Tennis legends like Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka typically keep new tournament outfits under lock and key until their first serve. But Coco Gauff couldn't wait for Wimbledon 2026 to debut her latest New Balance x Miu Miu collaboration. On June 23, one week before Wimbledon begins, Gauff revived the brown sneaker trend with a New Balance x Miu Miu twist, alongside "minimal" tennis whites.

Almost a decade into her New Balance ambassadorship, Gauff went all out for her return to London's Centre Court. "Obviously Wimbledon is the most traditional, if not the biggest event we have in tennis,” the 22-year-old told British Vogue. “You have to wear all white, so there were some limitations.”

The New Balance x Miu Miu 530 SL Sneakers—the slim, circa-2023 tennis shoes Gauff wears pre- and post-match—followed Wimbledon's dress code with creamy uppers, punctured sidewalls, and nude gumsoles. Five years into their partnership, the labels also released the 530 SLs in brown leather, which Gauff will reserve for the street style scene.

Monochrome branding and weathered leather make the $1,270 pair one of fashion's most understated takes on the brown sneaker trend. Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, and Selena Gomez all chose two-tone, chocolate-colored trainers, bookended by ivory stripes of some sort. Gumsoles and stark-white shoelaces are the New Balance x Miu Miu 530's only opposing features.

Brown sneakers in the same tennis-core realm might dominate the Wimbledon 2026 stands. On the actual turf, expect a sea of summer whites, however. It seems Gauff has no plans of challenging Wimbledon's time-tested dress code.

"There are four different silhouettes in total that I can possibly wear,” Gauff said, referencing a traditional tennis dress, a skintight tank top, a pleated tennis skirt, and the windbreaker trend for warmups. The chance to compete in all of her New Balance x Miu Miu looks is "a big motivation" to "keep winning," she added. "Because they’re so white and minimal, the most important thing for me throughout the design process was the fit on my body."

Whether Gauff's wearing the mini dress or matching skirt set, the New Balance x Miu Miu athleisure will support every volley and serve, all the while standing out in post-win photo ops. New Balance knows what it takes to sculpt a stellar tennis dress—the Boston brand outdid itself twice on Gauff's behalf during the 2026 French Open last month.

The Spring 2026 campaign marked Gauff's second collection with New Balance x Miu Miu since 2024. She's worn the collaboration's custom tennis kits at the Italian Open, the Cincinnati Open, and the Berlin Grass Court Tournament as well.

At last year's Italian Open, the silver sneaker trend shined alongside Gauff's red, white, and blue New Balance x Miu Miu tennis dress. Not to mix sports, but Wimbledon dressing is a whole new ballgame. With New Balance and Miu Miu on her team, there's nothing stopping her from securing another style Grand Slam.

Shop New Balance x Miu Miu Sneakers Inspired by Coco Gauff

Tom Holland once called soccer "the greatest sport of all time." So, don't be surprised if he and Zendaya pause their Spider-Man: Brand New Day press tour to attend a 2026 World Cup game. On June 22 in Berlin, Zendaya teased her World Cup wardrobe in the sports jersey trend, which proved she's team Spider-Man all the way.

After all-black looks from McQueen and Rodarte, Z revived Spider-Man red in a number "39" jersey with major vintage charm. Her stylist, Law Roach, took the saying, "Put her in, coach," literally: Coach designed the strawberry red top's ivory-striped sleeves and light gray embroidery for the Fall 2026 fashion show. Why 39? Deputy director of social media Christina DAmbrosio realized Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters in 39 days.

If she was actually en route to a World Cup watch party, the Euphoria actor might've dressed down her soccer outfit with a VIP-beloved denim trend. Bella Hadid and SZA wore their sports jerseys with Daisy dukes and Bermuda shorts, after all. Zendaya was still in work mode, though. Instead, she blessed fashion girls-turned-soccer fans with the ultimate office-to-World Cup uniform: an oversize jersey and Coach's plaid, knee-grazing pencil skirt.

Seeing Zendaya in something so sporty wasn't Monday morning's only surprise. Her east-west engagement ring finally made its Spider-Man: Brand New Day debut. In Madrid and Amsterdam, she limited her ring stack to her wedding band. This time, she layered the five-carat sparkler from Jessica McCormack on top of a thick band.

Zendaya rounded out her yellow gold color story with itty-bitty hoop earrings and a matching Rolex watch. She's primarily sported the $15,100 Lady-Datejust timepiece during this press tour. But as Rolex's new brand ambassador, Z has an all-access pass to the entire catalog.

For her finishing touch, Zendaya slipped on chocolate brown Christian Louboutin pumps.

Zendaya certainly hasn't attended as many soccer games as her husband. When the time comes to cheer for Holland's English Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur, she'll dress the part. She has plenty of sports jersey style inspiration at her disposal, thanks to Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, and Hailey Bieber's recent takes on the trend. (Z could even channel her younger self at a Jets football game in 2013.)

Some of Holland's favorite Spurs athletes are playing in the 2026 World Cup as we speak. It'd be a challenge to make it to Boston before England's next game on June 23. But once the Spider-Man press tour swings onto U.S. red carpets, the newlyweds will likely spend their off days in the celebrity suites.

Shop the Sports Jersey Trend Inspired by Zendaya

Bright and early on June 17, WNBA fans could tell Caitlin Clark had something up her sleeves. First, she changed her Instagram handle to @Caitlin1, then her profile pic to Nike's logo. Turns out, that zoomed-in silver Swoosh belonged to Clark's first-ever Nike sneaker, named the Caitlin 1.

Two years after Clark signed an eight year, $28 million contract with Nike (the highest value contract ever floated to a WNBA player at the time), they made their partnership official with court-to-street sneakers. Over a decade of basketball experience set a high standard for the Caitlin 1s. She's also dreamt of having her own shoe "for as long as I can remember," according to a press release. So, she gave Nike a checklist. The sneakers had to support "speed, range, and unpredictability," and look cool while in action, of course.

