The W in Designer: Flyest Fits of the Week (IX)
The WNBA combats the summer heat with neutral color palettes and outfits that pay tribute to energetic musical inspirations.
With the WNBA All-Star 2022 game scheduled at the end of this week, players and stylists are hustling to get ready for the Orange Carpet. But there‘s been exceptional outfits at every game this week, which proves that summer is no time for being lazy when you’re in this league. Several players have swapped out their fun, neon clothing for lighter color palettes, which match the focus needed at this point in the season.
The ninth edition of “The W in Designer: Flyest Fits of the Week” presents a selection of outfits where players show off their neutral-colored approach to summer style. Most of these outfits are built around garments that feature white, gray, or nude colors, but certain players brought rugged, leather-heavy style and intricate layers to their outfits. Music is a top pre-game essential, so it is no surprise that WNBA players often reference iconic pop culture figures in their fashion. As reflected in their music-inspired choices this week, no player in the league is ever basic.
Celebrating her 22nd birthday at a LA Sparks game, Rae Burrell channels Jimi Hendrix‘s electrifying energy into her pre-game fit. Working with stylist Sydney Bordonaro, Burrell creates a rock star-worthy outfit from accessible brands. Her Rose Panther Crop Top is from Urban Outfitters’ collaboration with Ed Hardy, paired with cropped corduroy pants. To match her shiny leather trench from PrettyLittleThing, she rocks a small studded bag that‘s also from Urban Outfitters with narrow black sunglasses. For a sporty twist to her look, she wears scrunched Nike socks with a rare pair of Nike Wmns Dunk Lows in a “Light Orewood Brown“ colorway.
Keeping busy in areas outside the league, Skylar Diggins-Smith is creating excitement for her upcoming “Desert Sky” Collection with PUMA Hoops that releases next month. Styled by former Phoenix Suns teammate Kristine Anigwe, Diggins-Smith wears a white PUMA T-shirt from her collection over a colorful PUMA long sleeve. Her pants, which feature stacks of small pockets, are a custom pair from KA Originals, Anigwe‘s brand. The light color palette of this guard’s outfit is enhanced by a pair of Doc Marten shoes in white color and a canvas tote bag from RANDOMEVENT. The influential player also wears a pair of Gucci shades that remind fans of her undeniable star quality.
Atlanta Dream player Tiffany Hayes uses legendary music to bring some dance-inspired motion into her pre-game fit, which Kristine Anigwe also styled. Rocking a perfectly oversized “The King of Pop” shirt from ASHTROTEES, her thin silver chain pops against the black T-shirt. She wears a pair of acid-washed wide-legged pants, potentially from ASOS, to add a bit of maroon into her black and white fit. Hayes’ dark-colored garments draw fans’ eyes to her fresh pair of Chrome Hearts Air Force 1 sneakers customized for the player.
Drafted to the Connecticut Sun this year, Nia Clouden is channeling younger, YEEZY-inspired neutral vibes with this outfit. She wears a dark brown oversized T-shirt with a graphic that mentions Columbus, OH, and a pair of loose-fitting cargo pants in the same color. After researching Clouden, it doesn’t seem like the rising player has an explicit connection to Ohio, as she grew up in Maryland before playing college ball in Michigan. Perhaps her time in Michigan helped her develop an affinity for outdoors-inspired patterns, which can be seen on her pair of Crocs Classic Realtree Clogs.
It’s unclear whether Shatori Walker-Kimbrough works with a stylist, but it wouldn’t be surprising if this naturally cool player has been styling herself this season. She’s mentioned that she likes vintage shopping around the Washington Mystics area, and her fit interprets retro knits for summer. Walker-Kimbrough wears a light gray sweater with a deep V-neck and an oversized collar, which is complemented by a white button-up. She also wears her signature slim shorts in black and a pair of argyle-patterned socks with leather shoes. To complete this look, she adds an interesting pair of rectangular sunglasses in a nude color.
With teammates who are known for consistently wearing wildly patterned pieces, it can be challenging for Seattle Storm players to stand out. However, when Mercedes Russell tries her team’s popular trend of mixing patterns, she looks exceptionally sleek. The first pattern of her fit is a bold purple camouflage print, which appears in her BAPE T-Shirt. Russell combines this camo pattern with a pair of grey plaid pants and black Converse x Comme des Garçons PLAY Chuck 70 sneakers. Other visual textures that add to her outfit include a thin pink satin scrunchie and light sky blue nails.
Although Sylvia Fowles only has a few more pre-game outfits before she retires at the end of the season, she’s staying committed to her signature style. Known for rocking various simple graphic T-shirts, Fowles wears a piece of classic Sublime merchandise with its iconic psychedelic sun logo. She also paired it with subtle black biker shorts, and this outfit might reveal new fun facts about the well-loved player— it may be possible that Fowles is a Sublime fan. To finish this comfortable summer outfit, the Minnesota Lynx player wears a highly coveted pair of Nike Dunk Low’s in a white, black and red colorway with black laces.
Newly hired WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle & fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.
