You don’t necessarily have to run marathons in order to enjoy the comfort and ease of activewear. If you happen to be a busy, modern woman you’ll find that activewear can play an integral role in your wardrobe, even if you don’t happen to be heading to the gym or meeting up with your friends for a Zumba class. The pants, shorts, jackets, tops, and sports bras that make up this category of clothing can offer you a fun and flattering alternative to office attire or your standard jeans and tees during your time off the clock. Or maybe you exercise frequently, in which case you’ll want to have the proper clothing on hand. But there are a few things you need to consider when purchasing activewear. Here are some basics to get you started.

The first thing you should think about is the type of activity you’ll be doing. If, for example, you like to jog, you’ll almost certainly want specific garments that provide extra support and offer wick-away fabrics designed to keep you cool and dry. Activewear for cycling, on the other hand, may not need to be as supportive, but you might want more coverage to protect your skin from hours in the sun. And yoga clothing will have to move with your body as you bend, stretch, and twist into poses. As for days when you just want to be comfortable and put together while you run errands, your main goal might be to find matching sets. There could be some overlap between the activewear you use for various activities, but you should at least take the time to consider what you’ll use it for before you make any purchases.

That said, your next step is to start shopping, and finding the right activewear will require you to try on a lot of different options. This is an extremely important part of the process for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, you need to find the right undergarments, and they must fit like a glove if you want to avoid bounce and jiggle up top, as well as riding up down below. The fit of a sports bra needs to be, well, somewhat constricting, especially if you’re practicing high-impact sports. Ideally, you should look for a tight, slightly compressed fit around your torso, along with thick straps that cross in the back for the best support. You can be a little less militant with sports bras you’ll use for yoga or other low-impact activities. And as for underwear, you’ll be happy to discover that there are options specially made for working out, with non-slip features and wick-away fabrics.

Once you’ve got the foundational pieces in place, it’s just a matter of deciding which tops and pants to pair with them. In some cases, this is simply a matter of taste, and you’ll find plenty of options to choose from on websites like Klassy Ladies and in stores from Target to the nearest Nike outlet. But you should also consider utility when activewear shopping.

Jogging in short shorts could lead to chafing, for example, whereas capri length bottoms could alleviate this problem. And jogging in the winter will almost certainly require longer pants for protection from the elements. When you know which activities you plan to participate in, you take the time to think about the utility of the garments you’re selecting, and you put a little thought into mix-and-match pieces, you’ll end up with an activewear wardrobe that meets all of your many needs.