A unitard is a skintight, one-piece garment with long legs and sometimes long sleeves, usually stopping at the wrists and ankles.[1] It differs from a leotard which does not have long legs.[2] The leotard is also usually considered a more feminine clothing item, while the unitard is not.[1][3] The garment can be thought of as a combination of a leotard and leggings, and was historically called a "one-piece long legged leotard".[4] The term unitard is mostly used in relation to sports, while it is usually referred to as a catsuit in other contexts.
Usage in sports
Figure skater Diāna Ņikitina wearing a sleeveless unitard.
In the 90s, wearing unitards in figure skating was "illegal in competition and discouraged in practice". And although modern rules allow them, they remain a rare sight in competitions, where dresses are seen as more appropriate by conservative judges.[9]
Superheroes in comics, ads, TV shows and films are frequently depicted wearing costumes that resemble unitards, although they are rarely called that explicitly.[13]
The members of the rock band Queen were known for wearing unitards during their concerts in the late 1970s.[14] Some of the uniforms worn by female characters in the Star Trek franchise have been called unitards, and criticized for promoting sexiness.[15]
.jpg)
