Oooh, I bet that hurts, but she's still smiling!

How To Select Cheerleading Uniforms – Style vs Comfort

Cheerleading Uniforms need to be stylish, they’re very much a team and are chosen to represent their school, college or some other sports team . . . yep, cheerleaders and style go hand in hand.

Cheerleading Uniforms need to be comfortable, when you think about all of the stretching, jumping, twisting, spinning, kicking and flying that cheerleaders get up to, they need to be wearing something comfortable which will keep looking stylish even when they begin to get a little hot under the collar (figuratively speaking, cheerleading uniforms don’t actually have collars very often).

Choosing Cheerleading Uniforms

So how do you go about choosing the best cheerleading uniform for your squad? Let’s take a look at some very important considerations to make when choosing new cheerleading uniforms.

• Some schools and colleges have very strict rules about just how much cheerleaders flesh can be on display . . . don’t forget to stick to those rules no matter how much you think your older girls will look fantastic in something skimpy and maybe be more than a little off-putting for the competition!
• Don’t forget to budget for your cheerleading uniforms. The whole point is that the whole team will look the same so you’re gonna’ need a lot of uniforms. Decide on a budget and stick to it, if you can only go to around $35 per cheerleading uniform but there’s a fantastic one for $45, just remember, that’s an extra 10 bucks for each and every member of the cheerleading team.
• Think about the whole team when you’re choosing the cheerleading uniform. Do you have younger members as well as older members? Are some of your members less well proportioned than others? These cheerleading uniforms have got to look great on the tall, lean members, but also on the shorter, stockier members of the cheerleading team.
• Choosing a great color for your cheerleading uniform is important, you want your squad to really stand out from the crowd. If you can find a great cheerleading uniform (or have one made) in the school colors then that’s always a great standby.
• Make sure that you have different members of the cheerleading squad try on the uniforms before you buy, just to make sure that they don’t come up with some problem which you hadn’t even thought about.

Cheerleading Uniform Fabrics

The fabric you choose for your cheerleading uniform is extremely important. Most cheerleading uniforms are made from either 100% polyester, which can be knit or woven, or a blend of polyester and spandex. Either of these is a great choice, these fabrics allow freedom of movement but also let the body breathe, cheerleading is hard work you know!

Cheerleader (Photo credit: kcolwell)

Cheerleading Uniform Styles – Tops

• Cheerleading Shell – these may alternatively be called vests and are available in many different styles and options involving the neckline, the shapes of the hem and even one or two strategically placed cut-outs. A standard cheerleading shell is sleeveless and falls at the waistline . . . they provide a great choice for many teams because they’re so versatile and are more or less the “one style suits all” type of cheerleading uniform.
• Midriffs – on the other hand, are a little shorter than your average shell, you’ve got it, they fall above the natural waistline, just exactly how far above the waistline depends on how tall you are . . . some members of your cheerleading squad could have a lot of stomach on display so check out the school rules before you order any of these.
  

  Image via Wikipedia

• Bodyliners – however, have long sleeves and are available in both a standard or a midriff length. If you live in a cooler climate for much of the year these are a great option for your cheerleading squad.

Cheerleading Uniform Styles – Skirts

Cheerleading skirts come in many different styles and can be co-ordinated to fit in with just about any of the above types of shells. The majority of cheerleading skirts sit on the natural waist, some fit below that line but, just like the midriff shells this can show off a little stomach at times during the routines. The majority of cheerleading skirts sit just above the knee, around 13 – 15″ long, and need to allow lots of freedom of movement. Different styles of cheerleading skirts are available;

• A-Line Cheerleading Skirts – skimming the hips with a slight flare, very popular amongst cheerleading squads.
• 3-Pleat Cheerleading Skirts – basically an A-line skirt with 3 pleats to one side of the skirt, to add that little extra style and flexibility.
• Multi-Pleat Cheerleading Skirts – available with 8, 12, or even 16 pleats on both the front and back side of the cheerleading skirt. Skirts with more pleats have narrower pleats, you can even have a contrasting color on the inside of the pleats if you want to.
• Cheerleading Pants – are another option, which are also available in lots of styles and colors with optional braiding.

That’s a great example of a cheerleading uniform . . . thanks Lindsay!

Cheerleading Braiding

Cheerleading braiding is what really sets one cheerleading uniform apart from another. It’s available in lots of different colors, even metallic ones, and some cheerleading uniforms have as many as 4 or 5 different color options, depending of course on the design you choose.

Cheerleading Bodywear

Cheerleading bodywear is absolutely essential for many cheerleading squads, what with all of that tumbling and upside down stunts and stuff they have going on.  Full bodysuits are a good option, especially in the cooler weather, although some cheerleading teams simply go for the matching briefs. These are available in lots of colors, you can even have them embroidered if you like, but don’t go tumbling without them!

Don’t they look terrific in their cheerleading uniforms . . . and didn’t they do well? Fantastic and so brave . . . my niece ended up in the hospital on more than one occasion after being unceremoniously dropped . . . ouch, there goes her collar bone again!