice is THE best way to start the day! 😀
Quick question about the lulu lemon top – do you wear an extra sports bra underneath it when you run for additional support? Thanks for the tips on the sales tomorrow!! I desperately need new workout clothes as I slugged through body pump and combat classes in a “holey” pants (2 holes!!)
Hi Phoebe – I do not wear an extra sports bra under any of my lululemon tops with built-in bras. I find the built-in support to be adequate and I also don’t have much to hold up!!! 😉
The wunder under are my FAV! But my fiance on the other hand, he gives me crap because I wear them so much!
I definitely need to find a mat that won’t make me slip. I have a pilates mat and it definitely does not do the trick.
And I would definitely buy some lululemon if I could afford it. Do they have sales often?
Lululemon doesn’t really have a lot of sales in the traditional sense but they do have a section of their site called “We made too much” where you can get things at a discounted price. Also, they have outlets where you can get really good deals. Unfortunately, we don’t have one close by!!!
I was looking to buy my third Yogitoes towel this week, but under guidance of one of my instructors, I bought a Manduka Equa towel instead. It doesn’t have the grippy beading on the bottom, and so I thought it would be abysmal, but he recommended it very highly, and it was 20$ less expensive, so I thought I would try it out.
I love it.
I find that, while the Yogitoes towels do need to be a bit damp to be grippy, if you’ve sweated buckets into it, your hands will slide. The Manduka towel gets grippier and grippier the wetter it gets, and I find it’s much more absorbant. Since it doesn’t have the beading, I find myself having to pick up my feet more instead of dragging them, which is probably, in the end, a good thing.
Have you tried the Manduka towel? If not, I highly recommend testing it out. The colours aren’t as fun though.
Hi Sydney – I actually own a Manduka Equa towel. While I do still prefer my Yogitoes over my Equa towel, I think the Equa towel works great and the price tag is better than the Yogitoes!
Yeah – I may just be in the honeymoon phase, haha.
But you’ve definitely sparked a serious Lulu craving in me. The past year I was on an “all black yoga gear” kick, but now with spring finally rearing its head in Canada, I’m wanting some colour in my practice (and life – come on flora!). Probably going to stop by tonight…
I always gravitate towards all black too. It’s just so easy! But I do love Lulu’s fun colors so I usually stick with black bottoms and add some color with a bright top! What a fun statement about adding some color to your practice. Love it! 🙂
I have the mat and the clothes, but I have yet to try the towel. I know it would make a difference because I always feel like I’m slipping on my mat during class. They are expensive, but I know it would be worth it.
Yogitoes are totally worth it! I always order mine from Amazon and they’re much cheaper than buying them from a studio!!!
Great post! I need to check out Gilt today, for sure! 🙂 Have you ever tried The Mat from Lululemon? I have it and I LOVE it. The crazy thing about it is, the sweatier your hands get, the more grip it has! I have used it in hot yoga with no towel underneath and it worked great. No slipping. I did have to wipe some puddles away a couple of times, but otherwise, it worked like a charm. The only thing is, its not very cushy. Just curious to know if you’ve used it and how it compares to the Manduka.
Jessica – I haven’t tried the lululemon mat but I’ve heard really good things about it! Maybe I can test one out and do a side-by-side comparison sometime! 🙂
Jen- thanks for the post- great advice. so you WOULD recommend the tank for running as well??
Maia – I do wear the tank for running too!
Great post! Thanks for the advice.
I too LOVE the wunder under crop. Hands down my favorite work-out pant of all time!
And, I just got my first sweaty band this week (as a birthday gift from my sister) and I don’t think I’ve taken it off all week! Well, except for sleeping…;)
Great picks!
lol @ the “headlights” quip…*always* struggling with that. 😉 i may need to check out that top! thanks for this info – even though i’m not a yogi, i’m always on the lookout for quality general workout gear like headbands and comfortable, functional clothes!
You should definitely check out the Asheville showroom! 🙂 Most of their tops have the built in removable pads. LOVE IT!
I wish I had less boobage. I love all the lulu tops, but as a busty woman there is no way I could wear them without an additional sports bra underneath and unfortunately they are all racer back. Not so good for us girls who need a real sports bra…sigh.
I splurged on 2 pairs of lulu pants and love them! While expensive they are well made and feel like they will last.
Thanks for your suggestions.
I hear you, Erin! 🙁 On a related note, have you tried the TaTa Tamer sports bra that they make? I’ve heard amazing things. (Haven’t tried it because I, sadly, don’t have the need.)
So glad you like your pants! They are the best and do last forever and through many washings!
I have not tried that one. I will have to check it out. I wear an Enell sports bra for running and love it in that it hold everything in place, but I would love something a little prettier:) And if it works with their cute tops then I just might have to splurge again!
Just found your site and am hooked already! 🙂 I just got into yoga last year and love it. I have never tried any Lululemon items but they are on my wishlist. 🙂 Congrats on finishing your yoga training and on landing such a great position! 🙂
Ooh! And for the sweaty bands, do you use the thin or thick bands?
Thick!
And thanks for the nice words about my blog. SO happy you found me! 😀
Love sweaty bands and all things Lululemon! My Lululemon “want” list is getting so long. I really need a 2nd job to pay for everything. But you can’t beat their quality!
Haha…I can relate. We were joking in teacher training that it’s fun to go on their site and pick out a bunch of cute new workout clothes and then just exit out! A girl can dream! 😉
GOOD LUCK! you will be awesome! 🙂
This is so what I needed!!
I’ve recently started doing more yoga and have wondered what people prefer for yoga equipment (mat, towel, clothes, etc.). I’m am definitely going to be checking these items out!!
Awesome Michelle! So happy I could help. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am happy to offer my advice/opinion! 😛
All my favorites too! Sweaty Bands are the best 🙂
I agree wunder under crops and the power y tank are so great. I didn’t see the hype until I got some of my own and they are truly my favorite workout wear.
Wunder Under Crops are my favorites too! I’m slightly addicted to them 😛 The Power Y Tank is such a great staple too, I end up wearing mine for other non-yoga endeavors a lot of times.
Maybe you can answer this in another post but… is there a way to clean yoga mats? I have no idea! I have one but have never cleaned it. Do you keep cleaner at home or something?
Maybe I am out of the loop on this 🙁
I have been doing yoga for YEARS and have never known all the goodies you just mentioned. I am def getting that Mat!! and the tank. I have tried other sweat bands in the past and they always slip off my head so I may give the ones you suggest a try.
My favorite mat is from Jade yoga. I like that they offer extra long mats too.
Have you ever worn a Bondi Band? I like the width of their bands because I have layers of curls, and the inside of their heavier bands has sweat wicking material on the inside. During shavasana at the end of class, I pull it down over my eyes and ears to help block out the world. They are great for running outside and keeping the wind out of your ears and the headphones in your ears. If you want to try one, get a coupon code off of digitalrunning.com