We all want to look our best, but you can’t sacrifice your performance for a cute pickleball dress!

So, ladies, what do you wear when you’re playing pickleball?

Keep reading to learn more about the best and most functional pickleball outfits. Our guide covers everything — from pickleball shoes to functional apparel — so you can look and play your best. After all, the best pickleball outfits complement your unique personality!

How to Find the Best Pickleball Outfits

We’ll start with the basics. All good athleticwear should fill out a basic checklist; otherwise, you’re overpaying for a non-functional fashion statement!

As you look for what to wear, consider these must-have qualities:

• Breathability: Wear clothes that “breathe,” allowing air to pass between your skin and the fabric. This reduces odor accumulation and promotes good personal hygiene.
• Comfort: Avoid overly tight clothes. Your pickleball dress should be loose enough to give you a wide range of motion without interfering with the game! But don’t worry! Leggings are still perfectly acceptable!
• Light Colors: Avoid dark pickleball clothing. The court isn’t the best place to rock that goth look! Darker clothes retain heat, increasing sweat production and discomfort. Instead, use light-colored clothing.
• Moisture-Wicking: Look for clothes that move sweat away from your body. These fits will generally be made of polypropylene, polyester, and similar synthetic blends. Avoid cotton; it retains moisture and leaves it sitting against your skin. If you prefer a natural solution, consider wool-based athletic clothes.

Note that these rules apply to any athletic clothes, not just pickleball!

You’ll also want to check your local courts for pre-existing guidelines. Some pickleball courts — particularly those owned by established clubs — have a dress code. The rules vary, though you’re safe using common sense in more places.

The Quick and Easy Pickleball Clothing Checklist

With that in mind, let’s see what to wear to play pickleball!

Everyone has their own unique style, so tailor this list to your liking. Remember: These are guidelines!

To start, gather your basic clothing needs:

• Many players cover their legs and lower body with a pair of stylish leggings. However, skirts, skorts, and jeans are acceptable alternatives. Be aware of your choice’s stretchiness; a rigid pencil skirt shouldn’t be on the courts!
• Outdoor players should consider getting a few weather-proof jackets — such as windbreakers — for colder months. Don’t forget to pair those jackets with appropriate layers underneath, including moisture-wicking tops!
• Top options are generally loose-fitting athletic or casual wear, such as t-shirts or tank tops. However, you can also wear stylish sun dresses, cozy sweatshirts, and long-sleeved activewear.
• Your shoes are a very personal choice. In addition to matching your personal style, your pickleball shoes must support your weight and promote proper posture. So, hold tight! We’ll expand on this topic in a moment.
• And don’t forget a comfy sports bra! Look for moisture-wicking materials for the most comfortable experience.

These items cover your basic needs — literally! You don’t need anything more than this, but that doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself! Rock your pickleball style and add to that outfit! Some nice-to-have additions to your pickleball clothing lineup include:

• Hats are a great way to keep the sun out of your eyes. You don’t have to stick to generic baseball caps, either! Stylish tennis visors and funny caps are also available.
• A pickleball bag to match your tennis skirts or fun leggings can really pull together those pickleball clothes. It also serves as a handy way to keep your pickleball paddle, balls, and personal items in one place.
• Sunglasses are an outdoor player’s best friend. Aside from offering sun protection, a good pair of sunglasses can improve your game! They’ll also be the stylish cherry on top of your pickleball outfit.

The Importance of Layering

But wait!

Don’t run off yet!

We still have to talk about shoes. And we have a handy tip for dressing to play this popular sport.

Think in layers whenever you’re dressing up to play pickleball! (And this works for any sport, really.) While it may seem smart to toss a sports bra and sweatshirt on in the middle of December, that decision will come back to haunt you. Your body heats up as you move, and that sweatshirt will quickly live up to its name.

Instead, layer your clothing. For example, a common and effective outfit looks like this, from bottom to top: a long-sleeve shirt, a comfy t-shirt, and a trusty windbreaker. Similarly, you can stack your legwear. Toss some athletic shorts on top of your leggings, or consider wearing stockings beneath your pickleball clothes.

