When you’re heading out for a day or night at the bowling alley, you may have a lot on your mind.
Especially if you read our bowling tips for beginners as well as more advanced bowlers, there is lots to think about as you try to do your best, from your own and arm swing to other factors like choosing your own bowling ball and adapting to lane conditions.
So with all of that swirling around in your head, it’s natural that you may neglect another part of your presentation at the alley: your actual appearance!
This article will outline ideas for clothing and other accessories for your bowling outing, be it a league night or a date.
This is not just about fashion, but also comfort and thus your best potential for success.
Best Clothing Choices for the Bowling Alley
We can take some principles from regular athletic wear and apply it to bowling, since it is of course an athletic pursuit. However, you don’t have to run or exert quite as much energy as in team sports like basketball or soccer.
So the most important thing to factor in is to make sure that your clothing isn’t too tight so as to restrict your movement.
Practice the steps you take in a bowling approach and the movements you make as you throw the ball. Is your shirt or pants going to be too tight so as to make that movement restricted in any way? If so, swap them out for something that’s a looser fit.
Bowling Pants: Should You Wear Jeans When Bowling?
This is a common question when you’re deciding on bowling attire, but when we keep in mind what we just discussed, the type of jeans is the important part.
Comfortable, loose-fitting jeans can be a great choice, but a tighter pair that are more binding to your legs will not allow you to perform a smooth and natural roll.
Other pants that you can consider are looser-fitting khakis, athletic pants or yoga pants. Shorts can certainly work as well.
Formal or Casual Bowling Outfits?
The other main principle to consider when selecting your bowling attire is whether you want to dress at all formally, or if casual is the order of the day.
When you think of the term “bowling shirt,” you’re likely thinking of a button-down, possibly with a wacky pattern or funny slogan for a team name.
This would be a more formal version of bowling clothing. The logical pairing for such a shirt would likely be the aforementioned looser jeans or comfy khakis (not athletic or yoga pants).
You can also go less formal and more casual with the shirt, with either a t-shirt or tank top, and these would go with more casual pants. Finally, you could opt for a polo shirt to strike a middle ground.
Don’t Forget the Socks
Also make sure you bring socks with you! This may seem obvious, but especially in warm weather you may be wearing sandals or other sock-less footwear when you travel to the alley.
You want to make sure you have socks so that you can wear them with your bowling shoes, no matter whether you rent them from the alley or use your own pair.
These Bowling Accessories Can Help with Comfort and Support
In addition to the basic layers of clothing we’ve just discussed, there are some other pieces of bowling-specific gear you can wear while you roll that can make your bowling life much easier.
These can help complement your look, but in most cases will help you bowl better and can even help prevent injuries and discomfort, ensuring that you can
A knee brace: This can help you avoid excessive strain on your knees, which can be especially helpful if you are more senior or you have a tendency to experience pain in your knees or lower body. Read our article on bowling knee braces for more information.
A wrist brace: With heavy balls and repeated throws, your wrist can take quite a lot of stress. A wrist brace is a popular piece of equipment worn by many bowlers to help give themselves a little extra support. Read our article on bowling wrist supports for more information and to find the best option for you.
Bowling gloves: Although most of the time we grip and throw the bowling ball with our bare hands, some bowlers utilize gloves. These can help with everything from reducing the strain from lots of repeated throws to avoiding sweaty hands. Read our article on the best bowling gloves to learn more.
We hope this article has helped you distinguish proper bowling fashion from attire that won’t do you any favors on the lanes. Best of luck for a bowling outing where you score as well as you look!
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