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 Naomi, Peri, and Rebecca S 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!
Michigan State: 8.875
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 10.000
Design 3.0/3, Construction 2.0/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 3.0/3
It’s perfect. No Notes.
Naomi: 8.300
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
This is so, so close to perfection except for one thing: that random strip of fabric across the back. What is it doing there? What is its purpose? Why is it covering up the opening in the back? It just made the leo look unbalanced, which is a shame, because this ombré is spot on and the front is absolute perfection.
Peri: 9.500
Design 2.8/3, Construction 2/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
Michigan State is the team I trust the most to use rhinestones to accentuate an ombre, and they’ve done it again beautifully with this leo. The shift in density AND size of the stones are what sell it, providing motion to the asymmetry.
Rebecca S: 7.700
Design 2.6/3, Construction 1.3/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I like an ombre, but this isn’t my favorite execution. The back is so weird, and I don’t understand the zigzags of mesh at the top and around the armpit. I can’t help but compare it to the old MSU white ombre leotard from 2019, and it’s definitely a downgrade from that. The sparkle density on the upper straps looks kind of chunky to me. It’s still very pretty, though.
Michigan: 8.800
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 9.600
Design 2.9/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.9/3
If Michigan State didn’t do what Michigan State always does with its leotards (completely blow the rest of the competition out of the water), this would be my favorite of the weekend. It was gorgeous in person—so sparkly—and I love the subtle ombre on the sleeves and mix of colored rhinestones all over. The design is obviously an ode to the Team USA leo from the recent Paris Olympics, and I love how it translated to Michigan here.
Naomi: 9.300
Design 2.8/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
I LOVE this. It reminds me a lot of the USA star leo from the Paris Olympics, which was one of my favorite Olympic leos. The use of negative space within the crystals to create the block M is so clever, and it works so well for Michigan. The ombré on the sleeves is great as well, and I like the strappy back. The only thing I don’t like is the way the yellow strip of fabric extends beyond the back outline all the way to the armpit. It just looks a bit out of place and keeps this leo from getting a perfect score from me.
Peri: 9.200
Design 2.7/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
I wish this had been what Michigan had called the chaos leotard – it’s everything and then some. The design nerd in me is so pleased with how the blue stones help soften the fade from blue to yellow on the sleeves, and how the yellow looks closer to maize than stock yellow.
Rebecca S: 7.100
Design 1.6/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 1/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
I find this too gaudy to give it the very highest score, but it is a relief in an era of Michigan leotards that are often just so odd. I like the prominence of yellow. To me, the quantity of sparkle is too much. I know some people don’t believe there’s any such thing.
Florida: 8.525
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.300
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
Something different from Florida! And I like it! What’s happening? I love a basic look that shines with colored rhinestones. I like the wavey asymmetric mesh concept here, and I like the blue and black back straps. I’m not completely sold on the rhinestone pattern itself, but I don’t necessarily dislike it either.
Naomi: 7.900
Design 2.5/3, Construction 1.3/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
Florida can be as averse to orange as Iowa often is to yellow, so this was a welcome change. I love the use of the colored rhinestones over the black. The bottom half of the leotard is a little plain, and I’m not convinced that the blue and black straps match the overall aesthetic, but this is still a great leo and I hope to see more unique designs like this from Florida in the future!
Peri: 8.300
Design 2.6/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
A welcome change from Florida’s monochrome blue, and one that screams high concept. The stones extending up into the collar are quite beautiful, and are given the chance to pop on matte black. It’s the perfect balance of athletic and glamorous for a national championship.
Rebecca S: 9.600
Design 3.0/3, Construction 2.9/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 1/1, Overall Appearance 2.9/3
I loved this one from first sight, it’s definitely one of my favorites of the whole season. It’s so elegant and different and the colored sparkles played so well on TV. The transition between the blue and orange is really well executed, so it looked almost iridescent. It’s unmistakably Florida without looking anything like other Florida leotards, which is a relief. I think a plain bottom is good balance for high sparkle density on the top.
