Uniforms, identity and belonging…

There’s something about uniforms that’s always made me a bit uncomfortable. And not just physically!

Whether it was the corporate wardrobe of my economist days or the movement teacher “uniform” of matching tight leggings and tight tops, I’ve always felt a tug-of-war between wanting to belong and needing to feel like me.

And while people in corporate spaces don’t always wear suits these days, there’s still a kind of uniform. A polished, professional look that signals credibility. And in the movement world, the expected look is often tight kit from head to toe because - apparently - people need to “see the form.” I get that. Oversized clothes can make movement harder to see.

But here’s the thing: I like leggings. And I like tight tops. Just not together. The full-on second-skin combo doesn’t feel good on me. I prefer a mix of maybe a fitted top with baggy bottoms or the other way around. Or sometimes just jeans. Because I honestly believe you can move in anything. And that you should move in anything because if movement is reserved for leggings only then, well, that limits when you’ll move!

I’ve worn the “movement uniform” mostly to fit in, to look like I knew what I was doing, to be taken seriously. But I doesn’t feel like me. And when I’m not comfortable in my clothes, I don’t teach as well and I feel less confident.

I really don’t feel comfortable rocking up to a corporate gig for a day of workshops and postural assessments in second-skin get up - and I think it shows! So, on many occasions, I’ve ended up in some sort of uniform purgatory where I’m business on top and fitness on bottom - this might be ok when WFH but not in-person. It doesn’t feel right for me.

To be truly honest, clothes are a massive part of my identity. I’ve been obsessed with clothes since I was a kid and it’s only when I feel good in what I’m wearing that I feel like me. And I can’t help but wonder: doesn’t everyone feel that? Does uniform help us belong, or does it subtly hold us back from being ourselves?

There’s something great about feeling fully yourself in what you wear. Especially when your job is about helping other people feel good in their bodies too.