If you’re completely new to roller skating world you might be asking “what should I wear when I roller skate”? When deciding what to wear roller skating you want to keep comfort and safety in mind but there’s no reason you can’t look cute at the same time.
We’ve all been there. It’s just a fun day of skating, nothing more on your mind than hanging out with friends and skating some laps. You get there and after a few laps around the rink or skatepark and you realize that you are COMPLETELY overdressed (or underdressed as the case may be).
No need to worry, we’ve all been there – don’t be embarrassed! In this article I will share with you tips and tricks on what styles of clothing are the best for roller skating, how to look cute but still have a great time by being comfortable while you’re at it.
Whether you’re skating indoors, outdoors, in warm weather, cold weather or at the local roller rink we have outfit ideas for you!
Best Roller Skating Safety Gear
The first thing you will need to learn about for roller skating is your safety gear. This is VERY important for several reasons. First, if you fall while roller skating there is always that chance that you will hurt yourself or someone else (it happens more than you think).
Finally, no matter how good you get at roller skating (or roller blades) there is always the possibility that you will fall and if that happens it’s really nice to know that your body parts can take a hit knowing they are properly protected. Even experienced skaters fall (I still fall and I’ve been skating over 35 years!). In this section I’ll cover the most important items – protective gear for your head, elbows, knees, hands, wrists and skates.
Do I Need to Wear a Roller Skating Helmet?
Yes, especially if you’re a novice- it’s a very important item. Check your local skate park (or wherever your ultimate skate destination is) as some may require helmets. Some city owned skate parks have high safety standards & require helmets due to insurance liabilities. Roller rinks usually aren’t sticklers for helmets. If this is your first time, I find it best to play it safe and wear a helmet whenever you go roller skating.
Roller Skating Helmets
There’s no reason you can’t look good while protecting that brain bucket. Thankfully protective gear has really progressed to borderline fashionable in the last decade. Your best option is the Triple 8 Roller Skating Helmet which comes in 13 different styles and 4 different sizes. With this amount of color selection, you’re bound to find a helmet worth lusting over!
The Triple 8 Roller Skating Helmet has thousands of 5 star reviews you can read HERE. I love-love-love this helmet and I think it is hands down THE BEST helmet for roller skating out there on the market today
The overall shape of the helmet is minimalist & streamlined. it’s very lightweight & the inner material breathes so beautifully. My personal recommendation is the colorful ombre, gradient helmet (what a fun color!) which you can find HERE.
OUR PICK FOR best Roller Skating Helmets:
Roller Skating Wrist Guards
If you fall when you’re learning to skate you’ll probably reach down to break your fall with your hands & wrists. This is the most likely appendage to sustain an injury while roller skating or inline skating. For this reason, having wrist guards are a really good idea too.
You can find matching Triple 8 Wrist Pads to go with your colorful helmet! There are 5 different color combos and 4 different sizes to choose from. These pads will work for young girls up to adult women. There are THOUSANDS of 5 star reviews that you can read HERE. We also love Moxi wrist guards for all the functional style they contain.
When you make it past the beginner phase you might want to check out these padded roller skate gloves.
OUR PICK FOR BEST Roller Skating Wrist Guards:
Roller Skating Knee Pads and Elbow Pads
The next most likely appendages to receive a nick in a fall is your knees and elbows (in that order). With that in mind it’s a REALLY good idea to invest in some knee and elbow pads.
Pay particular attention to the fit/comfort of your knee pads & make sure you have the right size. Your knees will do the most bending and see most of the movement while skating so the knee pads have the biggest potential for discomfort.
Here are some really cute knee & elbow pads from Triple 8. There are 6 different styles to choose from. You should be able to find a style that complements you. Another good option is the Moxi Wrist Elbow Knee Combo Pack for even more color options.
BEST Roller Skating Knee Pads & Elbow Pads:
What Socks Do You Wear with Roller Skates?
Another VERY important component of your roller skate outfit is socks! I definitely recommend wearing thicker, high socks (knee high if you can get them) when you go skating (especially if you’ll be wearing rental skates from the roller rink).
When you fall and slide on the floor it’s nice to have an extra barrier of protection between your skin and a hard surface (especially if you are wearing shorts). It also helps prevent terrible blisters & chaffing.
