The best thing about gaming is that you can pretty much do it anywhere. Mobile gaming, the Nintendo Switch, not to mention game streaming from your PC or console, gives us unlimited freedom these days. Sneak in a quick match on the bus on the way to school or work, or at home safely ensconced in your bed or on the couch. This means that you can wear anything you like while gaming, as long as you aren’t turning up to the office in a onesie (unless it’s casual Friday).
But while there’s no strict dress code for gaming, there are some clothes that are great for your next CoD tournament or Animal Crossing session. Like with any hobby, you don’t need the full kit to enjoy it, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. But if you are on the lookout for the best clothes for gaming, to fulfill a specific niche, give you the right support to keep you going on marathon sessions, or just keep you comfy we’ve picked out some neat additions to your wardrobe. From the budding professional heading out to competitions to the Sunday morning casuals, here are the best clothes to wear while gaming.
It’s All In The Wrist
One of the most useful pieces of gaming-specific clothing is gloves. If you’re the sort of person who finds their fingers getting cold mid-match, you might consider keeping your hands warmer, despite the ready-made excuse it provides for whiffing your last shot. You can just wear thin fingerless gloves, to give you the fine motor control you need on the keys or gamepad. However some gloves, like the Copper Fit compression pair, can give you support in other ways. Carpal tunnel can be painful, and especially aggravated by non-ergonomic keyboard angles or holding a controller for extended periods. Compression gloves support your wrist to reduce the strain on the joints. There are also gloves that have pockets on the top to accommodate hand warmers, though you could also do what the pros do at tournaments and just keep one by your keyboard to knead in between rounds...just be sure that you don’t accidentally burst it all over the keyboard.
Teamwear
If you’re an aspiring esports pro, or even just an avid fan, there’s a chance you’ve got yourself a team jersey already. Whether it’s personalised, or just one of your team, they’re all pretty comfy to game in. If you haven’t got one already, you don’t necessarily have to plaster sponsors all over them. The selection from Champion’s esports section offers up plenty of cool designs, and they have all the trappings that make esports jerseys comfortable for gaming. Vented mesh pits to keep you cool, and special stitching around the joints and collar to prevent seams from irritating you while you play. Perfect for keeping you cool in heated moments.
Streetwear
Speaking of Champion, the French brand has recently begun making a name for itself with its streetwear lines. They’ve done collaborations with a number of iconic game series, esports teams, and gaming companies to deliver some stylish, comfortable fashion. The recent HyperX X Champion range adds extra shimmer with iridescent reflective prints, making you shine as brightly as an RGB backlit keyboard if you get popped with the flash while you’re out on the street. Champion’s limited drops don’t hang around long, though, so if you don’t want to be left out in the cold when it’s time to cop the next one, then follow the gaming-focused wing of the streetwear giant on Twitter or Instagram.
Other streetwear staples that have gaming lines on the regular include DRKN, originally set up to provide minimalist and subtle references to CS:GO maps in their stylish patterns. The brand has now expanded to more game series, including Siege, CoD, and The Division. These are perfect for repping your favorite games without drawing too much of the wrong kind of attention on the street, just for having a massive picture of Sonic emblazoned on your back. IN some situations, less is more, friends.
Loungewear
Of course, an even easier way to blend in is simply wearing comfortable clothes that are decent quality. If you still want to show your gaming stripes, the Nintendo Store has a range of extremely comfortable (and durable) loungewear, though there are only a handful of locations around the world, including New York’s Rockefeller Center and Tokyo’s Shibuya Parco.
If you can’t make it to either of those, Uniqlo has a huge range of just as comfortable PJs and other comfy stretchy cotton sets. Their hoodies and HEATTECH collection are some of the warmest you can get (without going for full snowsport thermals) and are perfect for staying in on the couch when the weather isn’t fun to go outside in. The plain color lines are timeless, but if you do want to inject some of your gaming flair into your sleepy slubwear, there are dozens of UT graphic print lines too, including Mario’s 35th anniversary collection, some minimalist Pokemon designs from New York artist Daniel Arsham, and even a decent Fortnite collection.
It’s Gotta Be The Shoes
You’ll also find some mighty comfortable house shoes and slippers at Uniqlo, because there’s nothing worse than cold feet, though the other end of the scale can be equally uncomfortable.
Unlike most athletic pursuits, what’s on one’s feet doesn’t have much particular effect on winning when you’re gaming. But, while the right shoes aren’t going to magically make your KDA jump, there are some uses to the right footwear for gaming. The most extreme end of the scale is Puma’s Active Gaming Footwear (still available in the EU right now, with a 20% off summer sale) which offers easy-breathing covers for your trotters that gives you protection from stray Legos, but don’t overheat your feet. It’s the rubberised sole that’s the star of the show. Much better than socks for when you need to sprint back to your desktop from the fridge because you suddenly hear the sound of the Warzone plane door opening through your wireless headset.
If you don’t need a full foot covering, and aren’t planning any risky soda runs to leave your teammates in the lurch, Champion’s slides are an equally good choice, especially for the summer. Open-toed, water-friendly sandals, perfect for maxing and relaxing and staying cool by the pool after a hard day of owning online.
