Scavenging through her closet, senior Izzy Biename searches for the perfect Lululemon set to wear for the grueling day of cross-country practice ahead. For Biename, like many athletes, outfits are more than just a fashion statement — they play a crucial role in how she feels at practice.
“It doesn’t necessarily affect me in a way that my times (get better), but it definitely affects my mood,” Biename said. “When I have to do my laundry, and I don’t have as cute of an outfit, I feel less motivated.”
Junior and dancer Arabella Guinle agrees and said comfortable sports clothes make a significant difference in her attitude during practice.
“Dancing in clothes that you’re comfortable in changes everything,” Guinle said. “It makes (it) easier to focus in class, and you’re not distracted by what you’re wearing. You know that you’re comfortable, and you’re able to move however you need to.”
Junior and gymnast Cara Augustine also said getting to choose clothing for competitions is a major pre-meet tradition for her.
“We get to choose our leotard with approval from our coach, so doing makeup or wearing a nice leotard makes me feel more confident in my performance because especially on (events) like floor you actually have to dance and perform, so it’s a big confidence thing,” Augustine said.
Biename said getting ready for meets with her teammates also helps team bonding and helps her feel confident and focused
“On the bus on the way to meets, my friend will typically do my hair, and I think that’s another method of expression,” Biename said. “We always have matching braids — that definitely improves my confidence and overall well-being and performance.”
Augustine said choosing outfits helps her feel collected and sets the tone for competitions.
“When I don’t get ready, I feel more tired,” Augustine said. “It’s kind of a pre-competition ritual, and there’s these set things that I do — I’ll listen to music, and it makes me feel like I’m getting ready to the fullest, and I’m fully prepared.”
However, for senior and cross country runner Katelyn Pegg, comfort plays a bigger role when choosing athletic wear for practice and races.
“I really prioritize comfort and being comfortable while running,” Pegg said. “Specifically, it’s really important because when I’m comfortable in my clothes, I feel like I can keep going,” Pegg said. “It helps my performance because I’m not worrying about if something is bothering me or if I’m trying to adjust something, so it takes away any aspect that could distract me from performing well.”
Similarly, Guinle said her dance costumes play into how ready she feels to perform on stage when it’s competition day.
“If you’re not wearing something you feel really confident in or comfortable in, you’re not going to dance as well,” Guinle said. “If you feel uncomfortable or something doesn’t fit you right, it really throws everything off.”
As a dancer, Guinle said choosing the clothes from the right brands is vital, as the fitting can help with performance.
“For costumes, we order from websites that specialize in dance costumes, so usually the material for dance costumes is either really stretchy or pretty tight fitting,” Guinle said. “It’s cut off at a certain point to where it’s not getting in the way or it’s too long.”
Additionally, Augustine said fashion trends don’t affect what she wears for gymnastics as practicality is essential to her sport because they order the outfits from specific places.
“A lot of times we try on a lot of leotards, and we’ll practice in them so I can make sure they really work,” Augustine said. “At this point we just have a specific brand that we always get our leotards from, and it just works well for us.”
Guinle said she thinks clothing affects her overall state of mind and is more than just an outfit.
“I definitely believe in ‘look good, feel good,’” Guinle said. “I really find a lot of joy in clothes and wearing stuff that I like. It puts me in a better mood when I’m wearing something that I feel good in.”
