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 Emma, Naomi, and Peri 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!
Alabama: 8.325
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.300
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I don’t think Alabama has ever done a fully white leotard. Despite that, this design still screams Alabama. I love the subtle ruching, how the red accents pop, and the side stripe/cross-hatching design.
Mary Emma: 9.000
Design 2.7/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
White leotards can be hard to get right, but Alabama definitely got it right. I love how the red rhinestones pop so well on the white. Even the ruching is well done—another thing that’s difficult to do well on a leo.
Naomi: 7.700
Design 2.1/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
White leotards can be a hard sell for me. I think this one is aided by the red detailing throughout, which helps the leotard pop and scream Alabama. I’m not as enthused about the ruching, I’m not a huge fan of the texture it creates, and the sleeves feel a bit like an afterthought, but those are minor complaints.
Peri: 8.300
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
White can be hit or miss, but it becomes a hit when used across two fabrics and alongside the crimson script. The sleeves don’t necessarily add anything, but in any case, they’d be outshined by the torso—it’s elegant and pairs the stoning pattern to its underlying ruching easily.
George Washington: 8.275
View a video of this leotard here and an image here.
Elizabeth: 7.900
Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I’ve wanted GW to do a cherry blossom design for a while, and I’m pleasantly surprised with the result. The details are a bit cartoonish, especially when it comes to the rhinestone flowers, but the overall look is great.
Mary Emma: 9.300
Design 2.8/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
LOVE LOVE LOVE! I like it when schools do a theme related to the city/region they’re in (like Stanford’s Golden Gate leo and WVU’s coal leo), and I’m so happy George Washington decided to do a cherry blossom theme for DC. The design is good too and not like anything George Washington has done before.
Naomi: 7.800
Design 1.9/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
I love the theme, and this is a lovely and unique addition to GW’s wardrobe. I think the leo might be a little over the top in terms of the flowers, and I’m not sure how I feel about the sparkly neck details that wrap around the back, but you can’t fault the design for creativity.
Peri: 8.100
Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
Big fan of how GW made a cherry blossom leotard that’s distinct enough from other floral designs we’ve seen in the NCAA. It’s a smart and well executed nod to the city, which can be hard to pull off while staying true to the team’s existing wardrobe.
Oregon State: 8.125
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.600
Design 2.6/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
I’m kind of obsessed with this. I love the asymmetric look and how it continues onto the back with the fun diagonal straps there. I’m also pretty sure the bottom half is velvet, which elevates the leo even more. Add in the ombre, and this is a favorite of the weekend.
Mary Emma: 8.500
Design 2.7/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
I like this one a lot. The orange to black ombré is nice, and if that bottom part is velvet, that’s a win.
Naomi: 7.600
Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
There’s something about the asymmetrical back that just bugs me a little bit. Maybe it’s the way the black line extends pretty far to the side? But the front is fantastic. The black-to-orange ombre is spot on, especially how seamless it is between the body and sleeves of the leo.
Peri: 7.800
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
Big points for asymmetry, but I have to take some of it away for the back’s stripe not matching the front. Oregon State has hit the sweet spot on gradients with this design, minimizing the brown midtones and pairing the body to each sleeve.
Auburn: 8.050
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.700
Design 2.6/3, Construction 1.9/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
From far away, when you can’t see the orange rhinestones as well, this design is very Cal-coded. Nevertheless, I love it. Auburn has been killing the colored rhinestone game this season, and this leotard is no different. I love the design, especially on the back.
Mary Emma: 7.700
Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
This is nice! I love how the orange rhinestones pop on the dark blue, and I love the strappy back!
Naomi: 7.700
Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I like the sleek, athletic look of this leotard and the faux chest hole created with the rhinestones. The orange rhinestones really pop against the navy fabric from up close, but from far away it’s harder to identify this leotard as Auburn’s. The only thing I don’t like is the strap design on the back, they tend to bubble up when the leotard is in motion and I never love straps that overlap the body of the leotard.
Peri: 8.100
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
Auburn put on a masterclass with this leotard on colored stoning, and how to pair complementary school colors without having them equally saturated. No notes, just praise.
Gustavus Adolphus: 7.350
Elizabeth: 7.000
Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
Gustavus’ recent leotards have been great! I love the mostly black look with yellow accents. Plus, the front design flows really well into the back, something bigger teams with bigger budgets have shown they sometimes don’t do that well.
