I’m endlessly fascinated by all of our juxtapositions. The corners and opposites that make us who we are, and make an outfit interesting. One of mine? I love sports. LOVE them. I’m a huge football fan (here, here, and here) I can’t miss basketball playoffs. And while I’m not the biggest baseball fan, I do enjoy watching my college team (and pay attention. Also- going to games is fun! I can’t wait till we can do that again! I wrote about baseball and fashion here)
There are people who are endlessly surprised that I can like both fashion and sports. Which is always so interesting to me. Sports stars are often seen as fashionable (and some even have their own lines). And fashion in its purest form is about a show, and sports is a spectacle- to me they don’t seem that so far apart. And if fashion is a way for us to tell our stories, wouldn’t it be natural for our fandoms- no matter what they are- to be expressed through our clothes?
And if I’m telling my stories, I want to be in charge of them. While there are hundreds and hundreds of women who love sports, often our fashion options for our sports teams is lacking. In my opinion.
I’m a fan- I love the game. And I want the fashion I wear to show that, not be a beacon that I’m a woman. Pink. Sparkles. Rhinestones. I hate it all. If my team’s colors are purple. Or blue. Or green. I want to wear those colors. I want the shirts. And shorts. And sweaters. And more. That I wear to look like something the players would wear. Not a beacon letting the world know that I’m a girl.
And I think there is a way to make sports wear look fashionable. Some of my tips? Wear heels. Pair fan gear- from hats to tops to pants- with a neutral. Let the team item pop. Wear your fan shirt like any other shirt. Dress it up. Be unafraid to be casual with it. Treat it like it’s any other outfit. Only wear your team’s colors- not logos. Don’t be fair to dress up for a game. Don’t be afraid to be casual.
There is no right or wrong way to show your love of sports in fashion. And if you don’t love sports? Nothing wrong with that either. After all, if you love sports like me, this is just another way to tell some of your stories.
I would love to know. Do you love sports? Do you dress for it? How?
Xo RA