A leotard is a tight-fitting exercise and performance garment that runs from the shoulders to the tops of the thighs. This garment is worn a variety of performers, including dancers, ice skaters, acrobats, and other circus performers. The 1980s were the heyday of the leotard, which had made its way into popular culture via movies and dance trends and was popular exercise wear at the time. The garment is available in a variety of colors and can be customized with contrasting colored panels, sequins, rhinestones, and other embellishments for performances. Many ballet companies wear standardized leotards to avoid distracting the audience during performances.
Many people have noticed that a leotard looks like a one-piece bathing suit, and this was the source of inspiration for the modern garment. Jules Léotard, a French trapeze artist who performed in the 1800s, designed it. He referred to it as a maillot during his lifetime, a French word that is now used to refer to a swimming suit. In honor of the garment’s inventor, the term “leotard” began to replace “maillot” in the late 1800s. Dancers discovered the leotard’s potential for freedom of movement in the twentieth century, and it became popular among them.
Most dancers don’t just wear a leotard. It will be worn with tights at the very least, but a tutu around the waist is also common to hide the groin and upper thighs. An armless one will be worn for the majority of performances, though companies also make them with half or full sleeves. Many dancers wear leg warmers with their leotards during rehearsal to avoid muscle cramping and soreness.
A leotard’s elastic material allows it to conform to the wearer’s shape. As a result, when caring for the garments, special attention should be paid to keeping the material stretchy and in good shape. Most will come with instructions on how to care for them, but in general, they should be hand washed if possible, or washed inside out on a gentle machine cycle on cold. A leotard should be hung to dry in both cases, and if it’s multicolored, the lighter sections should be hung above the darker ones to prevent color bleeding. It should always be hand washed in cold water if it has sequins, metallic threads, or other similar decorations.