Clark and Nike formed "a true partnership" while designing the rippled exterior, springy foam midsoles, and low-profile treads. Athletes will agree with the point guard: They "crushed it." Clark wanted her signature shoes to match the "fast, confident, and ready to let it fly" energy she's always had on the court. "They listened to every detail, and the innovation is designed for my game," she said. "Seeing the finished product for the first time will forever be a core memory."

To tackle the "unpredictability" challenge, Nike and Clark created Nike Opticast, which aims to "reduce drag and enhance movement efficiency." This new performance technology isn't hidden deep inside the sneaker's silhouette. See all of those itty-bitty bumps atop the toe boxes, sidewalls, and supportive ankles? That's what makes the Opticast the Opticast. Hundreds of C-shaped nodes add texture to 90-percent of the shoes, while each monogrammed tongue, ombré blue-to-mauve sole, and silver Swoosh remains untouched.

It's unclear why Clark chose such a rich shade of royal blue. Indiana Fever's team colors are strawberry red and white, plus navy blue and lemon yellow on occasion. She also wore black and gold while playing for Iowa University. Regardless, they're still an on-brand shade for the athlete. In fact, she's always selected Nike sneakers that help her stand out on the court.

Before the Caitlin 1s were born, Clark made the Kobe 5 and 6 Proto model her signature shoe. The night before the news broke, she defeated the Toronto Tempo in a custom pink, yellow, and green gradient Kobe 6 sneakers. Turns out, they were inspired by Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.

"Obviously, you guys know I'm a big fan of Taylor and the Eras Tour," Clark revealed in the post-game conference room. "The Eras Tour was the best concert of all time, so that's why I like the thought behind these." They felt reminiscent of Swift's pastel Roberto Cavalli skirt sets during the 1989 section of her shows.

Maybe the Caitlin 2s will channel another era in Swift's discography. Clark's favorite Taylor Swift song is "Enchanted," so she could have her sights set on a Speak Now-purple sneaker.

The current class of WNBA all-stars is behind some of Nike's best-selling trainers. In May 2025, A'ja Wilson debuted her first Nike sneaker, the A'One, which sold out in under five minutes. One year later, the Las Vegas Aces MVP's A'Twos flew off the shelves just as quickly. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has three Nike sneakers so far, each beloved for their supportive soles and stabilizing shanks.

The Caitlin 1 sneaker officially releases on October 1 for $140. In addition to the Clark-approved pair, Nike will drop an 18-piece apparel collection, complete with practice gear and streetwear. If this launch is anything like Wilson's, Clark and Nike will keep delivering style slam dunks for years to come.

Taylor Swift gives me football outfit pointers. Kylie Jenner's courtside style provides play-by-plays for sporting my NBA team's colors. But now, with the FIFA World Cup in full swing, my soccer outfits need a fashion girl-turned-fan to source for inspiration.

The World Cup follows the same four-year schedule as the Olympics, but between Major League Soccer and the Premiere League, there's always a game going on. That said, the last two years of matches—and the celebrities cheering from said stands—promised my summer 2026 closet was stocked with World Cup watch party outfits.

Back in July 2024, Rihanna gave up her seat at the Paris Olympics for the AC Milan vs. Manchester City soccer game at Yankee Stadium. Her sports jersey set didn't root for a specific team, rather her favorite fashion brands: Puma, Loewe, Bottega Veneta, and Miu Miu. By 2025, denim trends became staples at stadiums from Wales to L.A. Blake Lively supported her husband's soccer team, Wrexkham A.F.C., in baggy jeans, stuffed into Valentino Rockstud boots. Meanwhile, Kendall Jenner rooted for the Los Angeles Football Club in Khaite's straight-leg style and a Phoebe Philo bomber jacket.

I've never attended a professional soccer game before, but I'm ready for my first World Cup watch party this weekend with these A-listers as my guide.

Keep scrolling for the 8 best soccer outfits from VIP fans, ranging from WAGs like Victoria Beckham to Natalie Portman, co-founder of Angel City Football Club. If any of them attend the 2026 World Cup, I'll need a whole new vision board before the Knockout Stage.

Jennifer Garner's Soccer Outfit

Jennifer Garner takes soccer styling very seriously. She's an investor in the Angel City Football Club, after all. On the off chance her women's team loses, she makes sure her outfit is an easy win.

Four years ago, the 13 Going On 30 actor danced in the white jeans trend, a beige T-shirt, and Loewe's $1,100 Ballet Runner 2.0 sneaker. She looked so chic, fans hardly even noticed the 2-0 final score.

Natalie Portman's Soccer Outfit

Since ACFC co-founder Natalie Portman established her game-day uniform, she hasn't dared challenge it. During the June 2023 match-up between Paris Saint-Germain and Clermont Foot, she was spotted in a white button-down, a gray blazer, and mid-wash jeans. Two months later, she repeated almost the entire look.

Olivia Rodrigo's Soccer Outfit

Olivia Rodrigo fell for soccer years before Spotify decorated FC Barcelona’s jerseys with her logo last month. "I went to my first European football game a few years ago, and it was just the most electric, wonderful environment," she told Vogue of a Nov. 2024 battle between Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC.

She walked the field in a suede, mustard yellow pea coat from Miu Miu, stacked over a polka-dot, little black dress. Sneaker trends were no match for her beloved Frye Campus 14L Boots. The same knee-highs in chestnut brown graced Spotify's Instagram grid in May.

Rihanna's Soccer Outfit

Rihanna and the jersey trend go way back—to 2013, to be specific. Over the years, she's scored versions from the Chicago Bulls, the Indianapolis Colts, Paris Saint-Germain, mountain biking's Scott Racing Team, and even Savage x Fenty's limited-edition Super Bowl style.