Mary Emma: 7.800
Design 2.5/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I’m not normally a black leo fan, but I really like this one! I think it’s because the gold accents really pop with the black. The back is nice as well. I know DIII teams don’t usually have a lot to work with, but I think Gustavus did a nice job with this one!
Naomi: 7.400
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
This is lovely! Black with yellow accents tends to work, and this is no exception. The whole design is very cohesive, I think the back straps work with the overall leo, and I like the crystal design on the front. It’s not the most exciting leo ever, but considering Gustavus’ limited leotard budget, it’s excellent.
Peri: 7.200
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
Another stunning black and yellow leotard! I’d be remiss not to mention the backpack straps, as even though they’re a lovely yellow it’s something that I always call out when I see. The torso sparkles complement the chevron of the leotard quite nicely, so it almost makes up for the aforementioned straps.
UC Davis: 6.350
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.800
Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.2/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I really like this. It reminds me of the new leotard GW debuted for Alex DeMoura. I like the geometric pattern and white matte fabric, but I wish the sleeves were solid rather than mesh. Otherwise, this is a good one for UC Davis, which is a quietly good leotard team.
Mary Emma: 7.400
Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.2/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I really like this! The gold accents pop, and the geometric pattern is interesting. The gold “belt” really stands out with the navy blue bottom.
Naomi: 4.200
Design 1.0/3, Construction 1.0/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.6/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.0/3
There’s simultaneously too much and not enough going on here. I feel like the shape created by all the gold lines on the top half of the leotard just make it look a bit constrictive. I like the colors used, but something about the way all the different segments come together, combined with the awkward gold lines on the white mesh, just don’t work for me.
Peri: 7.000
Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
It’s a subtle leotard, but does it even need to be more? The solid matte doesn’t work well with most colorways but does wonders for UC Davis’ distinct navy, white, and gold tones. Adding any more sparkle would almost feel antithetical to the fabric, so while it’s not the usual glam of college gym it doesn’t feel any less finished.
Pittsburgh: 5.700
View a video of this leotard here and images here.
Elizabeth: 7.500
Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
The shade of blue used for this leo is fantastic. I also like the gold rhinestone details and how they are an ode to the building featured in the video. The only thing I don’t care for as much is the dog collar neckline.
Mary Emma: 5.100
Design 1.0/3, Construction 1.3/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.0/3
This is fine. I do love the shade of blue and the gold arches that are a nod to “Cathy” (The Cathedral of Learning, which is the building in the background of the video and probably the most famous Pitt landmark), but I hate the choker neck; the neckline’s fit is also a little awkward. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely not Pitt’s best.
Naomi: 4.600
Design 1.2/3, Construction 1.0/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1/3
Take the neckline section of this leo and burn it. Just burn it. Then take the otherwise fantastic body of the leotard, with its excellent crystal design and lovely shade of blue, and add a neckline that doesn’t make me concerned for the gymnasts’ ability to breathe.
Peri: 5.600
Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.0/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3
There’s a fair number of working parts, and while I respect a busy leotard, these parts don’t seem to be working alongside each other. The arches being all silver would help sell the architectural reference, and the mesh works against how seamlessly the rest of the fabric matches Pitt’s trademark blue.
N.C. State: 5.650
View a video of this leotard here and images here.
Elizabeth: 5.500
Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.4/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
It’s a very classic N.C. State look, yet it’s not anything revolutionary. I like the rhinestone wolf on the chest, as well as the arrow details on the sleeves. The back straps/tulle seem kind of pointless, though.
Mary Emma: 5.400
Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.0/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
If you told AI to generate a leo for N.C. State, this is what it would come up with. Not that it’s bad or anything; it’s just very classic N.C. State. I wish there was a little more to it, but overall it’s a solid design.
Naomi: 5.900
Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
As far as mascot designs go, this one feels a bit too understated for my tastes. I really like the shiny red and the crystals on the sleeves, but there’s too much fabric layering on the back for me, and this leotard just isn’t as memorable as a mascot leo needs to be.
Peri: 5.800
Design 1.6/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
It’s the quintessential N.C. State leotard. While that’s a great thing to be, it’s not a special senior night leo. Points for being something they’ll hopefully get lots of use out of, and for the two toned stoning.
Fan Poll
Congrats to Auburn for winning last week’s fan poll! Vote for your favorite design from this week here.
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Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Mary Emma Brambilla, Naomi Stephenson, and Peri Goodman
