The leotard is a one-piece garment that covers the torso and leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard who lived from 1842 to 1870. There are sleeveless, long-sleeved and short-sleeved leotards. There is also a variation called the unitard, which covers the legs. Leotards are used for practice and performance.
Jules father owned a gymnasium and trained Jules in his early years As a young boy Jules became great with the parallel bars. One day Jules got a brilliant idea of hanging a few ropes for one of the high bars and sing on a pole attached to them. And that was the birth of the trapeze. One of Jules ways of using the trapeze was one he had over is fathers swimming pool in Toulouse, France. So if he fell he would make a splashing landing. It was said that the ladies liked him very much because of the garment he wore. It was an early version of the leotard. Like the leotards today the garment stretched tight to fit him and showed his mussels hence why the ladies liked him.
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The leotard was first known as a Maillot which meant tight fitting garment or shirt. The first know use of the name leotard was after Léotard 's death in 1886. In the 1920 's to 1930 's leotards influenced the style of one-piece swimsuits. leotards were also worn by professional dancers such as the showgirls of Broadway. Stage use of the leotard typically coordinated the garment with the tights or