There has always been a certain affinity between the realms of fashion and sport. Beyond endless collaborations between luxury fashion houses and mega sports powerhouses to the intense boom in tenniscore earlier—spurred on by Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers no less—the two disciplines constantly toe the line that separates one from the other. Both beholden to the possibility of creating an air of unspeakable desirability for its community; for both the athlete playing their sport; and the onlooking spectator in the stands. It’s why Guadagnino’s film drew the attention it did, flirting with the intense, cult-like obsession that can stem from a single sport alone.
And nowhere else is the discipline more celebrated than at the quadrennial international sporting event: the Olympics. Set to unfold in less than a few weeks time in Paris, the highly-anticipated affair will see hordes of athletes from all over the globe arrive in the City of Light, alongside excitable fans who will be flying in to see their favourite athletes or show support for their own national teams. Whilst athletes will be notably dressed in their respective athletic attires commissioned for them (yes, we’re looking at you Mongolia), the uniform donned by any one spectator matters immensely too. After all, the garments you wear to watch a match or a race speaks your truth and is a timely opportunity for you to unabashedly show support for a specific team or athlete.
To enact said support, a jersey in the colours of the team you support, or even the assigned official merchandise, would be the obvious yet most effective choice. How you choose to work it into your outfits however, is free game. One look at the style savants and favourite celebrity faces of our zeitgeist and it’d be easy to glean the myriad of ways in which the various sporting paraphernalia are worked into different outfit combinations; ranging from Bella Hadid’s recent street casual approach to the multifarious wardrobe staple to the flirty-feminine style adopted by Seulgi of Red Velvet. Ahead of the grand sporting affair this year, get to taking notes for all the ways you can style your favourite jersey as you show your support from the sidelines.
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Oversized all the way
Take your cues from Billie Eilish, who’s known to work a multitude of vintage jersey separates into her concert ensembles. On stage, the pop singer prefers her outfits to be airy, roomy and free, so baggy tees, basketball shorts and a rotation of comfortable sneakers gets the job done.
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Chicago Bulls NBA shorts, $139
Available at Basketball Jersey World.
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She's just a girl
With her AirPods Max and a carefree attitude, Seulgi knows the jersey life is a casual one. To cop the look, pair off your jersey tee with a playful mini skirt and some ballet sneakers.
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To the nines
Everybody wants to be her (but no one will ever really come close). If Rihanna’s date night look is on your moodboard, then wear your oversized jersey as a short dress instead, with the directional aid of a statement jacket and some eye-catching heels.
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Giuseppe Zanotti crystal-embellished sandals, $738
Available at The Outnet.
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The fail-safe combination
A classic look that will never go wrong? Wearing your vintage jersey with a pair of denim shorts that are perfect for the summer. Don’t forget to add on some retro sneaks and a pair of trusty sunglasses too, for good measure.
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The blokette agenda
By way of building contrast, juxtapose the sporty jersey with hyper-feminine separates, like a long, flowy skirt. The devil is in the details here, so pile on a bandana or a belt that matches the colours of the team you’re rooting for.
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Sporty and rich
Who better to turn to than a former pro herself? Swin Cash rocks the brief; that laidback attitude perfectly communicated through the simple team up of her basketball jersey with some louche jorts and sleek slingback pumps.
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Saint Laurent patent-leather slingback pumps, $1,579
Available at Net-a-Porter.
