How to Wash and Care for an Athletic Dress So It Lasts

To make an athletic dress last, wash it cold on a gentle cycle, skip the fabric softener, and hang or lay it flat to dry instead of using the dryer. Performance fabric with a built-in bra and liner needs slightly different care than a cotton dress, and getting it right protects the shape, the stretch, and the color for years. Here's the full routine.

Wash Cold, Always

Hot water is the fastest way to wreck performance fabric. It breaks down the stretch fibers, fades color, and can loosen the built-in bra's support over time. Wash your athletic dress in cold water on a gentle or delicate cycle, and you solve most of that in one step.

Turn the dress inside out first. It protects the outer surface from pilling and keeps the parts that touch your skin — and hold sweat — getting the direct clean. This one habit noticeably extends the life of a piece like the Allie Dress.

Skip the Fabric Softener — Here's Why

Fabric softener feels like a nice idea and quietly ruins athletic wear. It leaves a waxy coating that clogs the fabric's pores, which is exactly what kills the moisture-wicking that makes the dress worth wearing in the heat. Once that coating builds up, the fabric holds sweat and odor instead of releasing it.

Use a small amount of a gentle, dye-free detergent instead. For a dress that's seen a sweaty Arizona round, a pre-soak in cold water with a splash of white vinegar cuts odor without any softener at all.

Air-Dry to Protect the Stretch and the Bra

The dryer is the other big culprit. High heat degrades elastane, warps the built-in bra cups, and can shrink or misshape the liner. Hang the dress or lay it flat to dry, and it keeps its shape and support far longer than a dress that gets tumbled hot.

Air-drying in Arizona is barely an inconvenience — a dress hung in the shade is dry in a couple of hours. Keep it out of direct sun, though, since prolonged UV fades color over time.

How to Keep the Built-In Bra and Liner in Shape

The built-in bra and shorts liner are what make an athletic dress a complete outfit, so they're worth protecting. Reshape the bra cups by hand while the dress is damp so they dry flat instead of folded. If your dress has removable cups, take them out before washing and let them air-dry separately.

For the liner, avoid wringing the dress to squeeze out water — that twists the seams and stretches them out. Press the water out gently instead. A dress like the Tori Dress keeps its court-ready support for years when the liner and bra are treated this way.

Storing and Refreshing Between Wears

Don't wad a sweaty dress into a gym bag and forget it — that's how odor and mildew set in. If you can't wash it right away, hang it to air out fully first. For storage, fold athletic dresses rather than hanging them long-term, so the shoulders and straps don't stretch on a hanger.

Between washes, a quick cold rinse and air-dry refreshes a lightly worn dress. Rotating a couple of pieces — an Olivia Skirt and polo on some days, a dress on others — also spreads the wear so nothing breaks down before its time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you wash an athletic dress? Turn it inside out, then wash cold on a gentle or delicate cycle with a small amount of dye-free detergent. Cold water protects the stretch fibers, the color, and the built-in bra's support. Skip fabric softener entirely, and hang or lay the dress flat to dry instead of using the dryer.

Can you put an athletic dress in the dryer? It's best not to. High heat degrades the elastane, warps the built-in bra cups, and can shrink or misshape the liner. Air-dry the dress on a hanger or flat instead — in Arizona it dries in a couple of hours in the shade, and the shape and support last much longer.

Why shouldn't you use fabric softener on activewear? Fabric softener leaves a waxy coating that clogs the fabric's pores and kills the moisture-wicking, so the dress starts holding sweat and odor instead of releasing it. Use a gentle, dye-free detergent, and for a sweaty dress, pre-soak in cold water with a splash of white vinegar to cut odor.

How do you keep a built-in bra from losing its shape? Reshape the cups by hand while the dress is damp so they dry flat, and remove any removable cups before washing to air-dry separately. Don't wring the dress to squeeze out water — press it out gently to avoid stretching the seams. A dress like the Tori Dress holds its support for years this way.