A leotard is a garment that is usually worn by gymnasts because it allows them considerable flexibility. Leotards were originally made famous by the great French acrobatic performer Jules Leotard. The garment ended up taking his name at some point after his death. He originally called this garment the Maillot.
Because of the types of skills gymnasts often perform, they need a very comfortable piece of clothing. The leotard is really the ideal design because it is skin tight, one piece, and very flexible. The leotard is very similar to a one piece swim suit in appearance. It has become the standard uniform for gymnasts all across the world.
The leotard covers the gymnasts body and torso. The legs are free because they are often requires to make a lot of movements that take great flexibility. However, there is a garment called the unitard. This is a variation of the leotard but has legs.
You can find many simpler variations of the leotard on the market today. The major changes have to do with the neck and sleeves. You can find a turtle necked, crew necked, or scoop necked leotard. These options are then combined with sleeveless, short sleeve, and long sleeve leotards which gives you a lot of options.
Leotards are designed for just about any type of gymnastic sport. They are perfect for artistic, rhythmic, trampoline, and tumbling gymnasts. It is common for a gymnast to wear a different leotard for every routine.
There have been many different stylistic changes to the leotard since it was invented. The biggest change has been the materials they are made with. Today’s materials are usually a lot stretchier and more comfortable.
If you are looking for a leotard today you will also be able to find them in many different styles and designs and this wouldn’t have been possible in the days of old. Leotard manufactures also take into consideration the requirements of gymnasts and go through extensive research to make sure they have created an ideal product.
The new and attractive designs of leotards today fit various different ranges. A gymnast is no longer limited by a single style of leotard, they can try many different designs of leotard in order to find the one that suits hem and their personality best.
Megan Kingsly is a part time author who often writes about topics such as beauty, dance, and clothing. For some of her work please see Competition Black Leotard and Mens Sleeveless T Shirts