I love these knee high socks because not only are they fashionable…they’re practical!
Roller Skating Padded Shorts
If you want the utmost in skating protective gear then you might want to check out these padded shorts. I discovered these last year while ice skating with some competitive ice skater friends.
When they are learning complicated jumps they fall on their bottoms quite regularly and almost all of them slide these shorts on during the learning process to ease the pain of falling on your bottom so much.
These are by no means REQUIRED but if you’re really fearful painful bottom falls (which are common) you might want to check these out.
Fanny Pack
Yesssss, a fanny pack. An since they’re fashionable again you can find cute fanny packs everywhere. You need something to safely carry around your cell phone, wallet, keys, snacks & water without the danger of landing on it during a fall (and damaging the item or yourself). Fanny packs put this stuff in the perfect place and won’t throw you off balance like a backpack or a purse could.
Check Out All Your Gear Before You Roll
Whether you are renting skates or have your own it’s important to do a safety check of your roller skate wheels, toe stops & bearings. Always carry around an all in one pocket skate tool wherever you go. It’s a cheap insurance policy against a roller skate breakdown. Below is everything you need to check on.
Wheels– Spin all of your wheels individually. They should spin for awhile. If they stop spinning after a few seconds they may have a bad bearing, need cleaning/lubrication and/or are screwed on too tight. Also, give each wheel a pull and make sure they don’t rock back and forth on the axel (rocking indicates that the wheel is too loose).
Toe Stops | Brakes- Toe stops have a tendency to come unscrewed after some use. If this happens they’ll eventually fall off somewhere unbeknownst to you…leaving you without a brake. Check to make sure they are screwed on tightly before skating.
Bearings– Bearings degrade over time and can rust from moisture & humidity in the air. They need regular lubrication and cleaning. The best way to tell that a bearing has gone bad is that it is either creating a wobble you can feel when you skate OR a strange noise when you spin the wheel. We recommend these bearings if they need to be replaced.
Roller Skating Clothes Recommendations
If you’ve watched TV or spent any time on social media over the past year or two you may have noticed that roller skating & roller derby is seeing a real comeback! The roller babe aesthetic of crop top, bell bottoms & colorful skates is fun but not super practical for beginning skaters.
So what should you wear roller skating to be comfortable and have a level of protection in a fall? We’ve broken it down for men and women…
CLOTHING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WOMEN:
THINK comfortable clothing! I recommend athletic, stretchy, breathable clothing that you might wear to the gym (with as much skin coverage as possible). These items are designed for plenty of movement during activity & breathe out the sweat so you can stay cool. Some prefer dark or black outfits so that they hide dirt (may not be good during the summer months).
If you’re looking for examples check out the links below:
–Stretchy Breathable Athletic Leggings with Media Pocket
–Long Sleeves Breathable Athletic Shirt (that doesn’t restrict arm movements)
–Fanny Pack (for cash, cell phone, keys etc)
What You Should Avoid Wearing While Skating:
-Tight Jeans, Denim Shorts, Denim Jeans
-Short and/or Tight Skirts
-Heavy or Thick Clothing
-Thin Socks or Ankle Socks
-Restrictive Clothing
When you’ve mastered roller skating, be sure bring the roller babe aesthetic to your local rink with the Cutest Roller Skate Outfits We’ve Ever Seen. This article has tons of cute outfit ideas for roller rink adult nights, beach boardwalks and more!
CLOTHING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEN:
For men I would make suggest a similar outfit to women. Shoot for athletic, stretchy, breathable clothing that you might wear to the gym (with as much skin coverage as possible). These items are perfectly designed to move comfortably with your body during activity & breathe out the sweat so you can stay cool.
–Men’s Athletic Shorts or Jogger Pants
–Long Sleeves Breathable Athletic Shirt (that doesn’t restrict arm movements)
–Fanny Pack (for cash, cell phone, keys etc)
What You Should Avoid Wearing While Skating:
-Tight Jeans, Denim Shorts, Cargo Shorts
-Heavy or Thick Clothing
-Thin Socks or Ankle Socks
-Restrictive Clothing
What to Wear Rollerblading or Roller Skating Indoors
The first thing to think about is your freedom of movement. You should only wear clothing that allows you to skate freely without restriction. So, if you’re wearing longer pants, make sure they aren’t too tight or made of rough fabric (like denim which may cause chaffing).
