It looks like these two biggest American exports share not only a personal trainer, but also a stylist. Madonna, the queen of pop leotards brought the questionable fashion item back few years ago, and now it seems to take off with the rest of the world.

Beyonce and Rihanna both rocked leotards at some point during their music performances, and now the recent member of fashion forward Hollywood actresses guild - Gwyneth Paltrow - is wearing a "high fashion" version in June 2008 issue of V Magazine.

The leotard is named after French aerialist Jules Leotard, who debuted the body-clinging garment in 1859 when he performed his first flying trapeze act. His was a full-body, hand-knit jersey creation that stretched from the ankles to the wrists, more of a unitard, really. And legend has it the way his assets were displayed was as much a part of attracting crowds to the Cirque Napoleon as his high-flying feats.

But it was active-wear designer Bonnie August who brought the leotard into mainstream fashion during the disco era, helping to popularize the nocturnal uniform of a unitard or leotard with a wraparound skirt. More on leotards.