Two years ago, her most subtle jersey—a black-and-white one from Loewe—joined her at Yankee Stadium's AC Milan vs. Manchester City match. The rest of her soccer outfit did most of the talking, including two Miu Miu mini skirts, Bottega Veneta's Solstice Bag, and sold-out Fenty x Puma Avanti sneakers. Their sidewall swoops return atop $100 Puma Speedcats, should you be a fan of RiRi's strawberry-red and white color combination.

Blake Lively's Soccer Outfit

Does being married to someone who owns a soccer team make you a WAG? I'd say so. Once Ryan Reynolds purchased the Welsh soccer club Wrexham A.F.C., Lively became the team's good luck charm. When she attended a game in April 2025, the team defeated the Charlton Athletic FC by a landslide.

The Gossip Girl alum never steers too far from her personal style in the stands. Her checkered button-down, white tank top, ripped jeans, and lace-up Valentino boots would've looked right at home in New York City, too.

Kendall Jenner's Soccer Outfit

The Kardashian-Jenner family has been soccer fans for years. Kim Kardashian's son, Saint West, adores the sport so much, he joined his mom in Nike's 2026 World Cup campaign.

In April 2025, Kendall Jenner represented her family at the Concacaf Champions Cup in L.A. She went full cool-girl mode in a leather bomber jacket, straight-leg jeans, and the ballet sneaker trend.

Victoria Beckham's Soccer Outfit

Victoria Beckham met David Beckham at a 1997 Manchester United match: "The fact that I went to the games really was just to kind of…some would say stalk him," she said in the Beckham documentary. Since then, she's become one of the sport's most iconic figures. During her early WAG days, she sported itty-bitty graphic tees, even tinier micro shorts, and more often than not, a five-figure Hermès Birkin bag.

Two decades later, her soccer style has taken a rich-mom turn. Since David Beckham purchased the Inter Miami team in 2018, Victoria has stayed true to oversize blazers, high-waisted trousers, and the occasional skirt set. Hermès Birkins are still her preferred plus-ones, though.

The status symbol stayed home from April 2026's Inter Miami vs. Austin FC game, but her white suit was so sleek, she didn't need it.

Shakira has sold out stadiums all over the world, but sports arenas are where she really shines. She has the 2020 Super Bowl under her belt, as well as two FIFA World Cup opening ceremonies. On June 11, Shakira kicked off soccer's biggest tournament again, this time wearing a custom Off-White outfit.

The Columbian superstar didn't grace the stage until the grand finale. Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy performed this year's official song, “Dai Dai," two weeks after the music video dropped. She was unmissable even in a sea of background dancers, thanks to her Off-White costume. According to the Italian label, Shakira's stylist, Nicolas Bru, brought "her personal pieces" into the design studio to "help guide the creative direction."

The first layer was a fitted, mock-neck bodysuit in a blinding neon yellow shade. Shakira's danced in one-pieces for years—including on last year's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour—so she knew the silhouette could withstand her demanding choreography. Cut-outs of all shapes and sizes added dimension to the skintight bodice's bust and torso. Slightly smaller slits returned atop Shakira's matching, fingerless opera gloves, too.

Then, Off-White created an asymmetrical mini skirt entirely out of white, lavender, and butter yellow soccer jerseys. A cool breeze blew through Mexico City Stadium, revealing the "We Are Ready" script in bold letters. (For context, her "Dai Dai" music video opened with soccer legends saying, "Shakira, we are ready.")

To finish, the Grammy winner doubled up on sportswear styles with leather high-top sneakers from R13. (That's right, the denim brand beloved by Olivia Rodrigo, Katie Holmes, and Jennifer Lopez also has a stellar shoe catalog.) She personalized the stark white, $1,495 pair with highlighter yellow laces, alongside 2.5-inch platforms. Shakira had no problem landing each move in platform high-tops. Judging by last year's tour wardrobe rack, she actually prefers performing in stiff, ankle-supporting options like these.

It's been 16 years since Shakira last opened the World Cup, but her love affair with neon fashion is still going strong. Back in 2010, she sang her hit song, "Waka Waka," in a custom skirt set from Roberto Cavalli. Flourescent trim along her crop top, fringed skirt, and stacked bracelets beamed even brighter under ultraviolet blacklight. She opted out of shoes completely, a classic Shakira move that promised her two-piece was the main character. Even her microphone got the neon memo, a tradition she stayed true to during the 2026 opening ceremony.

Contrary to the Olympics, which opens with a single four-hour ceremony, the 2026 World Cup could spotlight up to 16 pre-match shows. (That's one for each host city.) Inglewood, California's opening ceremony will debut on June 12, with performers like Katy Perry, Anitta, Blackpink's Lisa, and Tyla on the roster. Shakira set a high bar for future fashion girls taking center stage at the World Cup this summer.

2026 has enough designer collaborations to fill an entire FIFA World Cup roster. H&M x Stella McCartney, Gap x Victoria Beckham, Uniqlo x Cecilie Bahnsen, Old Navy x Christopher John Rogers, and the list goes on. It doesn't even include actual World Cup collaborations with Puma, Adidas, and more. Trust: They're scoring just as many style goals this summer.

Fashion brands began dropping FIFA World Cup collections weeks before the first match's kick-off on June 11. In late April, Old Navy released over 250 crewnecks, raglan T-shirts, and jerseys for fans of England, Brazil, France, Argentina, and the United States. Better yet, price tags range from $17.99 to $69.99, making this some of the tournament's most wallet-friendly merch.

Weeks later, Old Navy's sister brand, Gap, teamed up with FIFA on a much smaller line of oversize jerseys, hoodies, and baseball caps. If you root for Mexico, Spain, France, Argentina, or the U.S., you're in luck. The Zac Posen-led label traded modern-day sports gear for vintage-inspired prints from England in 1966 to Brazil in 2014.

