Gymnastics Leotards, Dance Leotards, Ballet Leotards - What's The Difference?

by Rose G. Digital Marketer

What Are Dance Leotards?

There is a very common confusion when it comes to competition leotards, long sleeve leotards and custom leotards. To be more simple, the confusion is between dance leotards, ballet leotards, and gymnastics leotards. Let's begin with the dance leotards to clear up the confusion. The main aim of dance leotards is to have as much variety as possible.

There are plenty of variants of dance leotards that are available in the market. There are multiple necklines and designs available for both boys' and girls leotards. So for the dance leotards, it is all about style and design. Some institutions specify a dress code to reduce the students' confusion regarding which design to choose.

Gymnastics Leotards

On the contrary girls leotard gymnastic and boys, gymnastic clothes are more of a competition leotards. They are designed and built to offer more efficiency overlooks. As a result, there are mostly two variants of gymnastics leotards available in the market. The two variants are long-sleeved and tank top leotards.

Clothes for gymnastics are always meant to offer freedom of movement and comfort to the person, whether it's a boy or a girl. This is the major difference between dance and gymnastics leotards. There are wider straps in gymnastics leotards as compared to the dance ones. The reason behind this is to make the cloth capable of withstanding rigorous wear and tear that happens in gymnastics. The long sleeve variant is extremely popular among young kids as it gives some protection against fall injuries, which are very common in gymnastics. On the other hand, the tank top variant is beneficial as the straps and neckline are near the collarbone.

The Confusion With Ballet Leotards

This is the most common mistake that almost everyone makes. There is a tremendous amount of confusion between ballet and dance leotards, be it boys leotards or leotards for women. Most of the time, people go to a shop to get ballet leotards and end up having a dance leotard or even vice-versa. The main reason behind this is the look of the leotards.

Ballet leotards are made of cotton, look plain, and are cheaper, making many people buy them thinking it's a non-fancy dance leotard. While others end up buying the shiny and sparkly dance leotard mistaking it for a fancy ballet leotard. The major difference between dance leotards, gymnastic leotards, and ballet leotards is that the ballet leotards are made for a more strict and uniform dress code. On the other hand, the rest of the two types are more of a personal style statement.

Common Differences To Spot Between Them

There are some common pointers to look out for that can help you easily identify the leotard. The most simple one is the ballet leotards; they are mostly plain and have different cloth materials like cotton and lace. Gymnastics leotards are colorful but do not have any ribbons or other decorations. This is because gymnastics use many tumbling equipment, and having ribbons and other decorations can pose a serious safety hazard to the wearer. Also, the gymnastics leotards are very expensive, mainly due to the spandex, which reduces wear and tear and is also very easy to wash. Whereas dance leotards are more of a style statement, their main aim is to look pretty and offer freedom of movement.

The bottom line is that gymnastics leotards, dance leotards, and ballet leotards differ. And it is not acceptable to where the wrong one in the wrong place. This article can help you to identify which leotard is which.