leotard

One-piece stretch garment, with or without sleeves, covering the body from the shoulders to the top of the thighs, originally worn by acrobats and dancers and then for other sporting activities. The leotard became popular as fashion wear in the 1970s and 1980s. It derives its name from the French trapeze artist Jules Léotard (died 1870). The ‘body’ or ‘bodysuit’ introduced by Azzedine Alaïa and worn under skirts, shorts, or trousers to achieve a smooth waistline, derives from the leotard.