Leotard

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A leotard (

Leotards are entered by stepping into the legs and pulling the sleeves over the shoulders. Scoop-necked leotards have wide neck openings and are held in place by the elasticity of the garment. Others are crew necked or polo necked and close at the back of the neck with a zipper or snaps.

Use

Leotards are used for a variety of purposes, including yoga, exercise, dance (particularly for ballet and/or modern), as pajamas,^{[citation needed]} for additional layered warmth under clothing, and for recreational and casual wear. They may form a part of children's dressing up and play outfits and can also be worn as a top.

Leotards are commonly worn in figure skating, postwar

History

The first known use of the name leotard came only in 1886, many years after

The 1920s and 1930s saw leotards influencing the style of swimsuits, with women's one-piece swimsuits today still being similar in appearance to leotards.

Leotards are worn by professional dancers such as the

In the 1950s, traditionally-styled leotards continued to be worn mainly by stage performers and circus actors, but leotards began to be used as simple and functional exercise garments, often in institutional settings like schools and in fitness training. These were almost always black and worn together with thick tights. Between 1950 and 1970, leotards remained as such in appearance until a style change in the 1970s, with more colorful leotards appearing on the scene, most often in ballet and exercise.

During the 1970s and 1980s, leotards were extensively used as clothing for

In the late 2010's leotards began to be frequently worn by popstars in their performances, such as

By the late 1970s, leotards had become common both as exercise and

For women, the standard gymnastic competition uniform is a leotard.^[11] Traditionally, competition leotards have always had long sleeves; however, half-length sleeved and sleeveless garments are now permitted under the Code of Points and have been worn by teams at the Gymnastics World Championships and other major events. Practice leotards and those worn in podium training sessions are generally sleeveless.

In the 1970s, leotards were typically made from polyester and related fabrics. Since the 1980s, however, they have been made from lycra or spandex. Since the 1990s, leotards have become more elaborate and have employed a variety of textiles, including velvet, velour, mesh, metallic fabrics, foils and iridescent "hologram" fabric. They can also be decorated with rhinestones, and metallic jewels that are heat-set onto the garments and will not fall or wash off.^{[citation needed]}

Leotards that conform to regulations cannot be cut above hip height or be cut past the shoulder blades, back or front. Any leotard that is somewhat see-through is also against the rules. Usage of white tights is not standard. In rare instances, gymnasts and teams have been penalized with score deductions for their attire.^[12]

Men

For competitions, male gymnasts wear two layers of clothing. The first, a singlet (or comp shirt, short for competition shirt) is a sleeveless garment like a leotard. For floor and vault, gymnasts wear a pair of very short shorts over the singlet. For their other events, they wear a pair of long pants, attached to the bottom of the feet with stirrups.

Unlike women's uniforms, which generally employ metallic or iridescent fabrics, men's uniforms are usually matte-colored and less ornate. Singlets usually employ one or more of the national team colors, but there are no restrictions on design. Shorts and pants are generally a solid color, usually white, blue, red or black.

History

Unlike their female counterparts, however, men's leotards come in two styles—either with a full seated bottom or as a thong. The reason for this is apparent when worn with tights such as in ballet, where lines created by the garment underneath the tights may be considered unsightly. In such instances, a dance belt is also worn.

Leotards are commonly worn by male dancers (particularly for ballet) and gymnasts. Leotard-like garments (often of the "biketard" or singlet type) are also often worn by men in sports such as rowing, wrestling, cycling and running, to maintain a tight fit and stop the upper part of the clothing from running up.

During the Dangerous World Tour American superstar Michael Jackson wore a gold leotard.

See also

• Athleisure
• Bodystocking
• Bodysuit
• Catsuit
• Jumpsuit
• Spandex
• Sportswear
• Underwear as outerwear
• Wrestling singlet

References

External links

• Media related to Leotards at Wikimedia Commons