Parents Leo sizing help

[CLgym]

Looking for some help deciding between AXS and AS leotards -- both in Plum (new practice leo) and GK (new competitive leo). Sizes for new comp leo are due this week, and DD would like to pick out a new practice leo from the Plum summer line. Unfortunately she does not fit squarely into one size category based on measurements. She is 12 years old (turning 13 this summer), 5 feet tall (153 cm), 85 lbs (38 kg) and very narrow -- but she has a long torso. She has been wearing AXS for the last year or two -- both in competition and practice leos -- and sometimes still wears CL leos to practice. I am worried that an AXS will pull in the length, especially since she is still growing, but DD thinks a bigger size will be too baggy in the body/back. She wants to stick with AXS, while I am leaning towards sizing up. Might be worth noting that the current comp leo is mystique/foiled spandex fabric (not as stretchy?) and the new one will be sublimated.

Bottom line: Is there a big difference between AXS and AS in terms of width, leg openings, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[Carly]

My dd has several plum leos and we have always sized up one size from GK. But unfortunately, we got an email in late March that says that their sizing has changed. We have not bought one since so I don't know about the current sizing.
For the gk comp leo, she is on her 5th one since she has started competing and they always seem to run smaller than their practice leos. Do they have samples at the gym to try on? We had sample sizers for the leos and warm ups. I measured dd before she tried the samples on and based on how they fit, she needed to go up one size in everything. She is 5' 2", 98 lbs, and 53" girth. She ended up with an AS comp leo. Her leo is not sublimated so I don't know if there is a difference. She does have 2 sublimated tank leos. One is an XS and one is an S. I could compare them if you'd like.

 

[CLgym]

@Carly -- Thanks. Your info was helpful. I didn't realize Plum changed its sizing!
And my DD is also about 53" girth (even though she is barely 5 feet) which is why I was thinking AS rather than AXS. I'm not sure if they have samples/sizers in gym but I will have my DD ask. If you wouldn't mind looking at your GK sublimated AXS vs AS, that would be great. Our personal experience is that the sublimated tend to be wider/stretchier, but we only have a GK CL for reference.

 

[MuggleMom]

We had a sublimated GK comp leo last go round I thought it fit similar to the other GK Comp leos (which to me is they tend to run a bit small) There is a bit more stretch to them if they are "tight" but I dont think they fit bigger in general. I tend to think for comp leos if you are close to the top end of a size size up because they run small. Also our sublimated ones turned almost see through in places where they were extra fitted (the bottom for example) so you dont want them stretched thin. Most of the girls had to wear a liner leo cause they were a little too revealing if they touched their toes. I personally hated the sublimated leos and this year we did not get those again.

 

[Carly]

The AXS sublimated tank leo is 24" from shoulder seam to crotch seam, unstretched and 13.5" from underarm to underarm seam. The AS one is 25" and 14". Hope this helps!

 

[ZB55]

I'll preface this with I have no experience with getting a sleek fit with a sublimated leotard! But, I would reference the GK Size Chart which I have found to be very accurate for my daughter's competition leotards. A 53" torso for example measures AXS for sleek fit. If your daughter is really slim and her chest, waist, and hip measurements are a size or two smaller than her torso, it is definitely worth asking if the style is available in the long torso option (It's a long shot and we could only get one once. I was told that if the design at all involves the side seam then they can't do long torso, again I don't know for sublimated). With the information you have given though, I think an AS for the competition leotard will probably be way too baggy. My daughter was 50" torso when we ordered her CL competition leotard, and was able to wear it for 2 years until she hit 56". She is substantially larger than your daughter in height, weight, and torso now, and we will probably get an AS.

 

[CLgym]

@ZB55 — Thanks! Will definitely ask about the long torso option.... After five years with the same comp leo, our gym is finally changing things up. My DD wore CL for 4 seasons, and then bumped up to AXS this season. I expect you’re right, and it’s probably too soon to jump up a size again. It’s just so tempting to size up since she is just starting her growth spurt / puberty.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Mine has GK leos, catalog picks. Always run true to the size chart.

The competition Leo has always run small.

Annoys the cr*p out of me. Make a different size chart or cut them the same.

We size up now For competition leos.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

My daughter just moved up to an AS in her GK competition leo this season and it fits her great and she is much bigger than your daughter (5'3, ~125lbs). She tried on different sizes at the gym, so we didn't measure her. But I would think an AS would be too large/baggy just based on your description of your daughter.

 

[GYM0M]

My kiddo, 4 ft 8 in, 105 lbs, long-ish torso (mostly bc she has no legs, lol) preferred AXS for a long time, then went back to CL for a bit, now we’re back at AXS.

 

[CLgym]

Thanks, everyone. Unfortunately our gym did not have sizers. Thankfully, I had recently ordered a GK practice leo in an AS (I had set it aside for DD when she needed a little pick-me-up, but pulled it out for purposes of measuring). I know that comp leos and practice leos fit differently, but the AS was quite baggy. It's fine for practice (especially bc she wear shorts), and she said it's quite comfortable with the extra length for her long torso. But it would be too big for competition. SO, we went with the AXS. Now the million dollar question is whether she will even be competing this year!