Leotard Rankings: Week 4

Gymnastics fans love leotards, it’s just a fact. We love seeing new designs, creating our own, and especially judging them. That’s why we’re back for another season of leotard rankings!

Each week we’re analyzing new designs to find our weekly faves. Leos can earn up to three points for design; up to two points for construction, which includes fabric, fit, and sparkle; up to one point each for school/theme spirit and creativity; and up to three points for overall appearance. This week Mary, Mary Emma, and Naomi are joining editor-in-chief Elizabeth for judging.

Don’t agree with our ranking? Make your opinion heard by voting in the fan poll at the end of the article each week or by voicing your thoughts on social media!

North Carolina: 9.100

View images of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 9.100

Design 2.7/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3

I love the trend of putting the team’s fun depiction of its mascot on a leotard. That paired with the classic UNC argyle and Carolina blue make for a near-perfect leotard.

Mary: 8.600

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity .8/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3

I like this! The front is very busy, but the simple black sleeves and lower body of the leo make it work. I love the pattern of straps on the back and the blue fabric. I do wish the argyle pattern cut a tad lower instead of going across the chest. 

Mary Emma: 9.300

Design 2.7/3, Construction 1.9/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3

LOVE! It reminds me of this leo, though I don’t think I like this one quite as much as the old one. I love the Carolina blue accents and the use of the argyle pattern. And, of course, the strappy back is *chef’s kiss.*

Naomi: 9.400

Design 2.8/3, Construction 1.9/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 1/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3

I LOVE this! I’m always a fan of leos with mascots splashed across the chest, and North Carolina has the added advantage of some of the best colors to work with in the NCAA. The strappy back is great, and the argyle pattern is gorgeous.

Arizona: 8.000

View a video and images of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 7.900

Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

The main design is a little boring, but the details are what make this leo great. I love the script Cats on the back, the way the white band flows into the side triangles, and the Arizona cactus logo on the sleeve. Plus, while the dark blue and white may be a tad boring, the color combo is pretty classic and looked great on the gymnasts.

Mary: 8.3000

Design 2.5/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit .8/1, Creativity .6/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3

This is pretty! I am a sucker for a basic leo with a ton of rhinestones and an open back, so this is right up my alley. I like the navy and the white and the Cats across the back. I don’t love the use of the big rhinestones or their pattern on the front, but the rest of the leo is pretty enough to make me forgive that misstep.

Mary Emma: 8.000

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3

I like this a lot! The contrast between the blue and white is nice, and I love the strappy back. I also love Arizona on the sleeve—it’s a great touch of school/state spirit which is appropriate since it was worn for the Territorial Cup. I don’t love the cutouts on the side or the cut of the sweetheart neckline, but overall it’s a solid look.

Naomi: 7.800

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3

I love the use of sparkles on the front and how they accentuate the sweetheart shape. The strappy back is great, too, and the level of school spirit is perfect. I’m just not sold on the visible seams at the shoulders or the way the back straps create a lot of bunched fabric at the armpit.

Illinois: 8.000

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 7.200

Design 2.1/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3

I love this, but I would be remiss not to point out that it’s pretty similar to a leotard Auburn has, which will lose it some creativity points. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that I still like the design. The back is fun, and the use of colored rhinestones really ties it all together.

Mary: 7.900

Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

This is awesome. The back is so creative with the straps. I like the rhinestone pattern on the front and the use of the I. I do actually like the beige belt as it matches the sleeves.

Mary Emma: 8.600

Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3

This is great! I really like the overall design with the dark blue body and orange accents. Like Oregon State though, I feel like the belt is a little out of place.

Naomi: 8.300

Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3

This has a great warrior vibe to it, and I think the belt really works here against the sparkly chest and the matte bottom. This back design isn’t one of my favorites, but I can’t deny that it’s effective here. Overall, it’s a lovely balanced leo for Illinois!

Alaska: 7.950

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 6.200

Design 1.7/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3

This is a very basic leotard, but one that is great to have in any team’s leotard closet. I will admit that when I first saw it, I thought it was Sacramento State. Nevertheless, I like the fun back and how UAA is spelled out in negative sparkle space on the front.

Mary: 9.200

Design 2.6/3, Construction 2.6/2, School/Theme Spirit .7/1, Creativity .5/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3

I love this! I like the rhinestone patterns and placement and absolutely love this shade of green with black. 

Mary Emma: 8.400

Design 2.5/3, Construction 1.9/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3

This is nice! I love the shade of green and the strappy back. I’m not really a fan of words on the front of leos—I’d rather see a logo—but overall this is a great one from Alaska.

Naomi: 8.000

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3

This is a nice, sensible addition to Alaska’s wardrobe. I like the strappy back, the shade of green used, and the use of sparkle. It may lose a few points for creativity, but there’s not much to complain about when it comes to the overall look.

Arizona State: 7.575

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 8.200

Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3

I don’t know if the intention was Wonder Woman, but that’s what I get from the front at least. I like the overall look a lot. The shade of red works really well with the gold, and I especially love the back.

