| Fashion is a world that moves and turns around very quickly; past fashions are revisited at intervals. Fashion is often more of a cycle than a continuously evolving set of trends. Leotards are widely used by professional dancers and athletes, but are always hotly debated when they appear in popular fashion. Recently, a number of celebrities have performed live shows and made music videos featuring very glamorous leotards, which could mean that the popularity of this garment is set to increase. Seeing this type of clothing on TV is actually not that unusual – many movie super heroes wear unitards, as they emphasize body shape and muscle.
It is often the case that when practical and niche items of clothing become more mainstream, they also become less functional. Celebrity dance wear may lend itself to their performances, and look very stunning, but they are often not suitable for use in traditional dances for which they are intended, e.g. ballet. Whether more and more people will be turning out at their local clubs in designer dance wear is still very much debatable, but one thing seems certain, attractive and practical leotards are readily available for dancers who need them.
For the fashion conscious dancer, there are numerous brands and colours of dance wear on the market. Leotards are a simple, elegant form of clothing that allow a dancer to move completely naturally. Loads of kinds are available, and it is easy to find one to meet your needs. Many brands also design dance accessories to compliment the lifestyle, such as bags, tights, shoes and leg warmers. Getting acquainted with what different brands offer is quite important when choosing clothing. Some will have completely different size labels to others, and sizes may vary between companies. Some specialise in a certain kind of dance wear, whereas others will have a wide range of professional and casual items for men, women and children.
For example, ‘Wearmoi’ specialise in producing stretch elastane dance wear, tutus and fleece jackets for all ages. ‘Pineapple’ has a range that is trendy and appeals mostly to younger dancers, producing some quite casually styled active wear. The options continue – ‘Mirella’ produce high fashion dance wear, created from quality fabric, and ‘Merlet’ make both innovative and traditional quality garments. Many more designers exist, and all of their products have a place in the world of dance. They are attractive, comfortable and – most importantly – functional. Which brands you choose will depend on your circumstances, if just starting out, it may be best to seek advice as to which will work best for you.
Over the decades since Jules Leotard introduced skin tight, stretchy sportswear, leotards have emerged in many designs, made from a variety of fabrics. 1960s TV stars were often clad in these clingy garments to emphasize body shape, and to look modern, or even futuristic. Thus the leotard was seen as an outfit to make someone stand out from the crowd – a daring, gregarious individual. From the 1970s disco scene, to the 1980s love of aerobics, the leotard has remained in the public consciousness, and of course in the hearts and minds of dance lovers everywhere.
For further information regarding our range of leotards, please visit our website at http://www.dancedirect.com. |