It wouldn't be a World Cup without soccer sneakers dropping left and right. New York-based brand Kith, along with Lionel Messi and Adidas Football, reimagined the Adidas Superstar and Adidas Handball Spezial shoes. If the low-profile pairs didn't sell out already, Kendall Jenner and Lily Collins (fans of the OG models) might've made the switch.

Much like the soccer series itself, there's truly something for everyone—and every team—in fashion's best 2026 World Cup collaborations. Yes, the matches will continue for 39 days in 16 host cities. But styles are already selling as fast as stadium tickets did.

American Eagle's 2026 World Cup Collaboration

If your goal is to look less like a soccer spectator and more like an actual athlete, hit up American Eagle's collaboration with Umbro. The British label gave London girl classics (think polo shirts and track pants) a Team USA twist with its red, ivory, and navy blue color palette. Dozens of jerseys, mini dresses, micro-skorts, and matching sets are shoppable for under $70. Better yet, most (if not every style) is on sale right now.

Aerie's 2026 World Cup Collaboration

Aerie's loungewear line isn't to be underestimated, especially during World Cup season. Five core silhouettes—oversize T-shirts, matching crewnecks, fleece shorts, crew socks, and baseball caps—come in a nostalgic off-white shade. Then, the team colors of Mexico, Canada, Brazil, England, Croatia, France, Argentina, and the United States personalize each front profile. Socks start at $12.95, before fleece crewnecks peak at $59.95.

Levi's x U.S. Soccer 2026 World Cup Collaboration

The Levi's x U.S. Soccer collaboration is a match made in Americana style. If you're looking for ways to wear red, white, and blue without reading too patriotic, the $185 jean jacket in the strawberry color trend is right up your alley. The limited-edition line is packed with the Levi's denim you know and love, as well as a cropped take on the raglan top trend. Under-$50 tees are selling fast, but the outerwear offers more sizes for upwards of $185.

Puma x Salehe Bembury 2026 World Cup Collaboration

Puma's collaboration with L.A. footwear designer Salehe Bembury would make you unmissable in the World Cup stands. "When it came to the World Cup project, a lot of the questions I was asking centered around what rules could be broken and how we could offer something that felt different from what the audience was traditionally used to," Bembury told Highsnobiety.

Bembury's goal was to give goalkeeper uniforms—which are usually super colorful for the referees' sake—an even brighter makeover. Butter yellow, bubblegum pink, and aquamarine turned neon on soccer jerseys, lightweight polos, and the track pant trend. The $160 Puma x Salehe Bembury Velum Nitro Sneakers—running shoes with anti-Speedcat soles—are more versatile in a toasted, cool-toned tan.

Adidas Football x Kith 2026 World Cup Collaboration

Anything with Lionel Messi's name on it—whether it be Lay's chips, cologne, or Stanley cups—sells faster than you can say "Argentina." The same goes for Adidas Football x Kith's collaboration with Messi. All six sneakers aren't available anymore. The peony pink Handball Spezials and cream-colored Superstars were some of the first styles to go. If you're lucky, shorts, track pants, and matching jackets (all featuring Adidas's signature stripes) could still shut down your local World Cup watch party.

Old Navy's 2026 World Cup Collaboration

Old Navy did its big one this year. The brand combined rising street style trends (think raglan tees, polos, and track jackets) with the teams to watch at the 2026 World Cup. Countries ranging from France to Germany and the Korea Republic are represented across over 250 sportswear styles. Not a single select would set you back over $69.99.

Gap's 2026 World Cup Collaboration

Gap's collection is for the casual World Cup fans—the ones who will stop by a watch party and leave before the final goal. It's also for fashion girls who don't necessarily watch soccer, but want to look like they do. Jerseys for Canada, England, Spain, Argentina, France, Brazil, and more are joined by relaxed baseball caps, one-and-done hoodies, and trusty oversize tees. Some of Gap's World Cup-branded streetwear is so subtle, you'll have to zoom in to differentiate each team.

Yes, Taylor Swift joined the Kansas City Chiefs family when she started dating Travis Kelce. But she won't be so quick to marry into her fiancé's Cleveland Cavaliers fandom: She pledged allegiance to the New York Knicks over a decade ago. Swift's Knicks vs. Spurs Game 4 outfit on June 10 declared her house is still divided on the basketball court.

Only a genuine Knicks fan would book a red-eye flight from L.A.'s Toy Story 5 premiere to Madison Square Garden. Page Six first reported Swift would join Timothée Chalamet and Spike Lee in "celebrity row." If anyone can boost the NBA finalists' morale after Monday's tragic loss, it's Swift. With her infectious energy—and chic courtside style—the Knicks have a shot at resuming their 13-game winning streak. Swifties know she's that powerful.

Kelce is still grieving his beloved Cleveland Cavaliers' loss, far from the confines of MSG. Swift didn't have to do one last walkthrough of their rumored wedding venue alone—she was joined by Este and Alana Haim. The bride-to-be left all wedding whites at the security checkpoint. Instead, she committed to Knicks dressing with a cheeky homage to a superstar she references in The Tortured Poets Department.

The Haims (and their honorary sister) strolled into The Garden in matching shirts. Cobalt blue tops flooded the arena stands, but none of them delivered a play on words this creative: Swift altered Stevie Nicks's name to "Stevie Knicks," splattered in the team's signature orange shade across her torso.

Why Stevie? Well, she's always adored the Fleetwood Mac singer. "She's really been one of the reasons why I—or any female artist—gets to do what we get to do now. She’s paved the way for us," Swift said on the Eras Tour. She even referenced her in The Tortured Poets Department's "Clara Bow".

Turns out, Alana Haim made the T-shirt just for Swift. Vogue reported The Drama actor secured the Knicks blue Gildan shirts for $2.99 each at her local Michael's. Then, she took them home to her Cricut. "I’m obsessed with making merch for our tours; my sisters and I love merch, and every time we go on the road, the first thing we do is go to the local thrift store in whatever city we’re in and buy vintage shirts," she told Vogue. "I’ve wanted to make my own shirts forever, but I could never figure it out, but when I got home from our last tour, I bought a Cricut."

