Unitards or Leotards: Which is Better?

Unitards and leotards have been worn by gymnasts and dancers for over two centuries. So which is better?

The answer depends on usage.

Both leotards and unitards are tight-fitting, one-piece garments with long, short or no sleeves.

However, leotards have short or no leg coverings while unitards cover the legs.

In the early 1900's, models and dancers often wore flesh-colored unitards to simulate nudity.

The earliest unitards were thin and covered the entire body leaving the hands and face exposed.

Today, dancers and figure skaters still use flesh-colored unitards to simulate skin.

The leotard derives its name from the man who invented it, gymnast and acrobat Jules Leotard.

In the 1800s, Leotard created the garment for men, but it soon became popular with women in the early 1900s as a swimsuit.

Also known as a maillot, the leotard was adopted by acrobats and circus performers and then by showgirls and burlesque performers.

For modesty’s sake, men were required to wear shorts over their leotards.

By the 1960s, however, designers began creating leotard-like lingerie.

In the 1970s leotards gained popularity as both mainstream fitness wear and street wear.

Today, unitards and leotards have achieved mass acceptance by both the gymnastics and dance community, so one cannot be considered superior to the other.