Bright activewear could do more than make a fashion statement. Experts explain how colour may help boost confidence, motivation and enjoyment during exercise
When it comes to fitness wear, my wardrobe is full of all sorts of different gear; old running shorts, leggings, padel dresses and tops. Whilst varied in design and material, the one thing they all have in common is that they are black. And I’m sure I’m not the only one as black ticks all the boxes for gym wear – it’s classic and timeless, flattering and, most importantly, helps hide sweat patches. That said, I now feel it’s time I gave my sportswear a glow up, in a bid to discover if what the colour experts say is true: bright workout clothes can boost your mood, energy and fitness goals.
Whilst I don’t dislike exercise anymore because I only participate in what I enjoy, I know only too well that nagging feeling of dread when I used to force myself out for a long run or spinning class. If you experience the latter, stepping out in some colourful fitness gear, rather than black, can inject a lot of fun into your choice of exercise according to fashion designer Victoria Carina https://thegenuinehuman.com/
“Colourful workout clothes can signal to the brain that this is “a joyful experience”, rather than a chore. It´s like dressing up for a special occasion that creates a sense of positive anticipation. “Dressing in colours that motivate and uplift you is where the workout mentally starts and often sets the tone for the actual exercise by reducing friction between intention and action.”
As for what colours to wear, Victoria suggests:
• Yellow > optimism and energy
• Orange > enthusiasm and motivation
• Pink > uplifting and playful
• Bright > calming effect
• Green > hope
Whilst the colour red may be too daring for some – I, for one don’t wear red lipstick because it doesn’t suit my skin tone and I also find it too garish – colour stylist David Zyla Home | David Zyla suggests giving it a go.
“Don’t be afraid to embrace the colour red, particularly if you are doing a high energy workout,” he explains.
“Exercise involves various levels of exertion. Therefore, a flattering shade of one’s personal “red” is a great choice for high energy exercise such as running or cardio dance. Red increases excitement, power, passion, vitality and energy. Hint: to discover your best version of “red” pinch your fingertip and match the shade of pink, burgundy or berry that you see.”
As for low energy exercise such as yoga or pilates, he points to cooler colours.
“When the objective of your exercise is to release physical tension and calm the nervous system consider a colour to wear that is supportive, light-handed and mellow. Try a dark skin tone, or a pastel of the palest colour found in your eye. The gentle spa-like connotations of these colours connect with the activity in a softer personal manner and support self-growth and harmony.”
Swap for a bit of pop
Another colour stylist Katie Kabel https://www.kabelstyles.com/about-katie agrees that swapping out your black clothes for a pop of colour is a great motivator for a high energy workout.
“Bright colours align with an authoritative and powerful presence and are an excellent choice to wear if you are doing a high aerobic workout or a dance class for example. Bold colours say “Here I am and I am ready to take charge!”
“With this is mind, wearing bright colours can give us that energy and confidence boost to find that inner competitive streak to get us to an exercise class.
“Colour is absolutely transformative and has a significant impact on our behaviour and emotions. This is why large corporations can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars into researching and choosing colour when creating logos, products, and packaging design. They know that colour impacts the bottom line because colour will influence consumer behaviour.
“It’s also why you don’t see professional sports teams utilizing smokey blue, dusty lavender, or sage green for team uniforms. Muted and or light colours don’t say “Look out here I come” like fire engine red, electric pink, or citrus orange do.”
Returning back to black…..Los Angeles wardrobe stylist and fashion director Kirsten Reader https://www.kirstenreader.com/ acknowledges that women default to the colour because “it feels safe.
“But the gym is exactly where you want to be seen — by yourself, in the mirror, making progress. Bright colour makes you visible to you. It turns exercise from something you hide inside into something you own.”
Fashion psychology
As for why she believes bright colour changes how a workout feels, she adds:
“There’s a term in fashion psychology called ‘enclothed cognition’ — the idea that what you wear literally changes how you think and perform. Put a woman in a bright coral sports bra instead of the standard black-leggings-black-top uniform and she stands differently before she’s taken a single step. Colour is a signal to your own brain: today matters, I showed up.
“Reds and oranges are activating — they raise energy and are brilliant for high-intensity training or race day. Yellows are pure optimism; I recommend them for anyone dragging themselves to a 6am run. Bright blues and greens are steadying — great for endurance work when you need to settle in rather than spike. If you’re new to colour, start small: trainers or a headband. Nobody ever regretted a hot pink shoe.
“The real performance benefit of colour isn’t a single workout — it’s that you come back. If your kit makes you feel good, getting dressed becomes the easiest part of showing up. And with any fitness routine, showing up is half the battle.”
