Aerial Arts Clothing: A Practical Guide for Students and Studios

Aerial arts clothing follows a different logic than yoga or pilates wear. Coverage is dictated by the apparatus, not the temperature. Fabric weight is dictated by grip, not by aesthetics. This guide breaks down how aerial students and studio owners think about clothing, and what actually sells in studio shops.

The Coverage Rules Every Aerial Student Learns Fast

Walk into any silks studio in the country and you will see the same uniform pattern: full-length leggings, a fitted long-sleeve top or a fitted tank with a rashguard layered underneath, hair tied back, no jewelry.

The reason is mechanical. Silks wrap the armpits in straddle backs and beats. Lyra digs into the waist and the hollow of the knee. Hammock wraps the whole torso. Bare skin in any of those contact points means rope burn, pinching, or worse.

The exception is pole, which inverts the rule. Pole grip works through skin friction, so the contact points need to be bare. That means fitted shorts and a sports bra are standard, with longer pants reserved for floorwork or warm-up.

If a studio runs both pole and silks classes, students keep two separate kits. One wardrobe does not cross over.

Tops, Bottoms, and Warm-Up Layers

The core aerial wardrobe breaks down into four pieces:

Performance tops: A fitted tank or long-sleeve top in a polyester-spandex blend. Look for flatlock seams (raised seams chafe in inversions) and a hem that stays put when you go upside down. A printed studio logo on the chest or back identifies the wearer without restricting movement.

Leggings: Full-length, mid- to high-waist, in a nylon-spandex blend. Cropped or capri leggings leave the backs of the knees exposed and disqualify themselves from most classes.

Layering pieces: A lightweight long-sleeve under a fitted tank gives you full coverage on the apparatus without overheating. This is the most copied trick in aerial wardrobing.

Warm-up apparel: A heavyweight studio hoodie or crewneck sweatshirt for the first ten minutes of class and the last fifteen. Aerial students cool down quickly after the inverted work, and warm-up layers are the second-most-requested item in studio shops after fitted tanks.

See our long sleeve catalog for layering options and our leggings catalog for full-length, high-rise styles.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

Fit and Sizing Notes Most New Students Get Wrong

Aerial clothing needs to be close to the body without compressing it. Compression leggings cut into the back of the knee during long hangs. Loose leggings ride up during inversions and expose the very skin the leggings were supposed to protect.

The simple test: when you bend your knee 90 degrees and rotate the leg, does the fabric stay in place? If the hem rides up more than an inch, the legging is too loose for silks work.

For tops, the same principle. A fitted tank should stay put when you raise your arms over your head and bend forward. If the hem flips up and exposes your stomach, students typically tuck the tank into high-waist leggings or pick a slightly longer cut.

Studio-branded apparel works best when the cut runs slightly long in the body. Aerial students size by torso length more than chest size, because the torso is what stretches during inversions.

Why Most Aerial Studios Now Sell Branded Clothing

Aerial studios run on small student bases, intense brand loyalty, and constant social media output. Every class produces dozens of progress videos. A studio logo on a tank or hoodie in those videos is the cheapest acquisition channel in fitness.

The traditional path was to order 50 or 100 shirts from a screen printer, sit on the inventory, and slowly move them. Most studios stopped doing this once print-on-demand became viable.

The current pattern: studios open a free or low-cost print-on-demand shop, list four to six products, share the link in their student group chat, and earn $10 to $15 in profit per item with zero inventory risk.

Bear Grips Pro Shops was built specifically for small fitness businesses. The free tier covers three live products. The Self-Service VIP plan ($59 a month) unlocks 200 products at lower base prices, which is where most aerial studios land once their shop is profitable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between aerial arts clothing and yoga clothing?

Aerial clothing prioritizes coverage at the apparatus contact points (knees, armpits, waist) and fabric weight that grips the silk. Yoga clothing is built for breathability and stretch, not for friction protection.

Do I need different clothes for pole and silks?

Yes. Pole requires bare skin contact for grip (fitted shorts and a sports bra). Silks requires the opposite, full coverage of armpits and the backs of the knees. The two wardrobes do not overlap.

Can I wear regular leggings to an aerial class?

If they are full-length, mid- to high-waist, and made of a nylon or polyester blend, yes. Skip cropped leggings, capris, and anything with mesh panels behind the knee.