The criteria is a little different this season as we tweak some of our point totals to better analyze the designs. There will be up to three points for design, up to one point each for fabric and sparkle, school spirit and uniqueness and up to three points for overall appearance. This week all of our main editors, Brandis, Claire, Emily M, Kalley, Katie W, Katherine and Mary Emma, are joining Elizabeth to help judge.
Oklahoma: 8.6750
Elizabeth: 7.600
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I like almost every Oklahoma leo, but this one is particularly good. It strays from the team’s typical look—to me it looks more like a Utah leo—but I don’t hate that. The concept of having a mostly black and white leo with a colored accent is one of my favorites.
Katherine: 8.300
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I love this design right down to the middle. That said, the black lower half feels like too much of a departure, and I wish the entire thing was white. We don’t get enough all-white designs in NCAA, and I think this would have been a perfect opportunity.
Claire: 9.000
Design 2.8/3, Fabric 1/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
Hands down my favorite Oklahoma leo of all time. It’s still a flashy design, but manages to stay on the pretty side of over-the-top. The deep red piping around the neck and wrists is impeccable.
Katie W: 8.300
Design 2.3/3, Fabric .9/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness .7/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
It’s a miracle… Oklahoma wore two new leotards this weekend, and I actually liked them both. This one isn’t my favorite, but it’s so different from what the team always wears. The white combined with the red piping of the logo is stunning for me. I do agree with Katherine here that the jeweled piping from white to black takes a bit away from its potential.
Kalley: 9.300
Design 2.8/3, Fabric 1/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.9/3
I’ll say it: This is the best leo of the week for me. It is also the first Oklahoma leo I have ever truly liked. I love the white, I wish more teams would embrace it. I love everything about this.
Mary Emma: 9.000
Design 2.7/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
I think this is my new favorite OU leo. The sparkle on the front is stunning, and it’s not over the top the way a lot of its leos are.
Brandis: 8.900
Design 2.7/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
Absolutely my new favorite Oklahoma leo. Black isn’t something we see too often from the Sooners, and it looks great paired with the white. The rhinestones do a great job at adding some extra red and bring the whole look together.
Emily M: 9.000
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.9/3
OU really gave us a bait-and-switch this year, debuting the truly wild leo during season and giving us an almost tame look for nationals. That said, I adore this. The matte white! The shiny black! The extremely great use of colorful crystals! Really great. I just wish they’d take the back one step further.
Utah: 8.5125
Elizabeth: 8.900
Design 2.7/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.9/3
This is a very similar design to Alabama’s from the semifinal, and I like it almost as much. The red and white ombre is fantastic, but I wish the back was a true open back with the thicker, tulle straps rather than having the fabric underneath. I know it’s just how the stock design is, but Alabama’s and Rutgers’ leos from this weekend are similar designs and incorporate real open backs, so I know it’s possible. This is a small gripe though because overall the leo is great.
Katherine: 6.400
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.4/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I’ve commented before on my distaste for ruching, so that’s a big problem I have with this design. Take that and the high neck away, though, and I love the rest. The back is super beautiful, and I like the sparkles on the front a lot. It’s also a big departure for Utah to use white, so points for being bold.
Claire: 8.200
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
White and red ombre is very hit or miss for me, but this is a hit. This toes a very strange line between funky and classy, and it does it very well! The ruched back is my favorite part.
Katie W: 7.900
Design 2.5/3, Fabric .8/1, Sparkle .9/1, School Spirit .5/1, Uniqueness .5/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
I love the fact Utah went for the white and a lighter shade of red combination here. It really works well with the ruching and design of this leotard. I do feel like the ruching neck top is slightly awkward with the sleeves, but that’s a minor problem in this otherwise gorgeous leotard.
Kalley: 8.200
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
OK, this is beautiful. I love the white and red ombre, and I love that this is a different look for the Utes. It’s not the most exciting leo, but you know I love a good ombre situation.
Mary Emma: 10.000
Design 3.0/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 3.0/3
Yeah, I went there. Hands down my favorite leo of the season and one of my favorites of all time. It’s just *chef’s kiss*
Brandis: 9.300
Design 2.8/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.9/3
My favorite leo of nationals! The use of the fabric through the ombre just softens the look and adds texture that helps separate this leo from the rest.
Emily M: 9.200
Design 2.9/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
I adore the front of this very much. The ruching combined with the ombre! Chef’s kiss. What a unique look! The back is a little fabric-heavy, but I still enjoy the styling of the back overall.
