Shakti Activewear Review

When you’re dripping sweat, trying to hold Triangle Pose in a room that’s heated to 105 degrees, what you’re wearing is likely the last thing on your mind. But when it comes to practising Bikram Yoga, which requires 100 per cent of your mental concentration, you’ve got to admit: it’s nice not having to worry if your shorts are riding up or your top is sliding off.

According to eHow.com, “Bikram Yoga requires proper dress for ease and comfort. If you show up in the wrong clothes, you will regret it for the duration of the 90-minute session.” Agreed. And, if you look at the labels worn by many Bikram Yogis, you’ll discover that Shakti Activewear’s shorts and tops, specially designed for hot yoga, are the cream of the crop.

So what makes Shakti so “Om”-azing? Every top, short and legging is made with the highest quality Lycra and Airfit Microfiber fabrics, which cling to your body, absorb “excess moisture” (that’s a nice way of saying sweat) and allow heat to dissipate quickly, keeping you cooler. Snug but not restrictive, what these tight-fitting, barely-there duds lack in coverage they more than make up for in wear-ability. In other words: your Shakti shorts won’t prevent you from locking your knee or doing the standing splits.

But the real reason so many of us love rocking these short-shorts and tight tops (and even make a hobby of adding as many pieces as possible to our collections)? The patterns, of course! From camo to koko to pink cotton … even Shakti founder Ana Bugarim Santos admits that, when she attended Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in 2003, she “looked around every day and thought, ‘This room would look much better if people were wearing more colourful … outfits.’”

So how can you ensure your Shakti gear survives your daily practice? We recommend soaking your clothes overnight, hand washing in cold water and hanging them to dry. You can find various Shakti tops and bottoms at both the Kitsilano and West End studios. Here are a couple of our favourites: