Leotard Rankings: Elite Leos

It’s no secret that we love talking about and rating leos. We had such a good time rating dance leos that we started thinking about other places to draw NCAA leo inspiration from—which brings us to some of our all time favorite elite leos. There are a bunch of unique designs and concepts that we don’t see in college gymnastics but could easily make their way over. Our editors searched for some unique designs that would lend themselves well to NCAA teams for us to judge this week. Did we get it right?

Great Britain: 9.220

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.5/3	2.6/3	3.5/4	8.6/10	Temple
Claire	2.5/3	3/3	3.8/4	9.3/10	Utah
Kalley	3/3	3/3	3.8/4	9.8/10	Nebraska
Izzi	2.5/3	2.8/3	3.4/4	8.7/10	Arkansas
Talitha	2.9/3	2.9/3	3.9/4	9.7/10	Nebraska

Elizabeth: Red and black will always be a great combo, especially when ombre is incorporated. I also love the subtle black rhinestone design on the body and sleeves.

Claire: There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this leo, nothing. I especially love how the rhinestones follow the ombre.  

Kalley: This is about as close as it gets to perfect when it comes to my own personal leo preference. The ONLY thing I am taking away points for is the mesh on the upper part of the sleeves… It just isn’t my favorite. Otherwise, I need this in the Huskers’ leo rotation immediately.

Izzi: I love this leo. I feel like Arkansas is heading in a more elegant direction with its leos, and I think this would look awesome for it. The only problem for me is the sleeves—the mesh looks a bit weird up at the shoulders.

Talitha: This leotard is simply stunning. My only criticism is that the use of crystals is not particularly elegant, especially on the sleeves.

USA: 8.860

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.6/3	2.8/3	3.8/4	9.2/10	Michigan State
Claire	2.8/3	2.8/3	3.5/4	9.1/10	Michigan State
Kalley	2.7/3	2/3	3.8/4	8.5/10	Michigan State
Izzi	2.8/3	3/3	3.5/4	9.3/10	Michigan State
Talitha	2.5/3	2.5/3	3.2/4	8.2/10	Michigan State

Elizabeth: I’ve always loved this leo on its own. The emerald green with the white and subtle ombre is just fantastic.

Claire: Is it too soon to call this leo iconic? In any case, it’d be a worthy follow-up to Michigan State’s green and white ombre design, which is pretty iconic in its own right. 

Kalley: Green is probably my favorite color when it comes to leo design, and this particular shade is beautiful. I really like this design, and the white and dark green (almost black) ombre on the sleeves works super well.

Izzi: I love the leos that Simone designed this quad, and this is no exception! I really like the deep green color, and I love the design that goes to the waist. The only thing I don’t like is the little white triangle at the top, it distracts from the pattern for me.

Talitha: The shade of green is a bit too somber for me. But I like the elegant look, and the ombre mesh sleeves are gorgeous.

Canada: 8.680

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.4/3	2.5/3	3.6/4	8.5/10	New Hampshire
Claire	2.3/3	2.8/3	3.2/4	8.3/10	BYU
Kalley	1.9/3	2.5/3	3/4	7.4/10	BYU
Izzi	2.9/3	2.6/3	3.8/4	9.3/10	UCLA
Talitha	3.0/3	2.9/3	4.0/4	9.9/10	UNC

Elizabeth: I’ve always liked most of Canada’s leos, especially this one. It has a tie dye look without being kitschy. New Hampshire is close to Vermont is close to maple leaves, right…?

Claire: The blue watercolor is so unexpected and so pretty, especially paired with such a classic silhouette. I’m not sure how the maple leaves design would work in the NCAA, but I could see BYU working with this. 

Kalley: I clearly love the blue and white ombre, I’m just not super wild about the leaves. I’d be curious to see how this design could be adjusted to work for a school like BYU. 

Izzi:Totally agree with Elizabeth on this one. I love the use of the maple leaf for Canada, and I can really see UCLA doing something similar to this—it seems to have gotten into the lighter blue ombre the last few years.