Alabama: 8.5000
Elizabeth: 10.000
Design 3.0/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 3.0/3
This is hands down my favorite leo of the entire season. I can’t think of anything I would change to make it better. The creativity is off the charts, and the school spirit is unmatched. I love it, and I wouldn’t be sad if Alabama wore it for every single meet until the end of time.
Katherine: 9.200
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
Houndstooth! And what a unique, modern way to use it. It looks really pretty against a crimson background, and the sleeves are a nice touch. The back is also an underrated part of this design; I love the spider-esque style. This is my favorite one from Alabama in some time because it is so quintessentially Alabama.
Claire: 9.000
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 1/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness 1/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
I love it when Alabama leans into the houndstooth, and pairing it with the crimson body and accents is the perfect choice. This design could have easily veered into tacky territory, but every element is so well done. Gorgeous!
Katie W: 8.200
Design 2.3/3, Fabric .9/1, Sparkle .7/1, School Spirit .9/1, Uniqueness .9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I’m not crazy for patterns, but Alabama executes this one in the best way possible. I appreciate the fact it wasn’t overdone by any means. The back is gorgeous, and it comes together extremely well with the front.
Kalley: 6.000
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I don’t love the houndstooth pattern. Otherwise, this is…fine? It reminds me more of an Oklahoma leo if I’m being honest.
Mary Emma: 8.800
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I love this one! The houndstooth pattern looks great and adds lots of school spirit. I also really love the back. My only complaint is that from a distance, it looks just like an Oklahoma leo. I was watching on a screen on the other side of the room, and I kept thinking Alabama was Oklahoma.
Brandis: 7.800
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
I thought this would be one of my favorite leos ever, and then I saw the back. I absolutely love the houndstooth design, but I think the big black straps across the back look so out of place.
Emily M: 9.000
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
I love this! Houndstooth is so classically Alabama, and I love to see it with a twist. I agree with Kalley that the overall leo isn’t supremely Alabama, but the houndstooth ties it all in for me. The strappy back is also great!
Oklahoma: 7.3750
Elizabeth: 7.700
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This was one of my favorite Oklahoma designs from the past, but I think I like this updated version even better. The crimson and white combo is just so classically Oklahoma, and it looks great here. Add in an open back, and lots of sparkle, and I’m going to rate it high pretty much every time.
Katherine: 6.900
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
I think I’m just used to Oklahoma’s crazy designs because this feels a little boring to me, and I feel like the national final is the time to go all out. But it’s definitely a pretty design, and the white is a nice update.
Claire: 8.200
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
I liked the original version of this, and I like this version just as much. The white adds an extra dimension of drama that’s really great.
Katie W: 7.700
Design 2.3/3, Fabric .7/1, Sparkle .8/1, School Spirit .7/1, Uniqueness .7/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This leotard is ten times better with the red and white combo instead of the double maroon combo of the initial leotard. It allows the design to pop out more. I’m hoping Oklahoma can keep up this new trend of the white with maroon combination.
Kalley: 6.700
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
This is a relatively simple leo, especially by OU standards, but that’s why I like it. I definitely like the updated version more than its predecessor. It’s just classically crimson and white. Overall win for me.
Mary Emma: 7.400
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I think I like this one more than the original. Like Katie said, the white really makes the red pop.
Brandis: 6.900
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
I like the simplicity of this leo. There’s nothing too special about it, but it’s a nice and clean look.
Emily M: 7.500
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
An update on a classic! I’ve always enjoyed the version of this with red sleeves, and the white makes it pop even more. It’s still a pretty tame leo, especially for 2021 OU, but a very solid one nevertheless.
Illinois State: 7.0375
Elizabeth: 6.900
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
Silver queen! I absolutely love shiny silver leos, and while on paper this design would be pretty meh for me, it just works with these colors. I also adore the ombre sleeves. What a cool treat it was for Angelica Labat to get to wear this at nationals.
Katherine: 8.300
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
This is so pretty and a total departure from Illinois State’s particular use of red and white. That said, it doesn’t really feel like an Illinois State leo, but in a vacuum, it’s gorgeous. Special props to the bodice with the diamonds; so intricate.
Claire: 7.200
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle1/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I can’t decide if I love the Holotek fabric or hate it; if nothing else, I appreciate the boldness. I love the monochromatic look, and the sparkle bodice is a really cool concept.
Katie W: 5.800
Design 1.7/3, Fabric .4/1, Sparkle .9/1, School Spirit .3/1, Uniqueness .7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
I really like the mesh ombre sleeves on this one, but I’m not a fan of the bodice design at all. I wish it was plain silver and left the mesh ombre exclusively for the sleeves.
