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The WNBA is raising the bar in sports fashion, turning the entrance tunnel into a fashion show itself.
The runway begins with women entering the “tunnel” (the entrance to the arena on game day) to show off their designer fashions. Even the legendary fashion magazine Vogue has called the WNBA tunnel the new runway to watch.
On Saturday, July 20, Angel Reese, 22, stepped out in a two-piece outfit that included a crop top, gold heels, and a Louis Vuitton Loop bag, saying she felt “just like Barbie.” She also shared a series of photos of the fashionista look on Instagram, captioning them as “All Star Barbie 💋 pt.1.”
Los Angeles Sparks player Dearica Hamby, number 5, arrives prior to the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game at the Footprint Center on July 20, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. Hamby showed off her fashion sense in a white jacket and skirt set. Details: Alex Slits/Getty Images
A’ja Wilson, 27, also wore a green checked zip-up and pleated mini skirt. The Los Angeles Aces star accessorized the look with chunky gold Mary Jane-style heels, white lace socks, and a green and gold handbag.
Nneka Ogwumike, 34, stunned in a bright orange cropped sweater and matching skirt, making the matching getup all the rage. She accessorized with a silver body chain around her waist, a shiny silver bag and black sunglasses. Dearica Hamby, 30, looked chic and sporty in a white jacket and matching skirt, accessorized with stylish sneakers.
Caitlin Clark, 22, changed out of her Gucci outfit, teaming a cream short-sleeve top with accented sleeves with a brown miniskirt. The Indiana Fever pro accessorized with pointy-toed burgundy shoes, a matching handbag, and trendy sunglasses.
Both Kelsey Mitchell, 28, and Aaliyah Boston, 22, wore pants, the former in a custom halter top and fitted pants emblazoned with the WNBA logo, the latter in a ruby red crop top and matching wide-leg pants. All of the women on the All-Star team looked high fashion, wearing bra tops under blazers, designer miniskirts, and chic menswear-inspired looks.
In fact, the look is so iconic that Christopher Ruff created a WNBA League Fit account on X (formerly Twitter) to show off all the looks. The fashion and attention it’s getting has also helped to increase viewership for the WNBA in general, which is necessary considering women make a fraction of what their men make in the NBA.
For example, The Washington Post reports that a first-round draft pick can earn an annual salary of $76,535, while an NBA player can earn more than $10 million. “Fashion can be used as a first step to get people to pay attention to the actual product, which is the game, and get more attention,” Ruff told the Post.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, seeking common ground and finding connections.