Mary: 8.100

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit .7/1, Creativity .9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3

This is cute. I actually enjoy the rhinestone patterns throughout this leo. I love the strap pattern, but wish the Arizona state stripe was lower and didn’t create the weird gap in the straps. 

Mary Emma: 7.300

Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

This is nice! It’s giving me Wonder Woman vibes while also being fitting for ASU. The gold really pops with the red and black, and I love the strappy back.

Naomi: 6.700

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3

I love the superhero-esque front and the way the gold pops against the shade of red. The back is a bit confusing for me, though; I don’t love the thick “Arizona State” band cutting right across the strappy back.

Utica: 7.550

Elizabeth: 8.000

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

Last season, Utica debuted good leos but each seemed to have one too many elements, normally having to do with something on the back. This design is more conservative but still a bit busy. I think what makes it look chaotic are the straps over solid fabric. I get it for modesty and/or the ability to wear a real sports bra, but if you need that structure to the leo, forgo the straps or at least use nude fabric underneath. The front is good, though; I like the ombre, the way it looks like criss-crossing fabric, and the use of sparkles. Plus, the sleeve detail is cool.

Mary: 7.900

Design 2.4/3, Construction 2.2/2, School/Theme Spirit .6/1, Creativity .7/1, Overall Appearance 20/3

I like how the bright white stripes on the back stand out against the darker body. On the front, I do like the rhinestone pattern, and normally I wouldn’t like these colors together in an ombre, but it works on this leo!

Mary Emma: 7.100

Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

I like this one a lot! I like the use of navy blue with orange accents throughout, and the strappy back is really cool.

Naomi: 7.200

Design 2/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2/3

Every element here works in isolation, but together they make the leo feel a bit busy and a bit heavy. Nevertheless, I like the use of color and I really like the back, so I can’t complain too much.

Nebraska: 6.850

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 8.400

Design 2.5/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3

This design is very old-school Nebraska, and I kind of love it? Yes, it looks like a conference center carpet, but does that make it bad? (Haters will say yes.)

Mary: 5.400

Design 1.2/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit ,8/1, Creativity .7/1, Overall Appearance 1.2/3

So sorry to be a hater, but I do not enjoy this. I like the fabrics and I do like the pop of matte red, but the stripes are just not doing it for me. The rhinestones on the black part are stunning, I wish that was the whole leo.

Mary Emma: 6.600

Design 1.7/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

This design is…interesting. I love a good take on a throwback leo, but this one kind of makes me feel like a fever dream. I do love the shade of red.

Naomi: 7.000

Design 1.8/3, Construction 2/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 1/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

This leotard makes me think of one of those classic optical illusions, and I can’t decide whether I like it or not. Something about the matte red, the black, the white, and all the sparkles sort of works, but every time I look at this leo I feel a little bit dizzy.

Wilberforce: 6.850

Elizabeth: 7.200

Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

Wilberforce hasn’t had a bad leo yet, which is saying something since yellow and green can be a hard color combination. I like the front design and how it mimics the back straps, and I also like the bulldog WU logo in rhinestones.

Mary: 6.600

Design 1.7/3, Construction 1.3/2, School/Theme Spirit .7/1, Creativity .7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3

This isn’t bad! I like the of use neon yellow in the stripes and on the sleeves. The open back is nice, but I don’t love the stripes and the ombre on the front.

Mary Emma: 8.100

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

This is nice! Yellow and green is a hard color combination to do right, and Wilberforce has been killing it so far. I really like the pattern on the front and of course the ombre sleeves.

Naomi: 5.500

Design 1.6/3, Construction 1.2/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.2/3

I love the ombre sleeves, and I think the strappy back works well. There’s something about the way the shades of yellow and green overlap to make a sort of avocado green color that doesn’t really speak to me, but it’s a solid leo all the same.

Oregon State: 6.775

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 5.700

Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.3/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

Normally I’m not a belt hater, but here, it stands out a bit too much in a bad way. I think this would have been better with a plain orange body with the same criss-cross design at the top (which I like a lot!) and then incorporated black some other way. Because as it is, the black just looks out of place or like an afterthought.

Mary: 6.400

Design 1.8/3, Construction 1.52, School/Theme Spirit .6/1, Creativity .7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3

This leo is a bit too busy for my taste. There are so many different aspects of this leo that just aren’t working together for me. I am confused by the mesh section on the back and also don’t think this leo needed both the ombre pattern on the front and the belt on the front. 

Mary Emma: 8.700

Design 2.6/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3

LOVE! I love the contrast between the orange and white, and the strappy back is gorgeous. I feel like the black belt is a little bit out of place, but overall this is a great leo from OSU.

Naomi 6.300

Design 1.9/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

There’s something that feels a little flat about this leo. Maybe it’s the black accents and belt or the way the sparkles are layered on top of the ombre stripes? The back is great and there’s nothing all that wrong about the design, but it just doesn’t pop the way I feel like it’s trying to.