According to Alana, Swift specifically wanted to wear this punny piece to Game 4, though they brainstormed celebrity "Knick" names together. The Haims represented Hollywood legends Knicole Kidman and Knickleback. Alana also brought extras, in case Mariska Hargitay happened to pass their front-row seats: "Mariska was so down; she’s such an amazing human being, and I’m such a big fan of her, so the fact that she also wanted to wear one of my shirts was insane."

Swift paired the short sleeve with a straight-leg take on the black jeans trend by Area, which featured horizontal slits around each thigh. They seemed cut from the same cloth as the Area denim she wore to the 2024 Super Bowl, minus each keyhole's crystalized trim. Maybe they'll revive the same winning energy they brought to the Kansas City Chiefs on Super Bowl Sunday. Swift dangled a silver chainlink across her belt loops, but sky-high Versace sandals added yellow gold to the mix.

Thankfully, the no-bag policy was lifted before Game 4. So, Swift carried her Dior D-Motion Bag into MSG, no questions asked. The crossbody tote and its quilted bucket body sold out weeks ago, when it accessorized her little white Retrofête dress a few miles away from her team's home court. Kelce wasn't Swift's plus-one, but her engagement ring proved he was there in spirit.

The pop star's personal style has done a complete 180 since her first New York Knicks games. 1989-era Swift in 2014 would've never worn her faded wide-leg denim, H&M x Stella McCartney tank top, and Dior Cigale Bag at Game 3 of the Cavaliers vs. Knicks NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Skinny jeans were more of her courtside speed back in the day. Plus, her bejeweled tank would be way too flashy.

The "Blank Space" singer joined celebrity row for the first time on Oct. 29, 2014, when the Chicago Bulls defeated the Knicks. (That's two days after 1989 first broke sales records, by the way.) She kept her merch to a minimum, adding a teeny-tiny Knicks pin to her black top with three-quarter-length sleeves.

Whether she was on stage or in the MSG stands, matching sets were the main character in her 1989 closet. It's no surprise that skinny jeans and Christian Louboutin boots continued the color story. Six sets of buckles on each stiletto felt surprisingly grungy for the pop princess. Yet, because of their red bottoms, the Louboutins weren't too off-brand.

Once the 1989 debut dust settled, Swift returned to Madison Square Garden in Nov. 2014, hoping her second pair of skinny jeans would double as a good luck charm. Sadly, the Knicks lost again, this time to the Orlando Magic.

Swifties still won, though. Her style slam dunk stacked a burgundy long-sleeve and terracotta-tinted denim over black Rag & Bone boots. They were noticeably missing any embellishments, unless each block heel counts.

Originally, Swifties suspected this Knicks appearance would be like Swift's last: surprisingly devoid of any orange or blue picks. But she couldn't say no to matching with her friends in the front-row. Plus, her Stevie Knicks shirt wasn't an average way to root for her team. She put time and energy into concocting the theme.

Swift has gone all out for her Madison Square Garden sightings since 2019's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball. But don't expect her to scream too loud, Travis Kelce-style. The icon is being inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame tomorrow, June 11.

If it wasn't for Cardi B's halftime show outfit at Game 3 of the NBA Finals, I would've grieved the New York Knicks' loss a lot harder. Her croc-covered matching set and Super Bowl-worthy performance made up for every controversial referee call inside Madison Square Garden on June 8.

The South Bronx native went all out for her hometown show. She nailed every tongue-twisting line in "Bodega Baddie" and "Bodak Yellow," while keeping up with the Knicks City Dancers. Stylist Kollin Carter chose leather, croc-embossed pieces Cardi could comfortably wear from courtside-to-court, beginning with a plunge bodysuit. Her under-bust corset added tons of texture to the spaghetti-strap halter top. The bustier's asymmetrical scales looked surprisingly realistic when the spotlight shined down.

Cardi B's charcoal gray corset was so structured, it looked like it could stand on its own. Her fitted pants seemed to be constructed from the same rough-to-the-touch mold. Each light-to-dark leg clung to the "I Like It" rapper's figure. Don't worry, though. The stiff silhouette didn't hold her back in the dancing department. Cardi's three-minute performance revealed the leggings were more flexible than they looked.

Cardi B's NBA Finals outfit didn't need any help standing out. It offered as much visual interest as any of her croc Hermès Birkin bags. (It's unclear if the two-piece set her back five-figures, though.) That said, she slipped on nude Christian Louboutin sandals and the anklet trend. You wouldn't know she wore simple stud earrings at all. The Grammy winner's pin-straight hair flowed all the way down to her knees.

Cardi B went straight from her courtside seat to the stage, leaving her son, Wave Set Cephus, to watch over her Chanel It bag. I'm surprised she even brought a purse at all—“TSA-style screening procedures” banned all bags from entering Madison Square Garden before Game 3. Even Karl-Anthony Towns's fiancée, Jordyn Woods, had to leave her "lucky" bag at home. (My superstitious side is convinced that's why we lost.)

Clearly, being the halftime performer had its perks. Cardi bypassed security with a Chanel 25 Mini Handbag in tow, courtesy of Matthieu Blazy's Métiers d'Art Spring 2026 show. Dalmation-print faux fur covered every square inch of the outer body, including its side pocket duo. Chanel's iconic chainlink straps—and a clasp's interlocked Cs—laced through the zipper-free tote, drawstring-style.

The $8,400 bag looked right at home in the New York City landmark. It made its runway debut in an abandoned subway just a few miles south of MSG. You may recognize Cardi B's Chanel purse from Hailey Bieber's collection. It joined her fellow Knicks fan's closet back in February.

