A maillot is a one-piece swimsuit, also known as a leotard, which evolved from traditional women’s bathing suits in the 1920s. Leotards range from modest to daring cutouts and are made from stretchy knit fabric. They should be washed in cold water and hung to dry.
A maillot is a one-piece swimsuit, typically cut in the leg. Leotards range from modest suits designed for older women to leotard cutouts, swimsuits with daring cutouts, or pieces designed to highlight a shapely body. The term is also used to refer to the stretchy knit fabric used to make a swimsuit, and is sometimes used to talk about leggings, leotards, and other sportswear made from that fabric.
In French, the maillot mundial means shirt, while a maillot de bain is a swimsuit or bathing suit. In the 1920s, as women’s swimsuits became more acceptable, fashion designers began calling them leotards, and the term stuck. Today, the term continues to be used in the fashion industry, and some companies will also distinguish their swimwear as one-piece leotards or two-piece bikinis.
The original leotard of the 1920s typically included partial leg coverage to hide the upper thighs, along with a high neckline, but it was still a dramatic departure from traditional women’s bathing suits, which resembled More to the dresses. A leotard would have been easier to swim in and attractive for members of the opposite sex to look at, and suits quickly became the preferred swimwear for women. Over time, the leotard evolved, with a lower or keyhole neckline and higher cut leg holes.
In the 1930s, designers began creating leotard cutouts, which were missing panels on either side of the stomach or upper back. These swimsuits were precursors to the bikini, which eventually separated the swimsuit into two separate halves, but leotard cutouts remain popular in most summer design lines. A leotard cutout provides more figure control than a bikini while emphasizing desirable features of the female body, and can be visually interesting as cutouts can be arranged in asymmetrical designs or shaped into interesting shapes.
Like any other swimsuit, a leotard is designed with a stretchy fabric that is designed to be worn in the water. To maintain stretch in the fabric, a leotard should be washed in cold water and hung to dry, never subjected to a tumble dryer or iron. Harsh cleaning materials such as bleach should also be avoided as they can compromise the integrity of the fabric, and a leotard should be washed, allowed to dry completely, and folded at the end of the swim season.
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