Alabama: 8.150
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.700
Design 2.6/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
I loooove this. It’s giving Temple or Rutgers’ new design from regionals, which is a good thing. I especially like the ombre and the rhinestone design on the body. Some of my fellow CGN-ers have noted the white fabric on the body looks a bit like a tie, but it’s not giving that so much to me.
Naomi: 7.800
Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
I didn’t see the tie thing at first, but once it was pointed out, I couldn’t unsee it. This ombré is super smooth and it looked fantastic in motion. I like the simple open back and I think the rhinestone placement is very well done.
Peri: 7.600
Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
Business in the front, party in the back? The ombre is silky smooth, and pairs well with the stoning pattern and high neck. I can’t unsee the tie in photos, but when in motion it disappears into the overall design quite nicely.
Rebecca S: 8.700
Design 2.9/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
Gorgeous. This lets the ombre shine without gilding the lily. I’m not sure the white of the neck and upper chest was perfectly executed, but I’m not very bothered by it.
LSU: 7.700
View a video and images of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 9.000
Design 2.7/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
Overall, this maybe doesn’t make me drool, but I love the concept. The little triangles paired with the tiger stripe design and the eyes on the back are so fun. And speaking of the back, I adore the straps. They are so unique. This is my favorite LSU leo in a while.
Naomi: 6.700
Design 1.5/3, Construction 1.1/2, School/Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2/3
Normally I’m an asymmetrical back hater, but I like this one and how it works in parallel with the tiger stripes. I just wish it didn’t creep over to the front shoulder area, it just messes up the flow of the leotard for me. Fill in that little gap, and this is a winner. It’s a fresh take on the tiger concept and I love the shade of purple used here and how it works with the rhinestones.
Peri: 6.800
Design 2/3, Construction 1.3/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 1/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
Can’t go wrong with black mystique and an asymmetric motif. While this formula is sometimes ‘safe’, LSU keeps pushing it with the mix of geometric and organic detailing. If the triangles are supposed to nod to a double helix without being too on the nose, I’m here for it and think it’s a clever companion to the tiger stripes.
Rebecca S: 8.300
Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 1/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
This is my favorite LSU leotard in a while. It’s architecturally so clever and the back shaping integrates well with the rest of the design. I don’t mind the shoulder, either. The tiger stripes are coherent without being gaudy. I don’t quite understand the triangles scattered around, if I’m being picky.
Oklahoma: 7.400
View a view of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 7.700
Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.8/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
It’s fine, and while it’s not my favorite leotard Oklahoma has ever worn, I will admit it fits into its usual “national final” design vibe.
Naomi: 7.100
Design 2/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2/3
It’s quite subdued for an Oklahoma NCAA finals leotard, but I don’t mind that. I like the use of the red rhinestones, especially on the sleeves. I’m not a big fan of the lighter mesh around the waist, it seems a bit out of place to me. Then again, if there wasn’t one slightly quirky element, it wouldn’t be an OU leotard.
Peri: 7.300
Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I give Oklahoma credit for going monochrome in a meet that fans may expect anything but that, but then the sections of mystique should be the same given how specific their crimson is. I’m also not totally sure what the snake patterning is, but it’s on brand for the Sooners and I wouldn’t think anything in their closet is finished without at least one head scratcher.
Rebecca S: 7.500
Design 2.4/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
This isn’t the most memorable, and if you look too closely at some of the sparkle patterns, there are some odd bits. But it’s a sensible leotard for a sensible final. If the vibe for the day was “we’re Oklahoma and we’re here to just do normal Oklahoma stuff,” then this achieves that. The color looked lovely on TV.
Fisk: 7.250
View images of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 7.400
Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
White is so out of the box for Fisk, but I really like this one. It looked great on all the individuals competing at the meet, and the pop of yellow really ties things together. I would be interested to see what this design could be with yellow and blue rhinestones instead of silver.