To say I'm surprised the Knicks lost to the San Antonio Spurs would be an understatement. The June 8 match-up marked the end of my team's 13-game winning streak. I believe the Knicks can come back from this, but on the off chance they don't, I trust VIPs like Cardi B to serve style slam dunks in their honor.

I'll be watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup from my couch instead of New Jersey's MetLife stadium. But I still plan on dressing the part in the sports jersey trend. Catch me at my local World Cup watch party recreating Rihanna's June 7 sports jersey outfit.

Rihanna could've worn A$AP Rocky's merch to his 2026 Governors Ball Music Festival concert. Instead, she kept me on my toes by wearing a chocolate brown version of Peyton Manning's #18 Colts jersey. The fresh-from-the-locker-room find was just oversize enough while keeping the structure of its V-shaped neckline and short sleeves. That's the work of British-based, 2021 LVMH Prize finalist, Conner Ives.

Rihanna didn't need to tuck her signed Colts jersey into her black, knee-length skirt. Ives attached the two, "creating a unique silhouette that is oversized on the upper and fitted on the legs," his notes revealed.

Intricate, stretchy shirring decorated everything in between the pencil skirt's elastic waistband and scalloped hemline. That texture is exactly what made the Grammy winner's jersey look so glossy. Had the VIP-beloved designer linked the shirt with a smooth jeans trend, it wouldn't have felt nearly as on-brand for the singer. (She loves experimenting with matte and shiny styles, after all.)

If the two-piece-turned-dress feels as cozy as it looks, Ives reconstructed it with jerseys from the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, and more.

She doubled down on interesting finishes with the cult-collected Nike x Jacquemus Moon Shoe sneaker. She owns the circa-March 2025 ballet sneakers in off-white and cinnamon brown. This time, she chose the latter, which sharpened the nylon, crinkle-effect uppers and Nike's ivory Swoosh. I suspect this It-shoe collaboration will dominate World Cup stadiums from here to Canada and Mexico this summer.

Here's where my Rihanna recreation might get a little tricky. The fashion girl carried one of her most extravagant Louis Vuitton bags: the Speedy P9 25. At first glance, it might seem like a classic Speedy, complete with a monogrammed duffle and nude top-handle straps. Zoom in, and you'll see the entire zip-top body is sculpted from croc-embossed leather, raising its price tag to $48,500.

While I never pegged her for an Indianapolis Colts fan, Rihanna has been pro-sports jersey as streetwear for years. Two years ago, she attended the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix in Chicago Bulls jersey, alongside a black cargo skirt and Gucci horsebit bag. Months later, a royal blue Scott Racing Team jersey widened her horizons into mountain biking territory.

That said, it's only a matter of time before World Cup-branded pieces join Rihanna's summer rotation. FIFA collaborations with Puma and Nike (two of her favorite sneaker labels) promise she has plenty of options to choose from.

Shop the Sports Jersey Trend Inspired by Rihanna

As the reigning champion of the French Open and a fashion girl, there was a lot of pressure on Coco Gauff before her grand return to Roland-Garros. On May 28, Gauff proved she's ready to serve again while styled in a custom New Balance tennis dress and signature sneakers.

Gauff faced Egypt's Mayar Sherif in her second women's singles match of the competition. She stayed true to tradition in a sleeveless, two-tier New Balance tennis dress crafted just for her. The bottom layer featured a stark-white romper with waist cut-outs, sculpted from stretchy lightweight spandex. Then, she added a semi-sheer, charcoal gray mini dress on top. Her contrasting bodysuit shined through the mesh overlay, adding some visual interest to the otherwise classic silhouette.

“As everyone knows, Paris is my favorite city and this kit captures everything I love about it—elegance and sophistication with a little bit of edge,” Gauff revealed in a press release. “Returning to Paris after winning here last year is really special. We wanted to create something that lets me feel confident, while honoring the fashion and culture that makes the city so iconic.”

Gauff’s Thursday afternoon match brought her Coco CG2 tennis shoes back to centre court, too. They’re still her circa-2024 creation, except the heightened, hexagonal treads turned peony pink; the triangular 3D toe boxes switched to cream; and the high-top ankles were dark gray to match her dress. The new color combination sells for $159.99, just like every Coco CG2 sneaker before it. To complete her full New Balance ‘fit, the star athlete slipped on frilly crew socks, white arm bands, and a gray headband in lieu of a visor.

Gauff came prepared for her French Open comeback, her luggage filled to the brim with custom New Balance looks. Earlier this week, she challenged Taylor Townsend to a singles match with a secret weapon in tow: a lavender tennis dress, featuring a familiar action-ready fabric and design. The only difference? She stacked a peony pink one-piece underneath. Her headband and warm-up-only long-sleeve matched her take on the pastel color trend. To finish, Gauff stuck with the same Coco CG2 sneakers and ruffly socks.

It seems custom New Balance dresses are Gauff’s good luck charms this tournament. She secured her second 2026 French Open win in her NB look on May 28. When she competes in her third round Saturday, May 30, tennis players and fashion girls alike will find inspiration in her on-court outfit. And Gauff will definitely clinch another style victory.

Naomi Osaka blessed fans with not one, but two trophy-worthy outfit reveals this month. Her first sartorial grand slam came at the 2026 Met Gala, where the tennis legend shed a white Robert Wun coat for a blood-red mermaid dress. On May 26, she somehow outdid herself with two walk-on looks at the 2026 French Open.

On day three of the two-week tournament, Osaka played her first round match against Laura Siegemund of Germany. Hours before she defeated Siegemund, Osaka secured her first win in the fashion department. Stylist Marty Harper (the same creative behind her Met Gala moment), collaborated with Swiss designer Germanier on an "upcycled look" for Osaka.