Talitha: This is my favorite of the bunch. It’s a fantastic design, and is elegant, romantic and original. ‘Such stuff as dreams are made on,’ as the Poet says.

Brazil: 8.340

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.6/3	2.2/3	3.3/4	8.1/10	UCLA
Claire	2.8/3	2.8/3	3.5/4	9.1/10	UNC
Kalley	2.8/3	2/3	3.5/4	8.3/10	Any
Izzi	2.6/3	2.6/3	3.0/4	8.2/10	Any
Talitha	2.7/3	2.3/3	3.0/4	8.0/10	UCLA

Elizabeth: This is obviously great. My choice for team is less for the rainbow elements of the color scheme but more the yellow and blue. Take away the pink, and it’s exactly what I’d like to see from UCLA.

Claire: I love everything about this leo: the cut, the color, the sparkle… It’s all fantastic. This could be a great Pride leo as is, but with a few tweaks to the palette would fit right in with the Tar Heels’ simple yet bold aesthetic.

Kalley: This is the Pride leo of my dreams. The only thing missing is a little more sparkle. But aside from that? *chef’s kiss*

Izzi: Something about this style allows the leo to look very athletic, which I like. Those colors could be anything really, so I see this as a leo for a special meet, like Pride or a Pink meet. The style is generic enough that I think any team would wear it well.

Talitha: I agree with Kalley that this would be a beautiful Pride meet leo. The only thing I don’t really like is that yellow is the color that comes across the most, but on the other hand I love that there’s the same pattern on the chest and the sleeves.

Russia: 7.460

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.4/3	2.3/3	3.4/4	8.1/10	Michigan
Claire	2.5/3	1.7/3	2.3/4	6.5/10	Florida
Kalley	1.5/3	1.4/3	2/4	4.9/10	Michigan
Izzi	2.6/3	2.5/3	3.6/4	8.7/10	UCLA
Talitha	2.8/3	2.5/3	3.8/4	9.1/10	California

Elizabeth: One of my favorite classic designs. I love the small amount of mesh and the chest design. Simple yet effective.

Claire: No doubt this is a very pretty and elegant (if not a particularly memorable) design. Gorgeous shade of blue. 

Kalley: I’m not a huge fan of the almost gladiator design happening here, although I do like the color and general simplicity of this leo.

Izzi: UCLA used pretty much the same design a couple years ago, and I love it! I love the deep color and simplicity. It feels very mature and elegant.

Talitha: This is one of my favorite elite leotards of all time: It’s simple, elegant and blue! UCLA has a similar one and, unsurprisingly, I love it too!

Germany: 7.440

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.4/3	2.4/3	3.2/4	8.0/10	Utah
Claire	2.2/3	2.5/3	2.8/4	7.5/10	Southern Utah
Kalley	2.7/3	2/3	3.2/4	7.9/10	Maryland
Izzi	2.0/3	2.8/3	2.3/4	7.1/10	Maryland
Talitha	2.1/3	2.2/3	2.4/4	6.7/10	Cornell

Elizabeth: Once upon a time Utah was into gold accents in its leos. Bring this back please and thank you.

Claire: I can’t unsee this bird shaking its winged fist and yelling, “Get off my lawn!” The cranky bird mascot paired with big, bold blocks of red, black and white scream Southern Utah to me. Also, can we please see more gold accents on NCAA leos?

Kalley: This is such a funky design, and I could absolutely imagine a school like Maryland doing something similar. Also, as much as I wouldn’t think it would, the harsh contrast between the colors really works for me.

Izzi: I just cannot get past the angry bird. Besides that, it’s a really pretty leo with a design that feels new and inventive. But that bird… 

Talitha: I love the golden details on this leotard, but the overall design is not really my cup of tea. I wish I liked it more!