Layering your clothing — particularly when you use effective and super lightweight attire — gives you flexibility. You can remove layers as you heat up, then put them back on as you leave.

Just remember to test your fit before you play; too many layers or thick fabrics will prevent you from moving freely around the court.

A Special Note for Tournament Players

If you’re playing pickleball at an organized event or tournament, you must abide by a stricter dress code. Per Chapter 2 of the USA Pickleball guidebook, tournament players must wear clothes that meet the following requirements:

• Good Taste: It should go without saying, but you cannot wear objectionable clothing to a pickleball tournament! (You shouldn’t be doing so on any courts, for that matter.) Leave the vulgar and controversial material at home.
• Low Distraction: Don’t wear that hot pink Barbie throwback outfit to the tournament! They’ll ask you to take it off, citing rule 2.G.2. Outfits must be “in good taste,” so distracting equipment is not allowed. As of 2023, USA Pickleball also bans apparel “that approximates the color of the ball.”
• Reduce Court Wear: Per rule 2.G.3, pickleball shoes cannot “mark or damage the court’s surface.” Fortunately, anyone wearing appropriate tennis shoes is fairly safe. The best way to abide by this rule is to reserve a pair of soft-soled athletic shoes for your local courts.

Finding the Perfect Pickleball Shoes

Now, let’s backtrack.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find appropriate footwear that breaks any dress code. In fact, we’re confident you’d have to actively try to get in trouble for your shoes. Obviously, you shouldn’t be playing pickleball with shoes that have vulgar or objectional decorations. Similarly, you must wear appropriate footwear. (That being said, anyone who can play pickleball in stilettos deserves plenty of respect. But keep those stylish shoes off the court!)

However, it’s hard to find the right pair of shoes. While we have an in-depth post about the different styles of athletic shoes, we’re also including a simple guide to help you start your footwear journey.

What’s the Right Fit?

Regardless of which of the many styles you choose from, finding the perfect fit is the most important part of shoe shopping. We strongly advise against using an online shop for your shoes; they don’t offer the full experience, and you can’t feel the fabric and material of each shoe. Instead, use those online listings as guides! Write down your top picks, then take a trip to your local shoe store.

There, try on and walk around in different shoes. See how they feel. The easiest way to test a shoe’s fit is to press your thumb between the tips of your toes and the end of the shoe. Your thumb should touch the bottom of the shoe without hitting your toes!

If your budget allows, you may want to visit a podiatrist. These specialists will measure your feet and provide details on insoles to keep you comfortable as you play. Many high-end inserts also have moisture-wicking technology, which keeps your feet cool and dry — even in the heat of summer!

What Type of Shoes to Get to Play Pickleball

Similarly, check to see what type of shoe you’re getting.

Some manufacturers now offer pickleball-specific shoes. However, tennis, badminton, and running shoes work well; tennis shoes are the ideal option. Running shoes work well for younger players with strong ankle joints, but their design focuses on forward momentum. Thus, players with weaker ankles are more likely to injure themselves in running shoes.

We strongly recommend against buying and using basketball shoes as part of your pickleball clothing lineup! While they offer plenty of grip on indoor courts, their stiff construction makes it harder to bend your ankle. This can lead to falls and injuries. These shoes also tend to have thick fabric designs, which may cause discomfort in warm weather.

Learn More About America’s Fastest-Growing Sport

Now that you’ve found the basics, it’s time to play (and sweat)!

Find a local court and get going! In pickleball, clothing is just one of many ways to make friends. You’ll find many friendly faces at your local play areas. Don’t be shy to toss out some compliments as you play; it’s a sport that promotes fun, after all.

You can also learn more about pickleball by browsing the Pickle Goddesses blog. We’re constantly updating our site with new tips, tricks, and pickleball news. So don’t forget to check often for new posts. If you want to help spread the love of pickleball around the world, we also encourage you to share our posts with your friends and family!