Why do we need a special label, activewear, for clothes we can move in? What does that say about the rest of our wardrobe—the “normal” clothes? That we can’t move in them?
Unfortunately, that’s not far from the truth. Most everyday clothes and shoes limit our ability to move, yet we rarely notice because they are just “normal”. But if you’re already struggling to move enough every day—the WHO guidelines are much higher than most people think, the last thing you need is clothing that restricts you even further.
We need a name for “normal” clothes so we become aware of the movement restrictions they bring
We already label clothes designed for movement as activewear. Let’s go further. Clothing and footwear that restrict movement? Let’s call it castwear. The name fits—like a cast, it immobilizes, or at least restricts.
The stereotypical example? Super high-heels women shoes that make walking even challenging.
A simple definition of Castwear
Castwear includes anything that stops you from moving naturally. If it limits walking, running, climbing, squatting, or any other natural movement, it’s castwear.
Straighforward examples of castwear:
- For women: High heels, pointy shoes, formal dresses, stiff suits.
- For men: Dress shoes, tailored suits, shirts that restrict arm movement.
What about clothes that aren’t either?
Some clothes, like stretch jeans, don’t restrict your movements in themselves: you can squat, crawl jump, run, etc. So they’re not castwear by nature like a restrictive suit is. But they’re also not activewear, as few people would wear them with the explicit intention to exercise.
Let’s call this middle ground neutralwear.
Simple, right? We now have labels to use for every clothes along with their definition.
Not so fast though, as my goal is to make sure we’re consciously aware of all the limitations created by our clothing and footwear choices. And to do that, we now need to look at what makes some clothes act as castwear even though they may be seen as neutralwear at first glance.
Breaking Down the Three Labels: Activewear, Castwear, and Neutralwear
Clothing isn’t just about its physical design. Social norms, personal choices, and context also influence how clothes impact your ability to move.
The labels to use, for the exact same clothes, will be different from person to person.
Cut and Design
The most obvious factor is how clothes physically fit. If an item restricts movement, it’s castwear. Examples include:
- Suits that make it hard to raise your arms.
- Dresses that restrict bending or squatting.
- High heels that impede walking.
Neutralwear, by contrast, allows for natural movement but isn’t specifically designed for it.
Social Norms and Expectations
Social norms can restrict movement as much as physical design. For example, stretch jeans might allow you to do push-ups in a park, but if you’re worried about looking “weird,” you might not. In that case, the jeans become castwear because they limit you socially.
Social norms are a huge influence on our behavior and clothing choices incorporate a strong social component: they communicate status, fashion, etc. You might be wearing neutralwear in a busy street, but you won’t drop down to do some pushups or squat while waiting for your commute.
Self-Imposed Limitations
Similar but different: you might not feel constrained by the social norms but be constrained nonetheless by your own choices.
What if you feel comfortable doing push-ups in public with a pair of jeans but the particular pair you’re wearing are a $1000 designer pair? Most of us would not risk damaging or dirtying them.
Same with kids being told to be careful of damages to their clothes when they go out.
Labels also vary depending on the situation
The last point to keep in mind: for the same clothes and footwear, for the exact same person, the label applied will of course vary depending on the situation.
I wear polo shirts in the office and can move freely in them: they’re firmly in the neutralwear category. However, during my commute, I have a 15 mins walk where I carry a heavy backpack to maximize the return on time I get from that 30 mins total walk time every day. If I wear my polo shirt when carrying my heavy pack, I tend to sweat a little, making me self conscious enough that I won’t feel comfortable. I have to wear a tank tops that I know is not making making me sweat instead.
So during that 15 mins, my polo shirt which is otherwise in the neutralwear category becomes castwear.
What Now?
Go through a typical day for you (and your kids, if you have some), and try to identify the situations where you are wearing castwear—both clothing and footwear. How much time during your day do they represent? If it’s only a small amunt of time some days, not a worry.
If you realise you spend your days in castwear however, then it’s probably something to address as you don’t need an extra layer of movement limitations. After all, our natural instincts are already to avoid as much physical efforts as we can. We don’t need to keep other obstacles if we can remove them.