Italy: 7.400

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	1.8/3	2.0/3	2.8/4	6.6/10	Iowa
Claire	2.4/3	2.7/3	3/4	8.1/10	Oregon State
Kalley	3/3	2.6/3	3.5/4	9.1/10	Iowa
Izzi	2.8/3	1.2/3	2.4/4	6.4/10	Oregon State
Talitha	2.3/3	2.3/3	2.2/4	6.8/10	SEMO

Elizabeth: I think without the neck collar part of the design, I would like this leo a lot more. Otherwise, it’s a pretty solid black and white design, and the two colors switch over at a good spot.

Claire: The rhinestone embellishments elevate this from ordinary to elegant. Some mesh sleeves or pop of color on the bodice would really take it to the next level.  

Kalley: This is very similar to my favorite Michigan leo, and it seems perfect for Iowa given how much they use basic black and white designs. It is classy, elegant and simple. 

Izzi: My biggest problem with this leo is that it’s boring, but I do think it has potential. I like the matte black and the waist sparkle detail. I think with some more interesting (maybe orange) sparkles this would be cool as an OSU leo.

Talitha: Something is missing here for me to be completely on board with this leotard. Perhaps more could be done with the crystals. I like the contrast of black and white, though.

France: 7.160

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.7/3	2.8/3	3.8/4	9.3/10	Arizona
Claire	2.5/3	2.8/3	3.8/4	9.1/10	Arizona
Kalley	1.4/3	2.2/3	2.8/4	6.4/10	Arizona
Izzi	2/3	1.5/3	2.2/4	5.7/10	Arizona
Talitha	1.7/3	1.6/3	2.0/4	5.3/10	Penn

Elizabeth: One of the best elite leos out there. I love the feathered look, and the colors are fabulous. I also appreciate the use of solid white and the sweetheart neckline.

Claire: So pretty! The blue and red are so eye-catching that it’s easy to miss some of this leo’s subtler elements like the sweetheart neckline and chevron cuffs. Arizona is known for its red, white and blue color scheme but also likes experimenting with different cuts and cutouts, making this a perfect fit for the Wildcats.  

Kalley: I love the blue and white design, but don’t particularly care for the line of red swirls that cuts up the middle. I think if that were something else, I would like it more.

Izzi:I like the diagonal design across the body a lot, but again, I don’t love the sweetheart neckline. I’d also prefer solid white for both sleeves instead of mesh on one.

Talitha: I have nothing against this leotard, but the design is just meh to me.

China: 7.000

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.1/3	2.1/3	3.2/4	7.4/10	Missouri
Claire	1.7/3	2.8/3	3/4	7.5/10	Towson
Kalley	1.2/3	1.5/3	2/4	4.7/10	Missouri
Izzi	2.3/3	2.3/3	2.4/4	7.0/10	Missouri
Talitha	2.6/3	2.5/3	3.3/4	8.4/10	Oshkosh

Elizabeth: I love this except for the slight tank top feel the colors on the body meeting the sleeves gives you. Otherwise, this would be an awesome design (and potentially an upgrade) for Missouri or Towson.

Claire: I’m not crazy about the white fabric over the yellow bodice at the neckline; either do a boat neck or don’t. Other than that there’s a lot to like, especially the grey to yellow ombre. Change the crystal criss-cross to tiger stripes, and this would be perfect for Towson or Missouri. 

Kalley: This leo would have more appeal for me if the sleeves were a continuation of the yellow or black. The white is just a weird contrast. I do love the black/grey/yellow body of it, though, as well as the overall gem design.

Izzi:This leo is very meh for me. I don’t like the yellow, but it would be good for Missouri. I like the sparkle design, but besides that it’s a bit boring for me.

Talitha: This leotard is really pretty, black and gold work really well together. However, I think that it would look even better if the upper body and the sleeves followed the same color pattern as the body.

Mexico: 6.840

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.7/3	2.5/3	3.5/4	8.7/10	Eastern Michigan
Claire	2.2/3	2.7/3	3.6/4	8.3/10	Eastern Michigan
Kalley	1.6/3	2.5/3	3/4	7.1/10	Eastern Michigan
Izzi	1.2/3	2.5/3	3/4	3.7/10	Eastern Michigan
Talitha	2.4/3	2.0/3	2.0/4	6.4/10	Eastern Michigan

Elizabeth: Mexico kills it with the leos, and I want people to start noticing. The color here is gorgeous, and the subtle design is just enough.

