▷ Best Clothing for Meditation (2024 Update)

Best Clothing for Meditation

By Dave Michaelson / November 18, 2021
Best Clothing for Meditation

If you turn to meditation to maintain your mindful existence, you have probably run into wardrobe malfunctions that distract you from the centering and grounding experience that meditation offers.

Your meditation clothing is an important consideration to keep you focused and comfortable. Here are our top choices for clothing for meditation.

Product

Best for

Rating

Short term use

Beginners who don’t want to spend a lot

Active people outside meditation

Shorter people

Overall meditation use

Is There Specific Meditation Clothing?

The short answer is meditation clothing is whatever you make it. But you don’t need traditional Buddhist meditation robes to have an empowering and relaxing meditation experience. Meditation clothing can include loose-fitting pants and shirts, robes or draping clothing, or even regular athletic wear.

What to Look for in Meditation Clothing

The challenge lies in finding quality garments that don’t restrict your movement or focus on fashion first. Fit and breathability are priorities, while eye-catching prints and styles are secondary.

Still, your meditation wear should be clothing that you enjoy wearing, so that you aren’t distracted by colors or patterns that detract from meditation as a relaxing inner experience. 

Comfort

Odds are you don’t plan to meditate standing up or lying down, but rather in a seated position. Forget your favorite pair of jeans that are only comfortable when you’re vertical. You need relaxed fabric pants and tops that allow your limbs to move freely and let you breathe deeply.

Breathability

Cotton is the best choice for breathable fabric that’s also closest to nature, but many artificial fabrics also have moisture wicking properties that keep you cool.

Fit

A loose fit will work best for moving around in a seated position, but it’s also important to size your clothing correctly to avoid sagging or extra fabric dragging when you move.

Style

According to color psychology, “cool” colors like blue, purple, and green feel calming to many people (VeryWell). Still, choosing clothing in your favorite color or a pattern that’s pleasing to your eye will benefit your meditation session more than the latest research will.

Advantages to Meditation Clothing

Because meditation is an intensely personal experience, it’s possible that the clothing you wear will not affect your mental movements. But for many people, rough fabric, loose threads, and restrictive clothing can impede their meditation work.

An advantage to wearing meditation-specific clothing is that you’re choosing clothing that accommodates your specific activity. When you put on these clothes, you’re sending a message to your subconscious that it’s time for serious inner work.

While putting on your favorite jeans might send their own message, your meditation clothing refocuses your concentration and gets you in the right mental space to relax and breathe.

Product

Best for

Rating

Short term use

Beginners who don’t want to spend a lot

Active people outside meditation

Shorter people

Overall meditation use

The Best Clothes for Meditation

Here are our top five picks for the best pants for meditation.

A traditional Thai trouser worn by both men and women, these pants are 100 percent cotton and adjust to fit a range of sizes. Hand-dyed fabrics lend authenticity, and the minimalist design means no zippers or buttons to impede your movement.

These suit multiple wearers and depending on height fall as Capri pants or shorts. They come with a diagram on how to tie so you can find your perfect fit.

Pros:
  • Pure cotton flexes without bunching
  • Lightweight adjustable fit
Cons:
  • Short Capri-length style so not suitable for all seasons
  • Must wash separately on first few washes due to natural dye runoff

These fold-over trouser pants are mostly cotton, with the top panel of fabric originating from Thailand. They hold up well to machine washing but plan on line-drying for longevity.

The fabric is lightweight and lets your skin breathe without catching. An adjustable waist fit but one-size length means these fit as pants for some people but hit at mid-calf for others.

Pros:
  • Inexpensive introductory option
  • Features a small pocket
Cons:
  • Capri-length or shorts fit for taller wearers but pants-length for shorter wearers
  • Fabric feels rough for the first few wears, even after washing

Flexible and forgiving yoga-style harem pants use modal, a fiber that comes from beech trees, and spandex for an accommodating fit. Tons of color options let you choose what’s most soothing and relaxing to you. Sizing does seem to run small, so keep that in mind when ordering, although the pants are meant to suit sizes zero through US 26.

Pros:
  • Modal and spandex are soft and stretchy
  • Full coverage pants for all seasons
  • Slip-on elastic waist without zippers or buttons
Cons:
  • Sized to suit at the waist, but length options are limited
  • Fabric doesn’t allow for much airflow

Traditional prints in cotton fabric with a baggy harem fit transition from meditation session to loungewear. The unisex print and one-size fit cater to waists between 26 and 40 inches.

The overall length is 39 inches with an inseam of 32 inches, so people who are very tall will have limited fit options. These are lightweight pants for mediation that have an authentic feel.

Pros:
  • 100 percent cotton
  • Drawstring closure for adjustable fit
Cons:
  • Length is a 32-inch inseam with no custom option
  • Material can pill if using a conventional clothes dryer; best to line-dry

Elastic-waist pants in the harem style offer unisex style and fit options. 100 percent cotton material and a waist drawstring with wood beads add to the bohemian style.

The manufacturer notes that these are ethically sourced garments from Northern Thailand using only cotton from that region. While hand-washing is best, these pants will hold up to machine washing on a delicate cycle.

Pros:
  • Range of sizing and color options
  • Side pockets
Cons:
  • May feel rough after first few washings
  • Inconsistencies with length when ordering multiple pairs

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a light and breathable meditation pant with multiple options for style and color, Wnnthaishop’s cotton pants are your best bet. Individual sizing to fit each wearer helps reduce the likelihood of baggy or too-tight fit. Hoerev’s modal spandex pants’ thicker fabric has more stretch, but the positioning elastic is better for activities that require a lot of movement

For people of a specific height or with a certain inseam, Jing Shop’s harem pants are a colorful and comfortable option, but the limited sizing stops me from recommending them to all wearers.

Siam Thailand’s trousers might be a good entry-level option to fit all sizes, but the fact that the dye bleeds through multiple washes makes them difficult to live with. The Mr. Bangkok version of trousers win my vote for the best value for the money since the roughness of the fabric justifies the low price.

Meta Description:

Finding the most comfortable and wearer-friendly meditation clothing guarantees a relaxing meditation session where you can focus on inner calm and reflection instead of your activewear.

About the author

Dave Michaelson

If he could describe himself with one word alone, Dave Michaelson’s would be “committed.” He leaves it up to the observer whether that is an adjective or a verb. What he is unwavering on is his belief that health begins at the home and in the heart. His articles reflect that, whether they are about food, do-it-yourself, or mindfulness and meditation.

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