So much of what’s talked about in the WNBA is what goes on on the court, but not so much what happens in the tunnel — specifically, the fashion. With more time, the WNBA is developing in several ways, but especially in style and authenticity.
Tapping into the self-expression that players like Connecticut Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa have been able to do is part of what makes this league incredibly special. Women’s sports is a culture, and the fashion aspect is just one piece of the very artistic puzzle.
The Latest Issue of Twnty Magazine
Recently, Nelson-Ododa was featured in the second print issue of Twnty Magazine titled “The Knowledge Files”. She is one of the eighteen perspectives shared in the issue that explore ideas of self-awareness and expression.
The Los Angeles Sparks drafted Nelson-Ododa as the 19th pick in 2022. The Sparks then traded her to the Connecticut Sun in time for her sophomore season. When she first started playing professional basketball, the league was not in the fashion-forward mindset that it has now evolved into.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa Is Learning to Dress for the Body and the Mind
Despite developing the style she has now, Nelson-Ododa was not always that in touch with her personal aesthetic.
“I personally didn’t really dress up like that at all [at the beginning of my career],” Nelson-Ododa said in a scrum interview. “I think having access to stylists and people that can really see your vision on how you want to portray yourself and your own self-expression is super key.”
For the issue, stylist Aryeh Lappin Nelson-Ododa is one of the key minds used to help the athlete’s vision come to life so she can truly be her authentic self.
“He’s been amazing with editorials, with the game-day stuff, and it’s just been really fun,” she said.
Tunnel fits on game days are an essential part of what it means to be fashionable not just for Nelson-Ododa, but for the entire league. Combining art with athleticism only further emphasizes the point that women’s sports are a culture. When allowing for players like Nelson-Ododa to fully express their authentic selves through fashion, the league reaches more and more audiences.
“I think [getting to dress up] is a testament to being authentic to yourself and how you want to self-express yourself,” Nelson-Ododa said. “Being authentic to yourself will always bring out the best confidence in you.”
A League-Wide Fashion Movement
What makes the WNBA so special is its diversity. The players apply that variety to a number of things, but especially that of fashion.
There are players who are more masculine-presenting. There are players like Olivia Nelson-Ododa who are more feminine-presenting. No matter the style, it is sure to be expressed through art.
With more collaborations and brand deals coming out every day, the future of fashion is limitless across the WNBA. Although the Sun is on the verge of setting in Connecticut, Nelson-Ododa’s fashion sense certainly isn’t.
Leave a comment