She initially graced the Stade Roland-Garros court in a sleeveless, all-black corset, plus a matching pleated maxi skirt. Cascading crystals and sequins added an iridescent shine to the shadowy backdrop. According to Kevin Germanier, the design was supposed to be "earth-toned," almost the same shade as the Parisian court. "We decided to go fully black to create an element of surprise on the court," the designer revealed on Instagram. "It was nerve-racking, but in the end, I honestly think it turned out even better than what we had originally planned."

Once Osaka's tennis bag was prepped, she ditched the corset vest to pose for photographers. That way, her semi-sheer skirt's intricate, tennis-inspired pleats got their moment in the sun. The shirt swap also introduced Osaka's base layer to the mix: a taupe tennis dress stitched from upcycled Nike garments.

She stayed true to her maximalist self by flaunting gold sequin strands atop a Nike-branded bodysuit. The skirt's top two tiers—and the asymmetrical pailettes that decorated each ruffle—were stacked over her black maxi's waistband. Osaka waited until the moment before her match began to reveal the rest.

One last thigh-grazing ruffle emerged once Osaka threw her Germanier skirt toward the sidelines. Each layer gave Osaka's mini skirt the eye-catching volume she, as well as Venus and Serena Williams, require from match-ready tennis dresses.

The sequins, however, might make this mini her most personalized yet. On the off chance she does wear embellishments, Osaka typically chooses monochrome rhinestones, as to not outshine the color underneath. (See her red tennis dress at the 2026 US Open.) Perhaps her Met Gala gown taught her to be even more bold on the court.

To finish, the Nike brand ambassador stayed true to tradition with her GP Challenge 1 "Naomi Osaka" sneakers in an unreleased coral tint. If they're anything like her US Open trainers, they'll hit shelves any day now.

Luckily for fans (and fashion girls), Osaka advanced to the second round match on May 28 against Croatia's Donna Vekić. Knowing her, she and Harper are already putting the finishing touches on her next French Open outfit.

Thankfully, clear bags weren't strictly required at Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Kylie Jenner cheered for the New York Knicks on May 25 with an opaque Chanel It bag in tow. Without the four-figure good luck charm, Timothée Chalamet's hometown team might've never defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers and advanced to the NBA Finals.

Jenner and her boyfriend filled Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's courtside seats inside Cleveland's Rocket Arena. Contrary to Kelce, a longtime Cavs fan, both VIPs were decked out in Knicks gear. Still, one neutral accessory stood out in a sea of blue and orange. Jenner brought Chanel's Small Shopping Bag in black, croc-embossed leather to a history-making game. (The win secured the Knicks a spot in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.) It was the most elevated and eye-catching piece in her Game 4 outfit, alongside a Knicks graphic tee and mid-wash jeans.

Technically, the Spring 2026 style stood a few inches taller than the bag policy allows, but at least she didn't bring the Chanel Maxi Flap Bag. The roomy carry-all (beloved by herself, Kendall Jenner, and Hailey Bieber) would've required another seat. Jenner's glossy take on the east-west trend featured the same interlocking Cs and elongated straps as the new, Matthieu Blazy-era Maxi Flap. It even debuted on the same runway.

However, its crimson-lined interior was noticeably flap-free, and it would set you back $7,300. That's a full $1,200 less than its super-sized sister. The Kylie Cosmetics founder's exact color hasn't hit Chanel stores yet, so brace yourself for another shopping frenzy. Right now, it's available in croc-embossed mint green and the same smooth burgundy as Kendall Jenner's Chanel Maxi Flap.

Before yesterday's 37-point sweep, Jenner only brought Hermès or Dior bags to Knicks games with her boyfriend. Earlier this month, she gave her jeans and tank top outfit the Knicks treatment with orange Miu Miu mules and a navy blue Hermès Birkin. Much like her Chanel shoulder style, its super shiny, Porosus croc-embossed exterior could be seen by fans in the nosebleed seats. Similar styles with Jenner's palladium hardware sell secondhand for upward of $60,000.

It's still undecided whether the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs will take on the New York Knicks come June 3, the first game in the best-of-seven finals series. (Those two teams are currently tied in their semi-finals.) Regardless, Jenner and Chalamet will be in the front row, hoping their 10-game winning streak will continue. One question still remains: Which designer bags will decorate Jenner's arm during the finals? Perhaps she'll go all-out and treat herself to new orange or blue totes before the next battle. That would also make a great gift, Chalamet.

Shop Black Croc-Embossed Bags Inspired by Kylie Jenner

It's not every day that a fashion girl's off-duty outfits surprise me just as much as their red carpet looks. But Jennifer Lawrence is constantly keeping me on my toes. Case in point: I never could've predicted the sportif trends Lawrence packed into one unconventional athleisure set on May 19. And somehow, everything worked in tandem.

Paparazzi caught J.Law leaving her home with fresh-from-the-shower wet hair and styling that suggested she didn't anticipate a photo op. Still, her "I just threw this on" outfit awoke my sporty side with not one, but three effortlessly-cool trends. First up? The humble graphic tee. After her "Strawberry Fields Forever" T-shirt helped pioneer the renaissance last month, Lawrence doubled down on her sanction in a Mickey Mouse baby tee. Being lemon yellow, the short-sleeve style also endorsed a not-quite-buttery Spring 2026 color trend.

Then, the New Yorker shade-matched the red on Mickey's shorts to her strawberry-tinted track pants. They weren't from Adidas, as proven by thick, singular stripes down each outer leg. Instead, Lawrence rolled down her waistband to reveal Loewe's logo, meaning they're the same sold-out pants she's worn with Nike V2K sneakers, Ugg boots, and Salomon hiking sneakers since last September. All of those counterparts would've been too warm for New York City's 90-degree heat advisory.

Last spring, Marie Claire named track pants like Lawrence's the fashion editor-approved alternative for spring jeans. Now, it's impossible to embody the sportif aesthetic without them. For instance, Adidas track pants were the workout-ready cherry on top of Hailey Bieber's athleisure look last March.