Claire: I keep debating whether I actually love this leo or if I just love Alexa Moreno… Regardless, it’s a beautiful design. The commitment to that deep emerald is an excellent choice, and the heavy crystal design amps up the wow factor without being distracting. 

Kalley: I love the emerald green used here, I just wish there was a little more “oomph” to this design—more sparkles or maybe some contrast with another color? But it’s green, and therefore I am a fan.

Izzi:I love the color, but besides that it’s pretty meh. If you’re going to do totally solid color leos, I think you need to be more creatively than just a sparkle bib.

Talitha: I love the emerald green color of this leotard, but the overall design is a bit boring for me.

Australia: 6.280

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	2.2/3	2.2/3	2.8/4	7.2/10	LIU
Claire	1.7/3	2.1/3	2.7/4	6.5/10	Sac State
Kalley	2/3	2.2/3	3.5/4	7.7/10	LIU
Izzi	1.0/3	1.0/3	1.3/4	3.3/10	Sac State
Talitha	2.4/3	1.5/3	2.8/4	6.7/10	Sac State

Elizabeth: The color combo is great. I don’t love the chest ribbons/flame neckline, but otherwise it’s pretty nice.

Claire: I really like the tri-colored ombre and appreciate seeing a different fabric (even if it’s not my favorite). The Hornets are never ones to shy away from experimenting with color and bold leo designs, and this would fit right into their closet. 

Kalley: If you made the teal in this a little more blue, this could really work for LIU. We obviously don’t yet know their overall leo “aesthetic,” but we all know I’m team ombre. 

Izzi: I…hate it. I don’t like the highlighter yellow and the design on the front feels like a mid-2010s stock GK swirly leo. The use of ombre is nice, but I can’t get over the color.

Talitha: Add red hair to this leotard, and it becomes a perfect homage to Disney’s Little Mermaid. I don’t dislike the design, but I’m less happy with the yellow upper body and the fabric.

The Netherlands: 6.140

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	1.2/3	1.2/3	1.5/4	3.9/10	Florida
Claire	2/3	2.2/3	2.8/4	7.0/10	Auburn
Kalley	2.5/3	2.0/3	3.5/4	8.0/10	Florida
Izzi	2/3	2.2/3	3.3/4	7.5/10	Florida
Talitha	1.3/3	1.5/3	1.5/4	4.3/10	Florida

Elizabeth: This is alright. I don’t love the flowers, and I have a feeling if this were a Florida leo, I would like it as much as the blue and orange ombre sleeve design the Gators already have—which is not that much.

Claire: Blue, white and orange is such a fresh and fun combination! The white swoop across the bodice and torso ruin the effect of the ombre, but the overall design is still solid. As much as I’d love to see Florida in a leo like this, orange filigree flowers feel more like the kind of risk Auburn would be willing to take. 

Kalley: I really love the way blue, white and orange are used together here. The only improvement I would make is to remove the design above the sweetheart neckline. 

Izzi: I like pretty much everything about this leo except for the sweetheart neck, which I tend to not like very much. However, the ombre is done really well on this leo, and the orange and blue actually go very well together. 

Talitha: I’m quite surprised that I don’t like this leotard. It turns out that I’m not a fan of the shade of blue nor of the flowery orange pattern. And that white stripe in the middle doesn’t convince me either.

USA: 6.040

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	0.5/3	0.5/3	1.0/4	2.0/10	Ball State
Claire	2.3/3	2.8/3	3.6/4	8.7/10	Maryland
Kalley	1.8/3	1.5/3	2.5/4	5.8/10	Ball State
Izzi	1.2/3	2/3	2/4	5.2/10	Georgia
Talitha	2.6/3	2.5/3	3.4/4	8.5/10	Utah

Elizabeth: Lol. I mean, I don’t like the collar thing at all. It reminds me of those children’s TV shows that are supposed to be endearing with a human dressed up as a dog but are just kind of creepy. The diamonds are also too big for me.

