Leotard Rankings: Twitter TBT

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We decided to continue with the fun the teams have been having on social media each Thursday by judging those #TBT leos posted the past two weeks. With some from the ‘80s and another bunch from the early 2000s, there was a lot of great fashion to dissect.

The criteria is the same as during the season. But to refresh your memory: up to three points for design; two points for fabric, sparkle, etc.; and two points for school spirit; three points for overall appearance. But we want to know your thoughts too! Let us know what you think of these throwback leos in the comments or on social media. And, we are without Caroline this week as she is preparing for hurricane Irma! Our thoughts are with everyone in the path of the storm.

Illinois (1): 8.7

https://twitter.com/IlliniWGym/status/900793919692300292

Christina

  • Design: 2.6/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.6/2
  • School Spirit: 2/2
  • Overall Appearance: 2.5/3
  • Total: 8.7/10

I LOVE this one. I am particularly obsessed with the ‘Illini’ written on both sides of the ribcage and the race track arrows. Seriously, love. The design is interesting but I find it creates a nice line and overall look with the faux V neckline all in white. This leo also incorporates the school colors, and it basically has everything you’d need in a throwback leo.

Elizabeth

  • Design: 2.5/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.6/2
  • School Spirit: 2.0/2
  • Overall Appearance: 2.6/3
  • Total: 8.7/10

LOVE THIS. Honestly, I’d be totally OK if Illinois had a leo like this present day. I love the orange and white stripes under the arms and the big V with the blue on the body. It’s wild and yet not too flash all at the same. I am HERE for this leo! And OMG didn’t even realize “Illini” was written on the sides, and now I love it even more.

West Virginia: 8.65

Christina

  • Design: 2.6/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.7/2
  • School Spirit: 2/2
  • Overall Appearance: 2.7/3
  • Total: 9.0/10

This is a Wonder Woman leo, and that is it—I’m in love. This is the first thing that crossed my mind when I first saw it. I love the way they incorporated the school spirit on this one with the obvious “WV” belt design. I want to say the W is white while the V is golden, which makes it even better. Now I’m just picturing the velvet to be a deep navy blue, and boom, school colors and it’s probably amazing. I also really like the small V neckline. A win for me and I’d love to see this one back!

Elizabeth

  • Design: 2.4/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.5/2
  • School Spirit: 1.9/2
  • Overall Appearance: 2.5/3
  • Total: 8.3/10

This one is great! At first glance, I was like meh. But then I noticed the “WV” band that totally looks like Wonder Woman’s insignia and I fell in love. This would be such a rad leo to wear present day what with girl power and everything. Add some sparkle and it’s ready for 2018.

Penn State (1): 7.0

Christina

  • Design: 1.7/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.2/2
  • School Spirit: 1.9/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.8/3
  • Total: 6.6/10

I am going to imagine this leo is dark blue and white for the sake of school spirit of course. I really like the full on “Penn State” here on the front, but I am not sold on the checkered/squared pattern here. I don’t find it flattering at all.

Elizabeth

  • Design: 2.1/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.3/2
  • School Spirit: 1.8/2
  • Overall Appearance: 2.2/3
  • Total: 7.4/10

I’ll also assume the colors are blue and white. That being said… I love this design! It’s full of school spirit and not super boxy-looking despite the design being rather, well, boxy. I also like the off-center-ness of it.

Michigan: 6.9

Christina

  • Design: 2.4/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.4/2
  • School Spirit: 1.6/2
  • Overall Appearance: 2.3/3
  • Total: 7.7/10

This is a fairly simple look but I find it very elegant. I’d like to think the darker fabric is a navy blue while some of the diagonal bands incorporate some gold for school spirit. It’s very different from the busy looks we are used to Michigan these days, but I really like this one.

Elizabeth

  • Design: 1.6/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.3/2
  • School Spirit: 1.5/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.7/3
  • Total: 6.1/10

Hmm, this is just OK for me. I like the white with the two other colors (I’m going to assume maize and blue), but there’s almost too much white for my taste. Maybe if the top was yellow, the lighter stripe white and the bottom blue, it would be better? I also would have liked a bit more school spirit aside from the colors.

