The W in Designer ’23: Flyest Fits of Week Three

The players get serious– with denim, leathers, and camouflage pants– in the month leading up to WNBA All-Star Weekend. 

Emotions were high this week, especially during the Seattle Storm game where the league watched Sue Bird officially retire her jersey number. Bird’s strong approach to style is still apparent in the way that this season’s players dress in their pre-game outfits: oversized button-up shirts, blazers with strong shoulders, and eye-catching all-patterned looks. Similar to how Bird could wear any color and look tough as hell, the WNBA players also capture that energy through their own wardrobes. 

Apart from smaller, summer-ready clothing, June also pushes players to gravitate toward denim options. Interestingly, the public perception of pre-game outfits might imagine players wearing stylish sweats or looser clothing, but the players in this league actually wear jeans, in all fits and washes. After seeing the buzz for how the Ogwumike sisters coordinated their head-to-toe denim outfits, perhaps we’ll see more player duos plan their outfits together. 

For this week’s coverage of “The W in Designer,” the players create a cool-toned color palette that includes denim, leather, and camouflage pants. These outfits are also vaguely Sue Bird-inspired, with oversized button-up shirts and jackets, blazers, and perfect pairings of pants with fashionable footwear. True to Bird’s simple styling, these players are all wearing regular pieces, nothing too outlandish, in dangerously sharp combinations to reflect their on-court powers. 

Jasmine Thomas 

Los Angeles Sparks player Jasmine Thomas brings the unofficial West Coast “cool” uniform to her pre-game tunnel look. She wears a cropped white top that says “Girls Do Everything Better,” an oversized denim jacket, and baggy olive green pants. Adding a bright touch of color, Thomas also wears a pair of Salehe Bembury x Crocs Pollex Clog Clobber shoes– Crocs are less popular than you’d expect in this league, so it’s a refreshing choice for warmer weather. Keeping her accessories light, her relaxed look also includes simple hoop earrings and a subtle gold chain. 

Sabrina Ionescu

The New York Liberty posted this outfit from Sabrina Ionescu with a caption that encouraged fans to vote and secure her place at All-Star. This laidback look from Ionescu expresses a similar All-Star state of mind, with designer details like a pair of Off-White Cady Cutout rectangle sunglasses and a pair of rare Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 Low “Brooklyn” sneakers. Staying true to this player’s typical approach to dressing, Ionescu keeps her clothing simple with some fitted camouflage pants and a tight, black cropped turtleneck. 

DiJonai Carrington 

A natural stunner, Connecticut Sun player DiJonai Carrington also wears a pair of camouflage pants with a cropped top to her most recent game. Her pants feature a very tight fit, with an interesting choice to lace up her stringy, black heels over the bottoms of her pants. To match her footwear, Carrington also wears a cropped beige blazer with a cross-over tie detail at the bottom. While she wears bright colors in her outfits, this muted color palette from Carrington still captures the player’s personality. 

Joyner Holmes 

Celebrating the official retirement of Sue Bird‘s jersey, Seattle Storm players like Joyner Holmes rocked black tops with the legend’s “10” number. Holmes stands out with how she chose to style it– while most of her teammates paired the jersey with more casual denim bottoms, she committed to a tough, leather pants look, which was a great tribute to the leathers that Bird would often wear. Her pants perfectly frame a pair of Air Jordan 4 sneakers in a “Military Black” colorway and match her oversized Louis Vuitton purse.  

Sydney Colson

Known for always speaking her mind, Las Vegas Aces player Sydney Colson uses her pre-game outfit to do all the talking for her. From top to bottom, she wears a heavily coordinated outfit with a slogan that says “Busy Being Nice.” Designed by Sneaker Politics‘ Blaine McGowan, Colson’s top features a blue bee embroidery on a beige camp shirt. Only Colson could pull off this look, and she’s an expert at doing it with minimal accessories: a thin cross necklace, a bracelet, and some rings. 

Chiney Ogwumike 

On the style front, the Los Angeles Sparks have an advantage by having both Ogwumike sisters on the team. This epic denim-heavy look from Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike allows both players to stunt, but Chiney’s look has a more original twist with clear glasses and clear shoes. Styled by Kristine Anigwe, she also wears an Adidas x Ivy Park Monogram Denim Denim Track Jacket. Both sisters wear footwear from Lonia Shoes, a unique brand that offers fashion-forward options in extended sizes, which is a great solution for taller players in the W. 

Sophie Cunningham

Phoenix Suns player Sophie Cunningham is probably the first player to ever wear a Bass Pro Shops Mesh Trucker Hat before a WNBA game. Her look wins points for originality and out-of-the-box styling, by pairing this funny hat with a serious leather oversized blazer and a simple black top. Cunningham doesn’t wear any accessories, but fans may notice how she carries a hair tool in her hand, which she probably uses to create her signature wavy hair. 

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

By Kirsten Chen