What Size Leotard for a 10 Year Old? An Aussie Sizing Guide

If you've just been handed a club uniform list and told to order a leotard, you're probably staring at sizes like CLA, AXS and ASML wondering what any of it means, and whether the size that fits your 10 year old at Kmart will fit her at gym.

Short answer: for most 10 year olds, AXS (32"), the equivalent of an Australian size 10, is the starting point. But leotards aren't sized like normal clothes, and age is the least reliable way to choose one. Here's how to get it right the first time.

Why a leotard isn't sized like a school uniform

A dress hangs off the shoulders. A leotard has to travel from the shoulder, down the front of the body, through the legs and back up to the shoulder, all while a gymnast is arching, piking and swinging upside down on the bars.

That means the measurement that decides the size isn't chest, and it isn't height. It's girth: the full loop around the torso. Two 10 year olds can be the same height and the same chest measurement and still need different leotards, because one has a longer torso than the other.

Girth is the measurement that stops a leotard riding up, digging in at the shoulders, or pulling uncomfortably through the leg line. It's the one we ask for on every club order, and it's the one you should measure at home.

The short answer: sizes that usually suit a 10 year old

Across our core girls range, these are the sizes that most commonly land on 10 year olds:

The age column is a rough guide only. It is not a rule. We've fitted 10 year olds into CMED and we've fitted 10 year olds into AMED. The girth column is the part that actually matters.

See the full range of sizes on our size chart.

How to measure girth at home (60 seconds)

1. Have your gymnast stand up straight in close-fitting clothing or underwear, not in a baggy t-shirt.
2. Start a soft tape measure at the top of one shoulder.
3. Run it down the front of the body, through the legs, and back up the back to the same shoulder.
4. Keep it snug but not tight. It should sit against the body without pulling in.
5. Read the number in centimetres, and always round up to the next full centimetre.

That number goes straight into the girth column of the size chart. If it falls between two sizes, size up. Leotards stretch to fit, but they can't grow.

For a full walkthrough of girth, chest, waist and hip, read How to Measure Your Gymnast at Home.

What if she's between two sizes?

This is the most common question we get, and the answer depends on what the leotard is for:

• Training leotard. Size up. She'll be in it several times a week for a whole term, and a slightly roomier fit will still be comfortable in three months' time.
• Competition leotard. Go with the size her girth measurement lands in. Comp leotards should sit close and clean on the body, and a size up can wrinkle through the torso under the lights. If you are worried, or want extra growing room and are okay with slight wrinkling, size up.
• Club uniform ordered for the whole squad. Always size up if she's borderline, because club orders are placed in a single production run and can't be swapped later. Your coach or club coordinator can advise.

Three things that trip parents up

1. Assuming her age is her leotard size. While age can be a good indicator, it shouldn't be the only influence. Almost every child has a different girth length, regardless of their age. Two gym besties who are both 10 years old may need two different sizes despite being the same age.

2. Measuring over clothes. A jumper or thick leggings can add several centimetres of girth and push you into the wrong size. Measure over skin or a thin singlet.

3. Buying two sizes up to "get more wear out of it". A leotard that's too big rides up, twists on the bars and can genuinely put a gymnast off wearing it. One size of growing room is plenty.

Does the fabric change the fit?

A little. Our Nylon Lycra and Luxe fabrics have generous four-way stretch and are very forgiving across a size boundary. Mystique, our foiled competition fabric, is a little firmer and less giving. If your gymnast is right on the line between two sizes in a Mystique comp leotard, size up.

Our full fabric guide explains how each one wears.

Always check the product page first

Some styles, particularly club uniforms and specialty competition ranges, have their own size chart on the product page. That chart always overrides the general one. If a product page has a size chart, use it.

Still not sure? Just ask us.

We've been fitting Australian gymnasts for over twenty years and we'd much rather spend two minutes helping you pick the right size than process a return. Send us her girth measurement and the style you're looking at, and we'll give you a recommendation.

Email: hello@gmdirect.com.au
Phone: (07) 3245 2813
Live chat: via gmdirect.com.au

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