NCAA gymnastics leotard trends through the decades

It's the most wonderful time of the year as the 2024 NC women's gymnastics season is officially here. As teams move through the top of the season, fans are reviewing the who, what and of the 2024 season. The only thing left to discuss is the “wear” so hold onto your scrunchies because we’re looking back at four decades of leotard fashion.

The 1980s: Bold colors, stripes and fitness chic    

The implementation of Title IX throughout the '70s increased opportunities for female student-athletes and sports, including women’s gymnastics. Expanded program budgets meant pragmatism and functionality were no longer the determining factors when choosing leotards. By the 1983 NCAA championship, teams could (and did) incorporate the excess and extravagance that characterized 1980s fashion into their designs: think bright, bold colors, geometric patterns and — most importantly — Spandex. 

Iconic

Georgia’s 1989 championship leotard has held up remarkably well compared to most designs from this era. It did so well that the Gymdogs unveiled an updated (i.e., bedazzled) version 30 years later.  

Controversial

Even for 1984, this neon plaid number from Utah feels like a throwback to the ’70s. It’s hard to be simultaneously bold and dated, but the Red Rocks pulled it off. 

The 1990s: Crushed velvet, cutouts and side panels 

Spandex and circus stripes quickly gave way to crushed velvet and color blocks, though neon palettes remained a staple. Teams also began experimenting with silhouettes, trading the traditional round neck for high collars and keyhole cutouts. Rhinestones and metallic fabrics started appearing in the mid-to-late '90s before taking hold in the early aughts. This period also provided the most enduring feature of modern gymnastics couture — the matching scrunchie. Three decades on, this is still a must-have accessory for gymnasts at all levels of the sport. 

Iconic

Admittedly, this isn’t the most revolutionary leotard of the decade, but it doesn’t get any more quintessentially ’90s than giant crushed velvet diamond side panels.  

Controversial 

This Art Deco-inspired Penn State offering wouldn’t have been out of place in early ’90s elite circles, but it definitely stood out in the NCAA (and that’s not necessarily a bad thing). 

The 2000s: Swirls, mesh and metallics

Experimentation reigned supreme in the new millennium. A return to more classic silhouettes plus an ever-increasing variety of fabrics, textures and colors meant manufacturers granted teams the luxury of establishing a signature style. The various flourishes and embellishments aren’t all that noteworthy by today’s standards, but they looked downright impressive on a flat-panel CRT television.

Iconic

Georgia may have won the Super Six in 2009, but Alabama brought its A-game with this asymmetrical design. It ticked all the boxes du jour. Shiny? Check. A single mesh sleeve? Check. A prominent swirly design? Check. 

Controversial  

Fine, this isn’t technically a leo, but we’ll gladly make an exception for Utah’s aluminum warmup suit. Windbreakers are so last millennium… The future is foil.

2010s: Silhouettes, straps and rhinestones

Function formally took a backseat to fashion, as teams rolled out a variety of necklines and backs of varying degrees of practicality. The only hard and fast rule was that rhinestones must be included wherever possible. 

Iconic

Utah has been at the forefront of NCAA gymnastics since its inception, and this leo — featuring the Salt Lake City skyline framed by snow-capped mountains — is a worthy tribute to the program’s legacy. 

Controversial

From the spaghetti strap trident to the devil’s tail on the back, it’s easy to see why Arizona State’s so-called Pitchfork Leo is one of the most polarizing designs in the ether. That said, it’s also one of the few truly unique NCAA leotards. There hadn’t been anything like it before and we haven’t seen anything like it since. 

The 2020s: Nude mesh, ombre and even more rhinestones

Leotards will never be more important than the actual gymnastics but — in the era of NIL and athlete influencers — teams from all competitive tiers and divisions recognize the role they can play in selling their brand and piquing fan interest. Custom designs now come in every possible cut, color and fabric — the more elaborate, the better.  

Iconic

Michigan Athletics

In 2021, Michigan became just the seventh NCAA program to win a national title, and it did it in a velvet leo that quickly gained a cult following among both fans and former Wolverines alike.

Controversial

You don’t have to like the ruffle leo, but you do have to respect it.