What to Wear to Reformer Pilates: A UK First-Class Guide

For reformer Pilates, wear fitted stretch leggings or bike shorts, a close-fitting top and grip socks. That combination keeps fabric away from the springs and straps, stays in place when you're lying back with your legs in the air, and lets your instructor see how your body is moving. Anything loose, zipped, buckled or dangling is the thing to leave at home.

None of it needs to be expensive. A pair of leggings you'd wear to the gym will do, and the one item you might have to buy is a set of grip socks.

The short version

• Bottoms: high-waisted, opaque, stretchy leggings or bike shorts that sit flat against the skin.
• Top: a fitted t-shirt, vest or crop top that doesn't fall when you tip your hips over your head.
• Feet: grip socks, not bare feet, and not plain gym socks.
• Leave off: jewellery, zips, belts, watches and loose cords.
• Bring: hair tie, water, and a layer you can peel off.

Why fitted clothes matter on a reformer

A reformer isn't a mat. You're lying, kneeling and sometimes standing on a carriage that slides on rails, with springs underneath and straps or ropes hanging above. The kit rules are mostly about those moving parts.

Loose clothing causes three problems. Baggy tops slide up over your ribs when you lie back with your legs raised, and in moves where your hips go over your head (an instructor will call these inversions) a loose t-shirt drops straight onto your face. Wide trouser legs and long drawstrings can catch on spring hooks or in the straps. And fabric that hangs hides what your pelvis and lower back are doing, so an instructor can't tell whether you're tucking, arching or twisting.

The fix is simple: choose clothes that stay where you put them.

What to wear on your bottom half

Leggings or bike shorts are the standard, and they should be opaque. Squat in them in front of a mirror before you leave the house; fabric that goes sheer when stretched is a bad bet for a class built around lunges and leg lifts.

Go for a waistband that stays up without rolling. A wide, high waistband is more comfortable than a thin one when you're lying flat for a whole hour, and it won't dig in the way a drawstring or a hard button does. Flat seams matter more than people expect, since you spend a lot of the class on your back with your weight on the carriage pad.

Capri length or full length both work. Shorts are fine if they're fitted; fitted means bike shorts, not running shorts with a wide leg that rides up and leaves you rearranging yourself every few minutes.

What to wear on top

A fitted tee, a vest or a sports-bra-and-tank combination all work. What you want is a top that stays tucked at the hem, or long enough to stay down without being loose.

A few cues:

• Looser crop tops and flowy tanks tend to fall forwards during bridging and leg circles. If you like a loose look, wear a fitted layer underneath.
• Skip tops with big graphics or hard embellishments; they can press into your back against the carriage pad.
• Choose a bra with real support for the movements you'll be doing, but avoid hard clasps or wires that dig in when you're flat on your back. A flat, seam-light back panel is more comfortable.

Grip socks: the one thing worth buying

Most reformer studios ask you to wear grip socks, and some won't let you take part in a class without them. Policies vary, so check the studio's page or ask at booking. We can't speak for any particular studio, but the reason is easy to understand.

Your feet are on a footbar, a carriage and sometimes a sprung platform for most of the class. Bare feet slip when they sweat. Ordinary socks are slipperier still, since the fabric glides on the metal and vinyl. Grip socks have small rubberised dots or patches on the sole that stop your feet sliding when you push the carriage away, and they keep your toes a little cleaner on equipment lots of people share.

For a regular habit, a multipack is cheaper than buying one pair at a time from a studio desk. The Gendewiner non-slip grip socks come as three pairs for £6.99 at the time of writing, which works out at around £2.30 a pair.

Check price on Amazon£6.99

Fit matters. Choose a pair that fits snugly around the arch and heel without bunching at the toes; a sock that creeps down inside your foot defeats the purpose.

What not to wear

Some of these are about your comfort, and some are about the studio's equipment.

• Zips, buckles and metal hardware. They dig in when you're lying down, and they can scratch the vinyl on the carriage and the footbar.
• Jewellery. Rings, bracelets, watches and long necklaces can catch on springs and straps or mark the equipment. Take them off and leave them at home or in a locker.
• Baggy shorts and wide-legged trousers. They ride up in leg-in-strap work and snag on moving parts.
• Belts, drawstrings and dangling cords. Anything that hangs can end up in a spring.
• Heavy hoodies and puffer layers. You can't tell what your back is doing through them, and you'll overheat.
• Perfume. Studios are small and often warm, so skip strong scents.
• Shoes. Reformer classes are done in socks, so there's nothing to wear on your feet beyond that.

Hair, nails and the small stuff

Tie long hair back with a soft band rather than a clip. A hard claw clip digs into your skull when you lie down, and hair left loose can get caught in the headrest or the straps. A low ponytail or a plait is usually more comfortable on a reformer than a high bun, since you'll be lying on your back for most of the session.

Keep toenails trimmed if you're wearing grip socks, as long nails wear through the toe. And leave any hand cream off: greasy palms slip on the footbar and the handles.

Heated studios and layers

Some studios keep the room warm and a few advertise heated classes. We can't tell you which is which, so read the class description. The usual advice holds either way: wear a fitted base layer and add something thin on top that you can remove without fuss, such as a zip-free cropped sweatshirt or a light long-sleeve. Pack a warm layer for afterwards, since your body temperature drops quickly once you stop moving.

In a warm room, choose moisture-wicking synthetic fabrics or a technical blend over heavy cotton, which stays damp. Bring a water bottle either way.

What men should wear

The brief is the same. Men tend to turn up in loose gym shorts and an oversized tee, and both cause trouble: the shorts ride up in leg-in-strap exercises and the tee drops in inversions. Go for compression shorts or joggers with a tapered ankle, plus a fitted t-shirt or vest, and grip socks like everyone else.

Reformer Pilates isn't a niche for women only, though a lot of coverage assumes it is. The exercises are the same whoever's doing them; our reformer Pilates exercises guide walks through the seven moves most classes use.

First-class checklist

Before you leave the house:

1. Fitted, opaque leggings or bike shorts, tried on and squatted in.
2. A fitted top that stays put when you lie back.
3. Grip socks, in your bag even if the studio sells them.
4. Hair tie, with no hard clips.
5. Jewellery and watch off.
6. A water bottle and a spare layer.

Arrive 10 minutes early. That gives you time to change, set up your machine with the instructor, and mention any injuries or pregnancy before the class starts. If you're new, say so: the instructor will usually adjust the springs and show you the basics, and there's no benefit in guessing.

Does it need to be Pilates-specific kit?

No. Nothing about a reformer class requires branded Pilates clothing, and the fabric matters more than the label. Anything in your wardrobe that is fitted, stretchy and flat-seamed does the job. The only Pilates-specific item is the sock.

If you're weighing up whether regular classes are worth it, the cost is the usual stumbling block, and we've explained why reformer Pilates is so expensive. It's also worth reading the evidence on whether reformer Pilates builds muscle before you commit. A randomised trial of 47 sedentary women who did reformer Pilates three times a week for 8 weeks found improvements in handgrip strength, trunk endurance and muscle mass compared with a control group (Scientific Reports, 2025). It was a small, short study, so treat it as encouraging rather than conclusive. The NHS also lists Pilates as one of the muscle-strengthening activities adults should do at least 2 days a week (NHS physical activity guidelines).

If you decide to practise at home, our best Pilates reformer UK guide compares the machines, and the same clothing rules apply on a home model.

Recommended reads

• Reformer Pilates exercises for beginners
• Does reformer Pilates build muscle?
• Why is reformer Pilates so expensive?
• The best Pilates reformers in the UK