Naomi: 7.200
Design 2/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.6/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
It’s nice to see Fisk try out a white leo! I like the way the yellow accents all tie together. The crystal design cuts off rather abruptly at the sides, and a bit of blue might have been nice, but it’s an overall solid addition to Fisk’s wardrobe.
Peri: 7.700
Design 2.3/3, Construction 1.7/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.6/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
Big fan of the dark stones on this design! All-white can sometimes come off flat, but the pops of yellow and colored crystals give it the dimension it deserves. I hope Fisk keeps white in their leo closet and continues playing with different accents to an already regal base.
Rebecca S: 6.700
Design 1.8/3, Construction 1.5/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.5/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2/3
I like where Fisk went with this. I’m always pro-white and the sparkle design does enough to give it a little bit of structure. It’s simple, but not too simple.
UCLA: 6.800
View a video and images of this leotard here and here.
Elizabeth: 6.900
Design 2.0/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
The fishnet-esque/waffle sleeve design reminds me of UCLA leotards of old. However, overall the design is a bit boring, especially for this big of a stage. I do, however, like the blue rhinestones on the ends of the sleeves, as well as the back strap design (although those two longer straps were a bit floppy and loose at times).
Naomi: 6.300
Design 1.9/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2/3
I really like the front of this leo, it’s simple and classic with a nice pop from the rhinestones. The whole design would score much higher from me if not for the back straps. The two longer straps were so loose and floppy in motion, and they don’t serve either an aesthetic or functional purpose. Remove them, and this would be a great leo.
Peri: 7.500
Design 2.2/3, Construction 1.4/2, School/Theme Spirit 1/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
Reverse retro hello! While it’s not the design I’d have at the top of my list to resurrect, it’s a fun take with updated mesh fabrics. Amazing use of stoning throughout the leo, that could have only been made better with a true open back. Hopefully we’ll see it in 2026, and be able to watch the blue look different in each arena.
Rebecca S: 6.500
Design 2.1/3, Construction 1.1/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I’m all for retro, but to me this isn’t the kind of signature leotard I look for in the postseason. I do like the sleeve fabric. I’m lukewarm on the back design and the presence of sparkles. It’s neither an obvious upgrade on the old leotards by which it’s inspired nor distinct enough to be really memorable.
Auburn: 6.125
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.100
Design 2.5/3, Construction 1.6/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Creativity 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
I feel like this is the leo Auburn’s regionals design wanted to be but wasn’t. I love the cut of the front, as well as the rhinestone design. The back leaves a bit to be desired for me—it looks a bit under-executed—but overall this is a great leotard worthy of the biggest stage. The subtle AU logo on the sleeve is a nice touch, too.
Naomi: 5.200
Design 1.5/3, Construction 1/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 1/3
Too much going on for me. Sorry. It’s sort of paisley-esque, and not in a good way. I think if the back was less busy I’d like this more, but as it stands now this is just too many shapes and lines mashed together on one leotard. Some of it is good, and I like the sleeves, but there’s just too much happening.
Peri: 6.100
Design 1.7/3, Construction 1.2/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
Gorgeous in motion, but in the stills it’s almost like the stones are doing the grunt work that it could instead be the icing on top of. It’s a fun concept, and one that I appreciate, but a few more iterations of it would help it read the way it deserves to be read.
Rebecca S: 5.100
Design 1.4/3, Construction 0.9/2, School/Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Creativity 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.3/3
Auburn leotards have been so ornate recently and I’m mostly into it but I don’t really see the vision here. I don’t understand the concept of the white back and the whole thing doesn’t coalesce for me.
Fan Poll
Congrats to Air Force for winning the previous fan poll! Vote for your favorite design from this week here.
CHECK THIS OUT NEXT: Leotard Database
Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Naomi Stephenson, Peri Goodman, and Rebecca Scally