Kalley: 8.300
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
The first thing that came into my mind when I saw this leo was “ICE QUEEN,” and I love it. This is absolutely stunning, and the only thing it’s docked for is there aren’t many ISU colors in there?
Mary Emma: 7.200
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I like this one, but I don’t love it. The shiny silver fabric and ombre sleeves are really pretty, but I don’t love the mesh middle.
Brandis: 6.400
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
The ombre mesh is nice, but I am not a fan of the shiny silver fabric. I also don’t see any representation of Illinois State on this leo, which I don’t think was the best choice for the school’s first appearance at nationals.
Emily M: 6.200
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.2/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
Ooo that silvery is holographic isn’t it?! Very bold. This is soooo different than any other Redbird look, and I’m into it. The belted part in the middle is so wide that the top sort of looks like a bikini? Which is a bit odd in a leo. But the ombre sleeves are great. I also love that Labat got her own new leo for nationals.
California: 6.9875
Elizabeth: 6.400
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
When I saw the sneak peek, I was optimistic it wouldn’t be too busy. However, the real thing is a little disappointing. It’s not bad by any means, but there’s just a little too much going on for me, and I wish the belt/cut-outs just went all the way around. The sleeves and top are great, though.
Katherine: 7.100
Design 2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This is perfect except for the side holes. It’s such a beautiful body, and to interrupt it with the white openings just looks off. I do love the subtle pattern on the sleeves; it looks lovely against the ombre. But otherwise, it’s one of Cal’s best in some time (I like it better than the earlier new one this season).
Claire: 6.800
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
This one is so close to being great, but the cutouts kill it for me. I love the shade of blue. I love the damask and ombre mesh paired with the bodice and collar. I love how they really leaned into the heavy crystals. Those out of place cutouts complete distract from all of those great elements.
Katie W: 7.700
Design 2.2/3, Fabric .7/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit .5/1, Uniqueness .7/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
The more I see this one, the more I love it. It has one downfall—the side slits—but the sparkle, color and ombre mesh sleeves almost make up for it.
Kalley: 5.300
Design 1.4/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
In theory, I should like this. But in actuality, there are too many little details that bug me. I mainly don’t care for the design of the white belt or cutout in the middle of the bodice, but the ombre mesh sleeves are gorgeous.
Mary Emma: 7.700
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
This is gorgeous minus the cutouts on the side. I love the ombre and the pattern on the sleeves, but the cutouts just look off to me.
Brandis: 7.900
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I agree with my fellow editors that it’s a little busy, but overall I really like it! The blue pops in contrast with the white, and my only wish is there was a little more yellow incorporated to give it more school spirit.
Emily M: 7.000
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
I like a lot about this. I dislike the sternum hole and the belty holes. I just don’t see the point. Otherwise, stunning.
Florida: 6.7750
View more of Erin Long’s images of this Florida leo in her Facebook album.
Elizabeth: 6.700
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
This is one of the best Florida leos in a while for me, but I still don’t love it. It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but it feels like it wasn’t executed perfectly. The gap between the arm and chest sparkles that creates that negative space looks kind of weird, but I love the chandelier look and especially the scoop back, which might actually be one of my favorite neckline styles.
Katherine: 6.000
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
Mary Emma pointed out the orange on this design; that that was the first I’d heard of it. I still can’t really see it, and I feel like if it was bolder it would have redeemed the design a bit. Otherwise, it really does feel like more of the same for Florida, though the front design is objectively lovely.
Claire: 7.200
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
This is a very pretty leo, but it’s not especially memorable. Quintessential Florida leo.
Katie W: 6.400
Design 1.9/3, Fabric .5/1, Sparkle .7/1, School Spirit .5/1, Uniqueness .8/1, Overall Appearance 2/3
Its not bad, but its nothing special for me. Once Elizabeth pointed out the weird gap on the shoulder with no sparkles..it kind of did it for my liking. I also felt like this one was not vibrant or noticeable on tv.
Kalley: 6.300
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
So I actually really like the iridescent look of this one, but I can’t unsee the gap between the arm and chest sparkles now that Elizabeth has pointed it out. Overall, though, I think this is really pretty.
Mary Emma: 7.300
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
Glad to see Florida with a leo that doesn’t look like 90% of its other leos. I really like the sparkle pattern in the front, though I wish the orange popped a bit more.
Brandis: 6.800
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I appreciate when Florida uses black, but it doesn’t go too well here. The orange and blue rhinestones are really muted on the black, and we lose a lot of color because of it.
