What To Wear to Badminton: Complete Guide for Men And Women

As a new player, joining a badminton club is an exciting first step in your journey.

But before you head to your first training session, you might wonder: What should I wear to badminton?

• Is a light pair of training shorts and a T-shirt OK? 
• Or should you go for more badminton-specific clothing?
• And can you wear regular old tennis shoes, or should you look for shoes specially designed for a badminton court?

As a professional badminton player for 8 years (and 7x US Junior National Champion), I have received these questions many times. Like you, I used to wonder what the best clothes to wear for badminton are.

In this post, I’ll outline everything you’d ever wanted to know about wearing the right clothes for badminton.

As a quick overview:

Let’s dive right in:

The Basics (For Everyone)

The good news is that casual badminton clubs typically don’t have a strict dress code. As long as you have a pair of athletic bottoms, a light top, and a good set of badminton shoes, you’re off to a great start.

With that in mind, it’s best to wear:

• Light, sweat-wicking clothing. You’ll want your clothing to help you stay dry.
• Loose sports bottoms that allow for comfortable, unrestricted movement.
• A quality pair of badminton shoes to prevent slippage and avoid leaving marks on the court.

Tip: Badminton-specific brands like Yonex and Victor also make men’s and women’s apparel, but it’s easiest to find at specialty badminton stores like Badminton Warehouse.

Quick Tips for Choosing Badminton Shoes

If you’re shopping for badminton shoes, you’ll want to keep an eye out for a pair that’s:

• Lightweight, so they don’t slow you down.
• Designed with thin yet supportive cushioning. This ensures they won’t trip up your footwork, but will still provide support for jumps and lunges.
• Well-ventilated to keep your feet cool and dry.
• Non-marking, so they’re safe for the court surface.

While these are the basics, it’s even better if you can find shoes made for badminton. This is because they’re specifically designed to provide forward, backward, and lateral support. Plus, they usually offer extra foot and ankle stability compared to other athletic shoes.

Tip: It’s also essential that your badminton shoes are indoor-only, so that you won’t track mud or dirt onto the court.

Tournament Dress Codes

Every competition has its own attire rules and guidelines. But like badminton clubs, tournaments nowadays usually have similar dress codes for men and women. 

Most tournaments allow either gender to wear a shirt and shorts (or skirt) of their choice, as long as the clothing fits within their other rules. That said, many competitions do ban clothes that advertise other sports or non-badminton brands.

At higher-level events (and especially with sponsorships), the dress code might be more specific. At any rate, it’s always best to check with your tournament rulebook to get the details.

What To Wear to Badminton: Women’s Clothing Tips

For women, a go-to outfit might be a lightweight tank top or T-shirt, paired with a comfortable athletic skirt, shorts, or leggings. 

Some great options include:

• The Dragon Fit Women’s Sleeveless Yoga Top
• An athletic skirt or skort, like this one from Wsirmet
• The CRZ Yoga Quick Dry Athletic Shorts

Overall, you’ll want to opt for something comfortable that won’t restrict your movement. You’ll also want to stick to apparel with ample coverage, so you can focus on your game without any wardrobe concerns while jumping, twisting, lunging, and running.

What To Wear to Badminton: Men’s Clothing Tips

Men’s guidelines are very similar to women’s — meaning that a good outfit might be a pair of shorts, a sweat-wicking tee, and comfortable shoes to protect your feet and ankles.

Some specific options include:

• Men’s Cooling Ice Silk Shirt from The Gym People
• Under Armour’s Men’s Tech Graphic Shorts
• BALEAF Men’s Quick Dry Athletic Long Sleeve

Ultimately, just be sure that your outfit is comfortable, lightweight, and breathable. You’ll also want to make sure that your clothes aren’t excessively baggy, so they won’t get in the way of your swing or footwork.

Non-Essential (But Useful) Accessories

Aside from the basics, here are a few other accessories to help you stay dry and comfortable on the court:

• Sports headbands to keep sweat away from your face and eyes.
• A lightweight sports jacket for when you’re playing outside or in a chillier facility.
• Athletic socks to provide extra cushioning for your feet.
• Supportive braces if you could use extra support around your knees, ankles, or other joints.

The Bottom Line

Figuring out what to wear to badminton can feel daunting. Luckily, the rules are generally pretty lax when you’re playing at a local badminton club. 

For both women and men, opt for light, sweat-wicking tops and bottoms to stay cool and unrestricted while you play. In addition, choose a solid pair of badminton shoes to protect your feet and ankles during high-impact jumps and lunges.

Ultimately, you’ll want to pick an outfit that’s comfortable, lightweight, and allows you to move freely — so you can focus all your energy on your game. Good luck!