Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, BORN Dance Academy earns from qualifying purchases. Recommendations are Erin's own, and the price you pay is exactly the same.
A leotard is the one thing your dancer wears to every class, so it is worth buying properly once rather than three times. Short sleeve for a warm studio, long sleeve for winter, and sized by girth rather than by age.
What size leotard does my child need?
Leotards are sized by girth, which is the measurement from the shoulder, down through the crotch, and back up to the same shoulder. That single number matters more than height, weight or age, because a leotard that is too short in the body pulls down on the shoulders all class.
A tall, slim child usually needs the next size up for length rather than width. If your child sits between two sizes, take the larger one and expect a season of wear rather than two.
Short sleeve or long sleeve?
Short sleeve is the default and suits nearly every class. Long sleeve is worth having for winter term, because studios are cold first thing and a dancer who is warm stays looser through barre.
If you are buying one, buy short sleeve. If you are buying two, make the second one long sleeve rather than a second colour.
Every classVarious
Short Sleeve Dance Leotard
- Meets BORN dress code
- $$
Erin says A plain short sleeve leotard covers every class in our dress code. If you are buying one thing to start with, make it this. Black goes with everything and hides a lot.
Sizing Leotards run small through the torso. Measure girth, shoulder to crotch and back, rather than going by age. A tall, slim child usually needs the next size up in length, not width.
Check price on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Opens Amazon. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Cooler studiosVarious
Classic Long Sleeve Ballet Leotard
- Meets BORN dress code
- $
Erin says Worth having one long-sleeve for winter term. Studios are cold first thing, and a dancer who is warm stays looser through barre.
Sizing Same girth measurement applies. Long sleeves do not change the sizing, only the warmth.
Check price on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Opens Amazon. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
What colour should I buy?
Check your studio dress code first, because some studios set a colour by level. Where the choice is yours, black is the practical answer: it goes with every colour of tights, it does not show marks from the floor, and it stays looking new far longer than pastels.
How many leotards does a dancer need?
Two is the honest answer for one or two classes a week. One is being washed while the other is being worn, and nobody is hunting through the laundry on a Tuesday evening.
Three makes sense once a dancer is in class most days of the week, or once they are old enough to care about wearing the same thing twice.
How should a leotard fit?
Snug everywhere, with no gaping at the leg openings and no pulling at the shoulders. Your dancer should be able to raise both arms fully overhead without the leotard riding up at the hip.
If they tug at it during class, it is the wrong size. Teachers notice that long before parents do.
Caring for them
Cold wash, no fabric softener, and never a tumble dryer. Heat kills the elastic, and a leotard with dead elastic is finished no matter how new it looks. Hang it to dry and it will last the whole year.