The soft feel of cotton, both wet and dry, is one of the reasons T-shirts are so popular as swimwear. Cotton shirts and jeans are ideal for warm climates as they dry slowly and keep you cool.

T-Shirts are Classic Swimwear

This minimal outfit is good for beginners to learn swimming in clothes. Many public swimming pools allow T-shirts in the water, just ask.

You can also use different colours to identify swimmers in team sports and games. Cotton clothes are good for serious swimming training. They soak up more water than their own weight, giving you a better workout because of the added resistance.

Sun Protection

Dark shirts provide better cover against sunburn. The more often you get your cotton shirts wet, the tighter the weave gets. This improves the sun protection when you go swimming.

Keep in mind that white T-shirts can be seen through when wet. To improve the sun protection factor, wear two or more T-shirts, perhaps a long sleeved one underneath a short sleeved one. Dark colours underneath light colours look good.

Shopping Tip for Women

Can't find T-shirts that are long enough? If you're shopping for a casual t-shirt, try looking in the boy's or men's section. Guy's T-shirts are cut longer and also tend to be cheaper. If you normally wear a size small or medium you can usually fit into a boy's X-Large quite comfortably. You can find boy's shirts with cute graphics too, like robots and cartoon characters.

Hooded T-Shirts

Some T-shirts come with a hood to cover for your head against sunburn. They are comfortable and provide a unique look. The hood can be draped as a more stylish collar. There is an extensive range of hooded t-shirts that are available in different colors, patterns and designs to suit your personality. Get a long sleeve one for better protection, preferably in a dark colour.

Mud Races

A popular use for T-shirts with leggings or running tights are cross-country running and swimming events, including mud runs. Running tights are usually made of thicker material, which is more robust than those finely tuned racing leggings for pools. Add socks and shoes, put on your T-shirt and you're ready for a wet fun run.