Penn State (2): 6.7

Christina

  • Design: 1.6/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.6/2
  • School Spirit: 1.7/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.9/3
  • Total: 6.8/10

This one is just average to me, nothing exciting or outrageous really. It fits well with its time: velvet, simple design and look, no sparkles, mesh sleeves and the school’s initials on the front. A solid look but nothing for me to fawn over.

Elizabeth

  • Design: 1.7/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.4/2
  • School Spirit: 1.6/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.9/3
  • Total: 6.6/10

Hmm… There are parts I like about this, like the mesh sleeves and the way they cut diagonally with the body design, but also parts I’m not super fond of, like the high neckline and plain PSU on the check. However, It’s not bad, and that’s a good sign for this time.

Denver: 6.4

Christina

  • Design: 1.9/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.2/2
  • School Spirit: 1.3/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.7/3
  • Total: 6.1/10

Now that’s a major throwback! I’ve always been a fan of the Adidas stripes look, and it’s no exception here. I’d like to think this leo is a deep shade of crimson for some school spirit in there. In my dreams, the stripes are gold, but I might be asking a bit too much here and they are probably just white. I do like the risque V neckline. The design does remain fairly simple, but my biggest issue with this one is that it doesn’t look fitted on some of these gymnasts.

Elizabeth

  • Design: 2.0/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.2/2
  • School Spirit: 1.4/2
  • Overall Appearance: 2.1/3
  • Total: 6.7/10

This leo is so Nadia Comaneci 1976. I love the old-school Adidas look and the simplicity of the design. However, I do wish it was a smidge fancier. Maybe some rhinestones or sparkly fabric or something? But I do like the V neckline and the overall look is nice and athletic.

Kentucky: 6.25

Christina

  • Design: 1.2/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.3/2
  • School Spirit: 1.3/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.4/3
  • Total: 5.2/10

This reminds me of the patterns of a circus tent and I just can’t unsee that. Points for including school colors, but I really can’t find this one flattering. Nah.

Elizabeth

  • Design: 2.1/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.5/2
  • School Spirit: 1.7/2
  • Overall Appearance: 2.0/3
  • Total: 7.3/10

I’m oddly loving this leo. The shiny fabric seems ahead of its time and the alternating blue and shiny white vertical stripes are slimming. I do like the keyhole in the back but the rest looks a bit boring in comparison. Maybe if the stripes had continued around the whole leo?

Illinois (2): 5.75

Christina

  • Design: 1.5/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.2/2
  • School Spirit: 1.3/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.8/3
  • Total: 5.8/10

My expectations have been raised really high with the other Illinois leo so I’m left disappointed with this one. It’s very plain and boring honestly. Where is the orange? Where is the crazy design? I need it all! The velvet works well here, and I do like the “Illinois” (I think?) written in orange sparkles on the chest but it’s barely visible. I’m not a fan of this straight neckline and I have never found it flattering. Just a meh look for me.

Elizabeth

  • Design: 1.6/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.1/2
  • School Spirit: 1.5/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.5/3
  • Total: 5.7/10

Oh Illinois this is so boring! And especially so since I just finished judging the wild orange, blue and white leo. The crushed white velvet is nice, though, and I like that a deep blue was used. But I’m not a fan of that neckline and feel like the “Illinois” on the chest could have been dressed up a bit more.

Nebraska: 5.35

Christina

  • Design: 1/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1/2
  • School Spirit: 1.4/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.3/3
  • Total: 4.7/10

I am so here for the polka dots! And they are all over! Obsessed. I want to think this leo is red and white because school colors and like one of those fun swing dresses. Or like Minnie Mouse, you pick. Either way, this is a ridiculous leo and I love it because… the ‘80s. I also don’t really know what the hell is going on with the swirls on the sleeve cuffs but might as well go all out with the craziness here.

Elizabeth

  • Design: 1.4/3
  • Fabric/Sparkle: 1.3/2
  • School Spirit: 1.5/2
  • Overall Appearance: 1.8/3
  • Total: 6.0/10

Oh my god. I can’t with this leo. It’s got so much going on that it’s hideously amazing. The polka dots would be fine on their own, assuming they’re red with white but add on that weird floral pattern to the cuffs, and I’m totally confused. I bet this leo was even better in color and in person.

 

Have a throwback meet you want us to judge? Stick it in the comments or hit us up on Twitter, and we’ll try to get to it in the coming weeks!

Article by Elizabeth Grimsley and Christina Marmet

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