|
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment with long sleeves and no legs, made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard (1839-1870), about whom the song "The daring young man on the Flying Trapeze" was written.
The name "leotard" was applied retroactively; Léotard himself apparently called the garment a "maillot".
Leotards are worn by acrobats, gymnasts, dancers and circus performers, as well as others. They are often worn together with tights.
Leotards have scoop necklines - entry is through the neck. (Compare bodysuits, which generally have snaps at the crotch, allowing the garment to be pulled over the head).
A leotard that is extended to include long legs, removing the need for tights, is known as a unitard.
Leotards can also be worn as lingerie and are eroticised by some people, often as part of a wider spandex fetishism.
See also
| 
