Picking The Right Entry Level Gymnastics Leotard This Christmas

Posted on - 25th November 2021

With the Christmas period coming up, many prospective gymnasts will be looking to get their first leotard for practicing and possibly competitions. Finding the right gymnastics clothes for you is of the utmost importance. Not only do you need to be comfortable wearing and performing in them, but you also have to feel confident wearing and performing them. 

There are five major considerations that go into finding the perfect piece of gymnastic wear, and in this article we’ll be going through all of them. 

Do You Like the Design?

The first consideration for gymnastics wear is, of course, the design. Generally speaking, there are five subtypes of leotard available -- Camisole, Tank, With Ruffles or Skirt, Short Sleeve and Long Sleeve Leotard. The design you choose depends on a number of factors, including your preferred style, whether you’re going to be taking part in competitions, what you’re comfortable in etc. 

Tank 

Tank Leotards can be thought of as the most conservative and ‘modest’ design available. They feature a solid design that can be worn with tights, leggings, wrap skirts or shorts, while allowing a maximum amount of movement. 

Our Apollo Navy Sleeveless Gymnastic Leotard is a great example of a Tank Leotard.  

Camisole

The next leotard design is the camisole. This key difference between a Camisole and Tank is that the Camisole design tends to expose more skin -- particularly around the shoulders. 

Instead of being singular straps of material, the shoulder straps are normally made of ‘spaghetti’ material. This means that you tend to have an easier time breathing -- making them ideal for long periods of practice. However, one caveat of this type of leotard is that they’re not particularly good during the winter or autumn months. 

With Ruffles or Skirt

The third type of leotard available is with ruffles or a skirt. As the name suggests, these are simply ruffles on the shoulders -- added for either aesthetic effect or to help with the narrative of the performance. 

Short Sleeve 

Short Sleeve Leotards are those that, quite simply, have short sleeves. This style can have a skirt attached or be done in the traditional style. This design of leotard is traditionally found in the skating area -- where the skirt can replace the traditional ballet dancer’s tutu. 

For an example of a short sleeve leotard (with skirt), please see our Purple Lace Overlaying White Lycra Short Sleeve Skating Dress. 

Long Sleeve

Long Sleeve Leotards are simply leotards with long sleeves attached. This type of leotard is ideal for winter months, as the long sleeves help the performer to keep warm, and they’re the preferred type of leotard for professional competitions -- as the long sleeves help to hide any bent elbows. 

See our Calais Purple Long Sleeve Gymnastics Leotard for an example of a long sleeve leotard. 

Do You Like the Material?

The next consideration you should have for choosing your first leotard is the material. There are four main options -- Lycra and Nylon, Metallic, Cotton and Lace, and Printed Fabric -- each with their own qualities.  

Lycra and Nylon

Lycra is a kind of synthetic material derived from spandex. It’s an extremely elastic material made of a combination of polyester and polyurethane. As a result, it’s ideal for sports wear. 

See our Skating Leotard in Navy Lycra with Blue Fire Design for an example of a leotard made of lycra. 

Metallic

Metallic Leotards are designed to draw as much attention to themselves as possible. They are the first-choice for the ultra confident athlete. 

See our White Metallic and Neon Lycra Long Sleeve Skating Dress for an example of a metallic leotard. 

Cotton and Lace

Cotton and lace are extremely breathable materials, making them ideal for use during periods of long practice sessions. This pair of materials isn’t commonly used in gymnastics leotards. However, they are commonly found in skating and dance leotards. 

See our Flo Pink and Black Lace Skating Leotard for an example of a leotard which uses lace. 

Printed Fabrics

Printed Fabrics are those which feature an image or design printed on them. These designs can be printed on any material, meaning that it isn’t technically a fabric design by itself. However, their unique presentation makes them a unique choice for the athlete looking to shine on the mat.  

See our Multi Printed Mesh and Coral Lycra Long Sleeve Skating Dress for an example of printed fabrics. 

Do You Like the Colour?

Another consideration for your leotard is colour. While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to colour preferences, common practice is that younger gymnasts usually prefer brighter colours -- such as oranges and bright pinks -- whereas teenage and adult gymnasts usually prefer slightly more subtle hues, such as blues, purples, and dark reds. However, this is not a rule. Ultimately, the best colour for you is the colour you like the best -- so go with your favourite colour if you want. 

Another consideration, however, is the fact that many gymnastics teams have pre-agreed colours. So, if you plan to join a gymnastics team, it’s best to make sure that your leotard colours don’t contrast with those of your teammates. 

Do You Like the Way it Fits?

We’ve written previously about finding a leotard that fits. In our previous article, we wrote that the ideal leotard will fit snug with no creases, wrinkles or snags visible when fitted. With this advice also comes the caveat that leotards for children should have a little bit of space for growing room -- this means a few wrinkles in the material here and there.

It’s important to remember that these clothes are designed to be close fitting, so you should expect them to be fairly tight.  

Do You Find it Comfortable?

The final consideration you  should  have when picking your gymnastics leotard is whether you are comfortable in it. What this means is down to your own preferences. Ideally, however, it should be a combination of all four previously mentioned considerations -- a design that you like, a material that you feel comfortable in, a colour that you find flattering, and a size that fits well. 

Once you’ve found a leotard that satisfies all these considerations,  you should have one that you feel comfortable in. 

Speak to Olympique Today

If you have any questions about our range of leotards, would like some help finding a leotard that you like, or any other enquiries, contact the gymnastics wear experts today. We’ll be happy to help you with any questions you may have in order to improve your shopping experience.