Leotard, the Most Important Gymnastics Attire: The Reason to Shop with Care

If you want your little girl to be happy and healthy, sign her up for a hobby. Though there are many hobbies a parent can choose from nowadays, when it comes to sports, gymnastics is the most popular choice because of the benefits it provides. From improving coordination, balance and flexibility, to promoting strength, speed and discipline, it’s ideal for overall development and wellbeing.

Besides, it happens to be a chance for her to get away from the boring world of routine (both at home and at school). With this sport, she has something fun and interesting to do, get some physical activity, learn something new, and even improve her social life by meeting friends. It’s the kind of hobby that can stay with her for life, regardless of whether she wants a professional career in it or an activity that she’d use to relax.

So, how do you get her to start with it? It’s pretty simple, all you have to do is sign her up for classes and choose from the versatile girls gymnastics leotard range, and she’s good to go. As the most basic piece of equipment, it’s also the most important, so it deserves some extra attention when you’re shopping for it.

Right Fit

Having in mind she’s going to be doing various movements, she needs to wear something that’s comfortable – neither too tight nor too loose, but the right fit.

When it comes to competition, the leotard should be well-fitted to feel like a second skin and show off the gymnast body, specifically the defined muscles. Whereas for training, it’s okay to have a little room. In case you want her to wear underwear with it, take this also into consideration and make sure it’s snug and in a colour that blends in instead of standing out from the leotard.

If you’re buying online, it’s better to have your girl measured to be sure on the exact size needed. The easiest way to do so is to measure her height from head to toe, as well as get the hip and chest circumference with a cloth tape. Additionally, when buying long-sleeved leotards, don’t forget to measure up the length of the arms as well as the upper arm circumference.

Design Options

There are two types of girls gymnastics leotards: sleeveless and long-sleeved. The basic distinction is that the sleeveless are ideal for the hot days of the year while the long-sleeved provide warmth for the cold. The other difference is that long sleeves are a more elegant sight for competitions. But when buying for training, feel free to go for sleeveless.

In addition, there’s another design called both a unitard and a biketard, known for the combination with shorts. They’re especially good for toddlers as they’re more comfortable and don’t show off the diaper.

Fabric Choices

You may not find the fabric to be all too important but it is, especially when fit and comfort are concerned. Though there are various options of girls gymnastics leotard, not all of them are suitable.

Leave the jewelled and sparkly aside when buying your daughter’s first training leotard. For instance, the metallic fabric, also known as foil panelled, is a great choice for competitions given that it’s flashy. However many find it to be rather uncomfortable because it’s a little tighter, so it’s better to choose something stretchy like lycra, spandex or spandex in combination with polyester.

Little girl leotards made of fabric blends are often better because besides being stretchy enough, they’re also lightweight, breathable and easy to care for as they’re quick drying. Cotton may be a soft fabric but it lacks elasticity whereas microfibre offers the right amount of comfort for performance. So, combining the two allows you to get the best of both world for your child.

If you’re nostalgic about the fashion of the 80s and 90s, fabrics like the velour and velvet are still fashionable. And best of all, they hold up well to wear and tear – just what you need for a sport with lots of movement such as gymnastics. Still, if sweating is your concern, then they aren’t good options for summer.

Different Styles

Fabrics aren’t the only versatility you’d come across when shopping for kids gymnastics leotard, there are the styles too. I wouldn’t say they’ve got that much to do with comfort but rather with the look. So, depending on how fancy you want your girl to be during training and competition, you can choose camisole, racer, mock-neck, tank, keyhole or wide open back.

For a little girl any of these are great, but once she reaches the age of wearing a bra or bralette, you’d have to think of covering them. The best way to do so is to choose the mock-neck and tank leotards as they provide enough coverage.