Claire: Just this once, I’m throwing my long-held motto, “Less is more,” out the window and embracing, “More is more!” All of these crazy elements—including the rhinestone collar, giant diamond mesh sleeves and crystal argyle on the torso—kind of balance each other out. Maybe it’s the black that ties it all together? 

Kalley: I really can’t decide what I think about this leo. It’s so bizarre that it almost works. I think if you got rid of the red collar, I would like it more. But overall this is funky and would certainly be a unique option for the NCAA.

Izzi: It’s really hard to get past the collar, but if you imagine it gone, the leo becomes significantly better. Not a fan of the half-sleeves either. All that aside, I do really like the sparkle belt and sparkle design on top. The black + sparkle + red combo feels very Georgia to me.

Talitha: This is not the style of leotard I would always like, but I find this one fascinating. I love the geometric pattern in the middle of the body, as well as the high red neckline. Weird yet chic—I approve!

USA: 5.900

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	1.7/3	1.5/3	2.6/4	5.8/10	West Chester
Claire	2.3/3	2.0/3	2.5/4	6.8/10	West Chester
Izzi	1.8/3	1.5/3	2.0/4	5.3/10	LSU
Kalley	1.6/3	2.0/3	2.5/4	6.1/10	LSU
Talitha	1.5/3	2.0/3	2.0/4	5.5/10	LSU

Elizabeth: The yellow and purple combo here is a little harsh. I think if the yellow was slightly more shiny gold, it would be just right for either LSU or West Chester. The ombre is obviously great, though.

Claire: This leo is a good example of how details can make or break a leo: Both the yellow and purple “feathering” on the chest and the crystal designs—the big bands around the upper arms and the lightning bolts (?) on the bodice—seem out of place. The ombre sleeves, however, are a showstopper! With a few tweaks, this would be a great one for West Chester. 

Kalley: While I love the ombre (obviously) the rest of this design falls a little flat for me. Despite being from Minnesota, and therefore by default a Vikings fan, purple and yellow is not my favorite color combination. I also don’t love the harsh contrast of the body of this leo compared to the lighter ombre arms. 

Izzi: I like this design and think the sparkle design is flattering, but the yellow is definitely a bit harsh. I’m also confused by the design on the chest—it feels a little unnecessarily busy to me. It’d be an average LSU leo.

Talitha: Hmm, this leotard has potential but the choice of colors is not ideal to me. The purple of the body is too intense and the neon yellow of the sleeves looks cold. Overall, this leotard has a harsh look that I don’t like.

Romania: 4.500

	Design	Fabric/ Sparkle	Overall Appearance	Total	Team
Elizabeth	0.8/3	0.3/3	1.0/4	2.1/10	?
Claire	1.7/3	1.2/3	2/4	4.9/10	Arizona State
Kalley	2.5/3	2/3	3/4	7.5/10	Minnesota
Izzi	1/3	0.7/3	1.5/4	3.3/10	Any
Talitha	1.8/3	1.0/3	1.9/4	4.7/10	Arizona State

Elizabeth: Meh. This leo is super boring, and I can’t see any team wearing it in its current form or a similar one. I’d have to change around a lot of elements to get it to a place I’d like.

Claire: My love of throwback leos is at odds with my dislike of white leos… Also, that gigantic V on the torso bums me out. This design would need a major overhaul to be NCAA-ready, but if there’s a team that’s bold enough to try, it’s Arizona State. 

Kalley: Mary Korlin-Downs designed a Minnesota leo that was similar to this that I really loved. It has a retro athletic vibe that I am really into. I’d love if teams would bring some of those designs back.

Izzi:It’s pretty boring. I can see it being used as a throwback leo (maybe like this UCLA one) for any team. 

Talitha: I don’t particularly like this design, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a modern version of it.

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Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Claire Billman, Kalley Leer, Talitha Ilacqua, Izzi Baskin, Emily Minehart and Mary Emma Burton

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