Gymnastic apparel may seem to be a very simple and easily tailored garment at a first glance. However, it is rather a challenging task to choose or to produce a leo which will meet all of the functional and aesthetic requirements of professional sportswear. It is not only a vivid outfit the gymnasts wear to attract attention but also a safe costume that prevents acrobats from mistakes and traumas. As you may already know, there exist two main types of gymnastics leotards for girls: those for workouts and those for tournaments. In this brief yet informative post we are going to share some interesting ideas on creating great competition apparel.
The Spirit of the Outfit
Whether you choose or design gymnastic uniform for a school team or an individual athlete, you have to stick to the central theme of the whole performance. It is really amazing when colors and ornaments of the apparel reflect the spirit of music, team’s name or even school colors (you may use one color as a base and the rest in the form of embellishments). You may also make a gorgeous embroidery with the team’s or school’s name: it can go vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The outside of the letters can be embroidered with crystals or rhinestones. When creating a design sample do not forget to keep in mind team’s preferences: girls can even vote for different ideas. It is very important, since athletes should like their outfit and feel comfortable not only physically, but morally.
The design of gymnastics leotards for girls should not be overwhelming, keep the design simple. Too much sparkling details and sophisticated embellishments can distract judges from the performance. The athlete’s costume should emphasize the natural beauty of a well developed body and match with the main dance theme, but it should not be a focal point of the whole performance. Professional designers recommend using abstract themes for gymnastics apparel, while using pictures of the already existing shapes and animals (mascots) may turn distracting.
Getting Ready
It is important to get the leos ready in advance so that the girls can try them on and have a test workout. A perfect gymnastic uniform must be skin tight, bring a feeling of confidence and safety. There must be enough room for legs and arms for comfortable movements.
If the team or an individual athlete may participate in an official tournament, different rules regulating sportswear can exist. As a rule they coincide with international standards, which are quite simple and sensible. When designing or selecting leos make sure they meet all of the requirements. These will usually include the following: the leg holes must be tailored lower than the pelvic zone, the underwear (including sports bra) must be invisible, spaghetti straps and midriffs are also forbidden. As a rule, sportswear retailers follow these recommendations, however, we recommend you to be attentive when choosing outfits for your kids.