Skating indoors (like at a roller rink) will usually be fairly toasty (especially if there are a lot of skaters present to heat the place up with body heat). You can wear biker shorts and even loose fitting skirts or dresses. If you do wear a dress you might want to wear some bike shorts to cover your lady bits in case your skirt flies up!
If you are a beginner roller skater I highly recommend that you cover your skin as much as you can comfortably do so (see my recommendations for clothing above). If you are more experienced you can check out some cute roller rink outfit ideas HERE.
If you’re new to roller skating be sure to try on your roller skating outfit before your outing and make sure that you can bend your legs and arms as needed. You’ll be slightly bent at the waist too so nothing too tight in this area either.
What to Wear Rollerblading or Roller Skating Outside – Street Skating
THINK LAYERS. I skate outdoors in the winter quite a bit otherwise I wouldn’t get a chance to skate at all. Here in the pacific northwest I’m often skating in 45-50 degree weather. The secret of my success? Layers you can peel off as you warm up.
Wear an athletic breathable base layer, breathable athletic shirt with a hood & wear a jacket that is designed for running or skiing. You can wear leggings or joggers. You can wear breathable neck gaiters, hats & gloves (find items designed for running or skiing) that can easily be peeled off as you warm up.
The best option is to bring more clothing than you need- it’s better to be warm and have the ability to cool down than it is to be COLD.
If you’re skating outside chances are it’s on rough pavement or concrete. Keep that in mind and be sure to all your wear full pads and a helmet. Outdoor skating surfaces aren’t as forgiving as the skating rink and a fall could mean serious injuries.
What to Wear Rollerblading or Roller Skating in Summer
Skating outdoors in the summer is much like skating at a roller rink. It will be warm and you may be tempted to break out the crop tops & cut off jeans…but try and cover as much as you can until you get better!
You could wear shorts and even loose fitting skirts or dresses but think about wearing some leggings underneath shorts or a skirt to protect your skin during a fall. Athletic leggings (like you would wear to the gym) breath well and offer good protection.
If you have to go completely minimalist during the summer always wear pads and a helmet to protect those parts most likely to be injured in a fall.
When you become more experienced you can check out some really cute summer roller skate outfit ideas HERE.
What to Wear Rollerblading or Roller Skating in Winter
THINK LAYERS. I skate outdoors in the winter quite a bit otherwise I wouldn’t get a chance to skate at all. Here in the pacific northwest, I’m often skating in 45-50 degree weather. The secret of my success? Layers you can peel off as you warm up.
Wear a breathable base layer, an athletic breathable top, and a hooded sweatshirt. Wear a jacket that is designed for jogging or skiing with comfortable leggings or joggers. Breathable neck gaiters, hats, and gloves (designed for running or skiing) can be easily removed as you warm up.
The best option is to bring more clothing than you need- it’s better to be warm and have the ability to cool down than it is to be COLD.
If you’re skating outside chances are it’s on rough pavement or concrete. Keep that in mind and be sure to always wear pads and a helmet. Outdoor skating surfaces aren’t as forgiving as the skating rink and a fall could mean serious injuries.
How much does it cost to go roller skating?
If you’re wondering how much it costs to go roller skating at the local rink we have a short article that will talk about average admission costs and skate rental costs that you might want to check out before you head out. We can probably save you some money with this short read!
I hope that our article helps you select the right outfits & the best gear for roller skating. Roller skating is a great way to stay active & show off your fashion sense (when you’re ready). So grab a pair of skates & don’t forget to check out our cute outfits for roller skating round-up before you leave today!
Whether it's cruising on concrete, jamming at the local rink or dropping in at the skatepark, Lisa J. Skates is the queen of balance and the motivation behind boardwalkskater.com, She's your ultimate guide to living your best life on wheels. With over 30+ years of first hand skating & coaching experience, Lisa’s infectious zeal makes you want to come along for the ride. She'll easily help you get started in roller skating, skateboarding or longboarding!