This summer we’re trying a little something new when it comes to our throwback leotard rankings. Rather than looking at single meets, we’ve decided to take a trip down memory lane for specific teams, taking into account a wide range of leos from different eras and finding our all-time favorites from a single program, as well as illustrating how designs have changed over the years.
Here’s how it’ll work: Our judges for the week will choose their top 10 and rank them based on their personal preferences. Plus, you’ll get a chance to tell us your thoughts! Did we leave out your all-time fave from the team? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
This week, we’re taking on Washington with senior editors Brandis and Rebecca joining Editor in Chief Elizabeth for the rundown.
Elizabeth
No. 1: I love this leo. The purple to black ombre is great, and the sparkles are subtle yet still present. I also like the design. It’s such a change of pace for Washington, and I’m here for it.
No. 2: The shimmery material used on the arms is great and goes well with the purple shade used on the body. I also like how elegant the neck design looks. It really ups the regal theme.
No. 3: I like the use of a pale gold here. It makes the whole leo look more delicate if that makes sense. And paired with the shade of purple, it works.
No. 4: It’s ombre, so you’d expect this leo to be much higher for me, but the shiny material used on the body is a little off-putting and not 100-percent flattering on all body types. But overall it’s a solid leo that’s better than 92 percent of the other Washington designs.
No. 5: Deep purple + white is a favorite combination of mine. Do more of it, please, Washington!
No. 6: This leo made my list at No. 6 solely because of the material used on the arms. It’s fantastically stained-glass-esque.
No. 7: It’s a fine enough leo that screams Washington. Plus it doesn’t use a horrible shade of gold/yellow, so it’s already a win.
No. 8: I like this leo for its more athletic design. It’s very Adidas without actually being Adidas.
No. 9: The waves on this work well despite the vertical design. I like the mostly black look with white, hold and purple accents, too.
No. 10: It’s rather plain, but I like the purple on purple mesh and the sweetheart neckline. Sometimes less is more, and this leo illustrates that.
Brandis
No. 1: All the different shades of purple across this leo makes it look so elegant! My favorite part is the purple-outlined hexagon neckline, and the rhinestone “W” on the hip is a great touch too.
No. 2: Yay for ombre! The light purple at the top contrasts so well with the black mesh, and the sleeves feature just the perfect amount of rhinestones.
No. 3: It’s especially hard to incorporate your school colors into a leo when one of the colors is gold, but Washington does it well with this design. Outlining the design with rhinestones helps make it pop amongst a sultry base of purple.
No. 4: A very simplistic look. I love how the rhinestones are raining down the body of the leo.
No. 5: I didn’t think I liked purple mesh until I saw this leo. I also like how the back is overloaded with rhinestones while the front features a clean, giant “W” that gets all the attention.
No. 6: The dark purple and the white work so well together, and the bold rhinestone accent along the design just draws my eye to this leo.
No. 7: Another simple look, but it works. The flowy cursive Washington across the chest helps balances the sharp transition between the light and dark purples. The texture on the sleeves also helps soften the look.
No. 8: This makes my top 10 solely for the vibrant shade of purple. It radiates paired with the black, and the rhinestone design along the sides is creative too.
No. 9: Not the most original design, but another good way to incorporate gold into a leo. The mesh on top also works really well.
No. 10: The yellow isn’t my favorite, but the diamond pattern on the back is. The rhinestone diagonals down the front also bring some pizazz to the look.
Rebecca
No. 1: A heads up: I’m a Washington alum and I watch this team a lot, so my opinions are STRONG. This is my favorite by far, and UW has worn it like…twice ever. Devastating.
No. 2: I love the athletic lines in this one, and the back is lovely. It’s flattering but simple.
No. 3: This one goes all in on school spirit without being too dramatic, and I really like it. The crossover back is fun, and the plain front doesn’t overpower the bold W.
No. 4: This one isn’t too special to me, but it has the bonus of at least looking like it was designed in this decade. Someone once told me that the pattern looked like a dog’s nose, and now I can’t stop thinking about it. I call it the puppy nose leotard.
No. 5: Basic but pretty. The sweetheart neckline is nice, and it looks good on everyone.
No. 6: This is one of the oldest leotards that the Huskies still have in regular rotation. The pattern is a bit 2012 J.O. meet, but I like the white, which doesn’t appear on many of their leotards.
No. 7: OK, retro time! I miss the mid-’00s trend of Squiggles On A Plain Background.
No. 8: I always wished the mesh on this leotard was a different color, but it’s simple and elegant.
No. 9: Squiggles On Black mark two.
No. 10: I was never quite sure what this pattern was meant to be (commas?), but it’s still kind of fun.
Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Brandis Heffner and Rebecca Scally
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