Leotards Are An Exquisitely Designed Piece Of Sportswear

This one piece garment of clothing had fairly humble beginnings and in fact had a different name until its creator, aptly named Leotard passed away

. The very first Leotard was actually known as the maillot. It is almost identical to the garment that we see today in that it is still a one piece that is designed to be fitted tightly to the body and also be free from any additional material that would get in the way of the performer.

The Leotard can be worn on its own or as part of a costume to provide additional warmth for the wearer. As a dancer being warm during the warm up and stretch portion of a class is key to ensure that muscles remain supple and are easily flexed, thus reducing the chance of injury. The Leotard itself is normally made from a blend of Lycra and Spandex Lycra to ensure that it is stretchy and durable this helps to make the dancer feel comfortable wearing the Leotard as an undergarment or outer garment.

As the years passed by a return to its roots in entertainment came about, so much so that in the 1950's this one piece garment was donned by the majority of stage performers including circus acts, and more famously the showgirls of Broadway, including big names like the Ziegfeld Follies. Entertainment wasn't the only use for the Leotard however, and its functionality meant that it could be worn in a great many circumstances and as such was adopted into the schools of the time as something to be worn for PE or fitness classes.

Over the next twenty years or so, the fashions and styles had changed dramatically, Disco was in its heyday and as such the garment became more colourful and trendy, so it could now be worn as both exercise and street wear, remember also that exercise had become popular about the same time and so aerobics helped to increase the popularity of the garment too. These garments were and still are to this day, produced in a variety of nylon and Spandex materials, as well as the more traditional cotton previously used for uni-coloured Leotard and tights.

So what else can this garment be used for? Well there are still many applications for this garment; women wear them for yoga, running or other cardiovascular exercises, dance and ballet. Figure skating also features this piece of clothing; however it is generally the long sleeved version due to the cold temperatures on the ice.

Dance schools have a particular hard line on those who wear this garment, in that they do not allow the wearer to also be wearing underwear underneath the Leotard, and in fact the Leotard is designed to be worn without underwear as it is cut high above the hip and waistline. So from its humble beginnings nearly a century ago, this piece of clothing has had quite a journey, with many styles and designs being created for men and women, its popularity is sure to continue for many years to come.

by: Cedric Grosjean

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