What to Wear to Yoga in Winter: Layers for the Walk There, the Cold Studio and Savasana

This guide is for anyone going to a regular yoga class, or practicing at home, between late fall and early spring: what to wear on the way there, what to keep on in a cold room, and how to avoid lying shivering in savasana. The short answer is your usual yoga clothes plus one removable warm layer, warm socks for the walk, and a blanket for the end.

We haven't tested these; the picks come from the listings, the makers' specs and the yoga gear we already cover.

Why winter yoga is a layering problem

A yoga class runs warm, cool and cold within an hour. You arrive chilled from outside, the room may not have warmed up if it's the first class of the day, the flow in the middle raises your temperature, and then you lie still for five or ten minutes at the end. Nothing you wear stays right for all four stages, so the answer is layers you can add and remove quietly.

The base doesn't change with the season. Fitted leggings or yoga pants and a top you can move in, the same as in summer. If you need a base that works, our women's yoga pants guide and men's yoga clothes guide cover it. What winter adds is everything around that base.

On the walk there

Treat the trip to class like any other time outdoors in the cold. The CDC's winter weather guidance lists a hat, gloves or mittens, a water-resistant coat and boots, and "several layers of loose-fitting clothing". Your yoga clothes count as the first layer. Put a hoodie or sweatshirt over them and a coat over that.

Two things matter more for yoga than for other workouts.

Feet. You'll be barefoot or in thin grip socks for the next hour, and feet that arrive cold tend to stay cold. Walk in warm socks and proper shoes or boots, then change at the studio. The Smartwool crew socks here are the kind to wear for the walk: cushioned, crew-height to cover the ankle gap between leggings and shoes, and from a brand that built its name on merino.

Sweat on the way home. The CDC notes that people can get hypothermia when they become chilled from rain, sweat or cold water. After a vigorous class your base layer is damp. Put the hoodie back on before you leave, zip the coat, and if the walk home is long, bring a dry top to change into. Our winter layering guide explains why damp fabric makes you colder.

In a cold studio: what to keep on

For the first ten minutes of most classes you'll be sitting, breathing and moving slowly. That's the time for a warm layer over your yoga clothes.

A full-zip hoodie is the easiest choice. It comes off in one move when the flow picks up and doesn't catch your hair or earrings the way a pullover does. The CRZ YOGA fleece full-zip hoodie is built for this, with a light fleece lining, a full zip and thumbholes, but it has a classic fit. Don't try to practice a whole class in it; it will swing forward in down dog and bunch at the waist in twists.

If you'd rather have a lighter layer, a draped open-front wrap does the same job with less bulk. The ODODOS cardigan is the kind of thing: lightweight jersey, open front, thumbholes. It's for a cool room rather than a cold one.

If the studio stays cool all class, swap your top for a fitted long-sleeve instead of keeping a hoodie on. Full-length leggings rather than 7/8 cover your ankles, and a pair of legwarmers over them keeps your calves warm until you're moving. The Capezio legwarmers are a plain 27-inch rib knit with elastic at both ends, so they stay put while you're seated and pull off easily. Take them off before standing balances if they bunch at the ankle.

For your feet on the mat, bare is fine if the floor is warm and you like the grip. If it isn't, grip socks keep your feet covered without slipping. The Gaiam Grippy socks are the simple option here, and our grip socks guide compares the alternatives, including toeless pairs. Don't wear ordinary socks on the mat; they slide.

Savasana: when you actually get cold

Savasana is when a winter class goes wrong. You've warmed up, maybe sweated a little, and now you lie still on the floor for several minutes. Your body stops producing extra heat while your damp clothes keep cooling you.

Get ready before the teacher calls it:

• Put the hoodie or wrap back on during the last seated poses, not after you've lain down
• Pull your socks back on, since cold feet are the first thing people notice
• Cover yourself with a blanket from the knees up, or from the chest down

Many studios have blankets. If you practice at home, or your studio doesn't, a thick yoga blanket works as both a prop and a cover. Hugger Mugger's listing for its recycled plaid blanket says to drape it over your body for warmth in savasana, and the same blanket folds into a lift for your hips or shoulders during class. Our restorative props guide covers blankets and bolsters in more detail.

Hot yoga in winter is a different outfit

In a heated class the room does the warming, and the winter layers come off completely at the door. Wear your usual hot yoga clothes (thin, fitted, synthetic) underneath and treat the hoodie, socks and coat as your trip home. You'll leave soaked, so the damp-clothes advice matters more after hot yoga than after any other class. Change into a dry top before you go outside. Our hot yoga clothing guide covers what to wear in the room itself.

A winter yoga outfit, start to finish

Which layer to buy first

If your feet get cold, fix that first: warm socks for the walk and grip socks for the mat cost the least and make the biggest difference.

If you get cold in savasana, a zip hoodie you keep by the mat is the next step. Pick one with a full zip and thumbholes so it goes on quickly and stays over your hands.

If you practice at home in a cool room, a thick yoga blanket does two jobs, prop and cover, and it's the most useful single purchase for winter home practice. Our home yoga space guide covers the rest of the setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I wear to yoga when it's cold?

Your normal fitted yoga clothes, plus a removable warm layer such as a full-zip hoodie or a wrap, warm socks and a coat for the walk. Take the outer layer off once you're moving and put it back on before savasana.

Can I wear socks to yoga?

Yes, if they're grip socks. Ordinary socks slide on a mat and make standing poses less stable. Grip socks with silicone dots on the sole keep your feet warm without slipping, and many studios allow or sell them.

Is it OK to wear a hoodie during yoga?

For the opening and the closing, yes. For the whole class, a loose hoodie gets in the way: it swings forward in down dog and bunches in twists. Wear a fitted long-sleeve top if you want to stay covered throughout.

Why do I get cold in savasana?

Because you stop moving while your clothes are still damp from the class, so you lose heat faster than you make it. Put a layer back on and cover yourself with a blanket before you lie down.

What should I wear to hot yoga in winter?

Your usual hot yoga clothes in the room, with all the winter layers as an outfit for the trip there and back. Bring a dry top to change into before you go outside, because you'll leave damp.

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