Florida: 6.625

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 6.100

Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.0/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

This could have been so good, but what’s with the weird neck strap?! What makes it worse is how, since the blue doesn’t extend along the whole neckline, it looks like they peeled the blue from the neckline and pulled it over their head to make a halter-like strap. Regardless, I love the subtle gator-skin pattern on the body fabric, the rhinestone stripes on the sleeves to give it a jersey look, and the big Florida logo on the chest.

Mary: 4.900

Design 1.2/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit .9/1, Creativity .6/1, Overall Appearance 1.2/3

Ugh. Those spaghetti straps are really just killing me. I like the orange straps and the contrast with the bright blue. The strap pattern is cool, but the blue straps being visible from the front ruin any chance of me liking this leo. I also don’t think the gator skin works here. I’ve loved it on other leos, but I don’t know if I like it in combination with all the other aspects of this leo.

Mary Emma: 8.400

Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

I actually really like this! The neck strap is weird and kinda reminds me when you wear a T-shirt over your swimsuit on the way to the pool. I do like the back and the fact that Florida actually incorporated orange for once. I wish the gator skin was more obvious in motion, though, because I think that’s what really makes the leo stand out.

Naomi: 7.100

Design 2/3, Construction 1.2/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2/3

We were so close to something great here, but when I look at the blue neck straps, all I can think of is a bra. The back straps also look sort of awkward, although I like the orange. The gator skin fabric is great, and while I like the logo on the chest, I feel like this leo could have had more fun with that element. 

San Jose State: 5.875

View images of the details here.

Elizabeth: 6.900

Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3

It was the week of throwbacks. This is reminiscent of old San Jose State looks, and I’m into it. I like the prominent use of yellow, and I especially love the sleeve cuff design. I understand why the body design dips down to snake under the arm and onto the back, but I sort of wish it was just a bandeau-like band instead, one that maybe went into a thick back strap?

Mary: 5.100

Design 1.2/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit .9/1, Creativity .8/1, Overall Appearance 2/3

I get that it’s a throwback leo, but I just can’t get behind this design. The fabric used is just not flattering and the stripe needs to either be straight or fully commit to the asymmetrical look and be more tilted. 

Mary Emma: 7.100

Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

Now, this is a good throwback leo. I like the bandeau stripe, though I wish that it wasn’t asymmetrical. 

Naomi: 4.400

Design 1/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.6/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance ⅓

There’s something that just feels off about this leo to me. Maybe it’s the asymmetrical design, the shades of yellow and blue used, or the awkward way the hole in the back interacts with the design’s pattern. I don’t know… It’s interesting and it’s different, but I just don’t enjoy looking at it.

Denver: 5.725

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 5.300

Design 1.4/3, Construction 1.2/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.5/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3

My first reaction was, “It’s fine.” There’s just nothing special about it. I’m normally not a fan of the chandelier designs because they always look disconnected from body to arms. I also don’t get why one sleeve is solid while the other is mesh when the rest of the design is so symmetrical.

Mary: 6.100

Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit .2/1, Creativity .5/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3

I agree that this doesn’t look like a Denver leo, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not pretty! I am so biased because I adore a black leo covered in rhinestones. I didn’t notice the asymmetrical shoulder at first 

Mary Emma: 5.600

Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.5/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

It’s fine. It definitely doesn’t scream Denver to me, and similar designs have been done by other teams. I do like the sparkle pattern on the front, but other than that, it’s kind of boring.

Naomi: 5.900

Design 1.3/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.5/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.4/3

If it wasn’t for “Denver” on the back, I would have no idea which school this leotard belongs to. I like the chandelier sparkle design, but I don’t like the way it looks layered over the asymmetrical mesh.

Bridgeport: 5.275

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 6.800

Design 1.8/3, Construction 1.2/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3

The concept for this leotard—taking elements from a bunch of the notable old designs and incorporating them into one new leo—is super fun. I wish it didn’t say “UB Girls” on the chest, though, even if it is a “thing.” Nevertheless, the back is fun, and I like the thicker purple neckline.

Mary: 5.100

Design 1.8/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit .7/1, Creativity  .6/1, Overall Appearance 1/3

Calling a group of collegiate athletes “girl” is very off putting and ruins any chance this leo had right off the bat. This leo is plain and is focused mainly around the words on the front. 

Mary Emma: 4.900

Design 1.0/3, Construction 1.0/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

Ummm… Who thought it was a good idea to put “UB Girls” on the front of the leo? That just seems a little ick with the recent controversies in gymnastics. That being said, it’s just fine. I do like the back and think it’s unique, but other than that, there’s not much going on.

Naomi: 4.300

Design 1/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1/3

It’s a decent execution of a really bad idea. Something about the design makes me think of a swimsuit, but the shiny purple is nice and you can’t fault it for being unique. I just don’t understand who approved putting “UB Girls” across the leo—and in that font as well.

Fan Poll

Congrats to Texas Woman’s for winning last week’s fan poll! Vote for your favorite design from this week here.

READ THIS NEXT: NCAA Gymnastics Power Rankings, Week 4: Tigers Tamed, Gators Chomp for First 198

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Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Mary Collier, Mary Emma Brambilla, and Naomi Stephenson