Emily M: 7.500
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
Mmmm there’s just something about a Florida leo that incorporates black. This gal was so sparkly on camera, and it must have been an absolute sparkle bomb in the arena. The scoop back is also great—I am very here for that newer trend. I agree with Elizabeth that the negative space around the shoulders is funky and once you see it, you can’t stop seeing it, and Brandis is right that the black really eats the orange rhinestones.
LSU: 6.6500
Elizabeth: 5.500
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
This isn’t terrible, but I’m starting to have the same issue with LSU as I do Florida where most of its leos look pretty similar to one another. This design in particular incorporates some features I don’t necessarily love in leos, including a straight/rounded neckline. I like the idea of the Tiger head sparkle design on the chest, but it kind of gets lost in everything besides still images.
Katherine: 7.200
Design 2.1/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I’ve seen this specific tiger motif on LSU’s football helmets, so it’s cool to see it make the jump here. That said, it’s just a little tough to make out in this particular sparkle pattern; it just looks a little busy in the front. But is it totally LSU and could anyone else wear it? Yes and no, respectively.
Claire: 7.900
Design 2.1/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
The tiger stripes are a lot of fun and bring a fun vibe to an otherwise fairly basic leo.
Katie W: 7.200
Design 1.9 Fabric .6/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness .8/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
Unlike my other editors, I am a huge fan of most of the LSU leotards. This one just doesn’t happen to be one of my favorites. I like the school spirit with the tiger stripes and the sparkle it has to make it stand out. I wish the neckline wasn’t so low and round though. I feel like this is one leotard that would have benefited from not having mesh.
Kalley: 5.700
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
Eh. It’s fine? I like the Tiger design. Mostly, it just reminds me of every other LSU leo, though.
Mary Emma: 5.800
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
This is fine, but other than the sparkly tiger it looks exactly like every other LSU leo. In fact, I didn’t even realize it was new until halfway through the meet.
Brandis: 6.500
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
It’s a good looking leo, but like others have said, it’s a look we feel like we’ve seen before.
Emily M: 7.400
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I understand that necklines like this are pretty common, even in clothing outside of leos! But I just don’t enjoy it; it sort of compresses everyone’s chest in a weird way. That said, LSU’s commitment to the Tiger is great, the shade of purple is great and this thing is sparkly.
Rutgers: 6.4750
Elizabeth: 6.700
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
The body of this leo is fantastic. It’s very much similar to Temple’s newest pink leo, and I love it a lot. I’m not a huge fan of the top overlay/sleeves part and wish the top design just went into normal red mesh sleeves with the fun white design near the forearms. But overall, I love the design. What a fun treat for Hannah Joyner to get to wear for her meet.
Katherine: 7.900
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
This leo is truly regal. I love how Rutgers has been leaning into the softer red and white tones, and this is a unique way to do it. I also love backs like this one. The one element I’d eliminate is the cutout up top, but otherwise it’s a winner for me.
Claire: 5.600
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
There’s a lot to unpack here… There are so many striking elements in this design, and they’re fighting each other for superiority.
Katie W: 6.300
Design 1.8/3, Fabric .8/1, Sparkle .7/1, School Spirit .4/1, Uniqueness .7/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
The ruching crossover design in the back is my favorite part of this leotard. I also really enjoy the lighter color tone choices. I think other colleges should take note for future leotards. However, I dislike the neckline keyhole, and sleeve design on this one.
Kalley: 4.500
Design 1.0/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.0/3
There is just too much happening here. Things I like: the ombre fabric and pattern on the back, the ombre on the front bodice. But otherwise there is just…too much. Also: Why the chest hole?
Mary Emma: 7.300
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
I love the front and the crisscross back is really nice, but I just don’t think it quite goes with the sleeves. It’s still really cool that Hannah got to wear a new leo for nationals!
Brandis: 6.500
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I think this leo looks good from a distance or on a stream, but closer up it gets a bit too busy. I like the stark difference between the bright red and white, but the design on top just doesn’t seem to match.
Emily M: 7.000
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
Rutgers has the red/white leo situation down. The back is gorgeous and the ombre is excellent. The pattern on the front is intricate without being fully overwhelming. I wish the mesh red matched the bodice red, and the way the mesh overlays the bodice and creates the sternum hole is just a bit off to me.
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Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Brandis Heffner, Claire Billman, Emily Minehart, Kalley Leer, Katie Walsh, Katherine Weaver and Mary Emma Burton
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