The Evolution Of Olympic Gymnastics Uniforms

With the Olympics almost here, it's time we celebrate how far the games have come... as far as the outfits, that is. Every year, talented gymnasts completely bring it on the mat, bar, and beam, and their fashion is just as impressive as their tricks (OK, maybe not "just as," but it's close). Olympic gymnastics uniforms have evolved a lot over the years. Since the '90s, they've gone from strictly red, white, and blue to way bolder than you would ever image.

Gymnastics is one of my all-time favorite parts of the Olympics. Not only are these women incredibly talented, but they always look great. Although the rules of the sport might be super strict, gymnasts take their outfits seriously. Heck, Under Armour even designed seven outfits this year alone, just to surprise the judges, according to Sports Illustrated. Although the basic long-sleeved leotard style has stayed relatively similar, gymnasts now go for anything from patriotic prints to shimmering details. You just never know what they'll wear next!

Believe it or not, it's not just the sport itself that has come a long way since the first Olympics. When looking at the past outfits, you can tell the sportswear has really evolved over the years. What started as just a simple, plain unitards has quickly grown into something that brings a whole lot of personality to each gymnast. Here's a look at how far the sportswear has come just since the '80s.

1980: All White Attire

This is far from when Olympic gymnastics first started, but all-white attire like this was pretty typical for the US at the beginning.

1984: Patriotic Print

The next year, things got a little less plain with some red stripes.

1988: Back To Basics

The "USA" logo added some style to the all-white unitard.

1992: Red, White, And Blue

They kept things pretty simple, even into the '90s. That is a pretty awesome looking jacket though.

1996: A Little Bling

Things got spiced up a bit in '96, when the team added some shine to their red and white attire.

2000: Brought In Blue

Then they finally brought some blue into the look.

2004: Funky Color Blocking

This is the year that things got interesting. The gymnasts experimented with a never before seen patriotic print.

2008: Something Sheer

Bring on the sheer! The uniforms got even more stylish, not only with prints but with new fabrics.

This was one of the other looks from the same year.

2012: Bring On The Color

Believe it or not, they even rocked purple at the last Summer Olympics. The Fab 5 really brought the style.

Of course, they had a patriotic look as well.

We've come a long way from the '80s, and I can't wait to see what they wear this year!