Over the past two decades, college gymnastics has seen its fair share of bold, daring, and downright wild leotard designs. From electric color combinations to unexpected patterns and fabric, these pieces of fashion have turned heads, sparked conversation, and sometimes even left us in awe. While some of these designs pushed the envelope in the best ways, others took creative risks that made us wonder: What were they thinking?
Below, we’re taking a look back at 10 of the most out-there leotard designs from the past 20 years—those that made an impact (for better or worse) and left their mark on gymnastics fashion history. Get ready to revisit the most memorable, jaw-dropping, and yes, wild leos that have graced the mat.
Arizona’s Giant A
Who needs a strappy back design when you have a giant “A” on the back of your leotard? While future designs saw the A in a smaller and more eye-catching design, this one will always stand out as one of the first times Arizona took the logo to the back.
Arizona State’s One-Armed Pitchfork
Before there was nude mesh, there were one-armed designs. While we admire the level of commitment to school spirit, the pitchfork-style straps to replace a sleeve was ahead of its time in the early 2010s, making it a standout among fans.
Clemson’s Purple Cow
Clemson might be one of the most recent teams to join the NCAA scene, but it certainly made a statement with its leotards during its inaugural season. One of the more talked-about designs was what was intended to be a camouflage pattern but to some came across more similar to a cow.
George Washington’s Giant George Head
Giant George walked so the Angry Tree and Benny the Beaver could run. While we’re not sure how we would feel about George Washington gracing the backs of a leotard if we were competing, this design immediately comes to mind when we think of wild designs from a fan’s perspective.
Nebraska’s Aluminum Foil
While other teams have incorporated silver into their designs, none have done it quite as boldly as the Huskers. This shiny silver material because somewhat of a signature for Nebraska during the mid-2000s into early 2010s. Dubbed “aluminum foil” by fans because of just how shiny it is, this material certainly stands out on the competition floor.
Sacramento State’s Tie-Dye
Sacramento State debuted this leotard back in 2018, and fans either loved it or hated it. It’s retro in a fun way without being based specifically on an “old” design while the shiny fabric elevates it into modern times.
Southern Connecticut’s Jerseys
While far from the first team to do a jersey leotard—looking at you BYU and Arizona State—Southern Connecticut took it to another level with individual adjectives on the backs of each of these. In fact, the judges “coincidentally” put out a rules clarification after this leotard was worn noting that all uniforms must be, well, uniform, so we’re not sure if we’ll ever end up seeing these on the Owls again.
UCLA’s Spider Web
This leotard has a lot going on, and we can’t decide which part is the “wildest.” Is it the bright blue, which strayed from the navy shade UCLA most often wore in this era? Is is the spider-web/zebra-esque pattern on the sides? Is it the mesh shoulder cutouts? Or is it one of the other interesting elements bringing it all together? No matter the answer, this leotard certainly stood out for the Bruins, for good and bad reasons.
LIU’s Shark Camo
We’ve seen camouflage across the years from teams all over the country, either for military appreciation-themed meets or as a general fashion choice. However, LIU took it to another level by using sharks in the camo design. We can’t get enough of the creativity that went into the choice!
BONUS: Short Sleeve Leos
Rutgers and Florida
Short-sleeved leotards aren’t common in gymnastics of any level. Most folks go with either the full sleeve (or a slightly cropped full sleeve) or a tank, but really nothing in between. However, both Florida and Rutgers have debuted leos with this design feature in the early 2020s. We’re not quite sure why—comfort, trying to make a statement, or something else entirely—but we can’t say we’re huge fans. And we’re glad both of these designs seemed to have been retired after just one wear.
Love diving into gymnastics fashion? Get ready to take your obsession to the next level! At the end of the week, we’re launching our leotard database—featuring designs from teams across the NCAA, complete with photos, details, and more. Stay tuned for the ultimate resource to track your favorite leos and discover new ones to love.
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Article by Savanna Wellman and Elizabeth Grimsley