Track jackets won over the same class of It girls this season, including Bieber and Kendall Jenner. But if Lawrence completed the side-striped pants with a matching windbreaker, she might've actually looked straight from gym class—not quite the sportif blueprint.

To round out her high-school athlete look (chic edition), Lawrence traded her trusty Adidas Tokyo Sneakers for different, triple-striped best-sellers: the $40 Adilette Slides. The black-and-white slippers joined her shoe rack as early as 2021. But now, it's her MO to offset their inherent sportiness with rare designer bags. This time, she chose a brown Hermès Lindy Bag, which sells secondhand for upwards of $8,000. Talk about a glow-up.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say Lawrence felt inspired by the outfit her younger self wore to take the PACER test. Each sporty trend bridged the gap between nostalgic and effortlessly cool, in a way only J.Law could. She did the same with Mary Jane sneakers and a collector's edition Hermès Kelly Bag last December. On paper, styling a graphic tee, track pants, and Adidas slides all at once might seem complicated. However, with the right Spring 2026 color trends, Lawrence proved it's worth a shot.

Shop Sportif Trends Inspired by Jennifer Lawrence

I didn't score courtside seats to the Dallas Wings basketball game on May 12. But I had something the in-stadium WNBA fans didn't: a clear view of Azzi Fudd's slam dunk of a tunnel outfit, starring cargo jeans worthy of their own trophy.

A surprise knee injury benched the No. 1 WNBA draft pick two hours before the Dallas Wings took on Angel Reese's Atlanta Dream. Thanks to her '90s-inspired jeans, Fudd still won at Arlington's College Park Center.

She traded her royal blue Nike jersey for low-rise baggy jeans outside the locker room. They weren't your average sky-blue bottoms, though. Additional pockets atop her thighs and knees turned the traditional, low-slung waistband on its head. Each sack was so spacious, Fudd could stuff knee pads or ankle braces inside. Who needs a duffel bag?

Stylist Sydnee Paige leaned into the noughties-ness of it all with the polo shirt trend, courtesy of New York City label PH5. The short-sleeve style was mostly chocolate brown, before a cobalt blue collar showed some Dallas Wings spirit. Crocheted horizontal stripes cascaded down the front and back of her $325 top like flowing water in a stream. The almost-iridescent technique was intercepted by boning along a scalloped, high-low hem, which Fudd could mold to mimic any shape she wanted.

The basketball star buttoned-up her polo, popped on blue-tinted sunglasses, and finished with stark white Nike sneakers. If anyone can bring back a circa-2016 sneaker trend, it's Fudd. (Okay, and Hailey Bieber, who endorsed the same pair last month.)

Fudd only has two Dallas Wings tunnel looks under her belt. That's all she needed to declare herself a pre-game fashion girl to watch. She strutted into Indiana's Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 9 and won twice that night—first in a white bra top, a cropped leather jacket, and equally-oversize jeans.

Fudd reserved cargo-reminiscent pockets for her charcoal gray, Coach Fall 2026 bag, which featured kiss-lock coin purses on either end of the east-west silhouette. How did she secure an unreleased Coach bag? Fudd's a brand ambassador and wore a custom Coach dress to the 2026 WNBA Draft.

The Dallas Wings have a 1-1 record right now, but Fudd is 2-0 on the fashion front. It's unclear when she'll resume regular playing time. Despite her injury, she's still supporting her teammates from afar, one tunnel look at a time. Stay tuned for May 14's home-court game against the Minnesota Lynx. Fudd's sporty step-and-repeats will continue, whether or not she's shooting hoops.

Shop Cargo Jeans Inspired by Azzi Fudd

A few weeks ago, I met with the founders of FORTA Cosmetics, and the conversation quickly turned into a beauty gripe that felt almost universally relatable: makeup that simply can’t keep up with a real day. Not one where I'm perfectly sat at a desk—the kind that involves rushing out the door, running between obligations on a sweaty subway, maybe squeezing in a quick workout, and hoping my makeup still resembles what I applied that morning.

The brand was founded by Lexie Hull—a WNBA player for the Indiana Fever—and her former Stanford roommate, Sarah Guller. Their lives look very different on paper, but their frustration with makeup longevity proved the same. Hull, naturally, deals with sweat and constant movement as part of her job as a professional athlete, while Guller approached the issue from a more everyday perspective, as a working professional. Hull and Guller weren’t trying to reinvent beauty or sell some overly complicated routine; they just wanted something that could keep up with how people actually move through their days.

Studies have shown that women are less likely to identify as athletes compared to men who work out the same amount, Gull explained to me. "That said, a lot of women are super active—whether she’s a working mom, a pilates girl, or just someone going out for the night, she is going to face movement, heat, and maybe even some level of sweat." That idea ultimately led to the brand’s first launch, Lock & Go Setting Spray.

During development, the founders told me the testing process was anything but theoretical—Hull and her fellow professional athletes wore early versions through practices and games, pushing the setting spray formula through sweat, heat, and constant movement. “If someone’s makeup came off on their towel or jersey,” Guller said, “it was back to the lab.” After cycling through more than 20 versions of the formula, the idea was straightforward: if it could hold up on a WNBA court, it could probably survive a normal day, too.

After the Indiana Fever players had their go, it was my turn. Here's my honest review of the new FORTA Lock & Go Setting Spray.

The Formula

When I looked at the ingredient list for Lock & Go Setting Spray, it’s fairly straightforward—which, in my opinion, is great; I prefer a short list when it comes to setting sprays. For the gist: The base starts with water and alcohol, which helps the mist dry quickly and set makeup in place without feeling sticky—something that’s especially helpful if you’re sweating, since a faster-drying formula is less likely to slide around on the skin. There are also a few ingredients—like butylene glycol and propanediol—that add lightweight hydration, so the spray doesn’t leave skin feeling tight or overly matte as the day goes on.

The ingredient doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to hold is PVP, a common film-forming ingredient that creates a thin, invisible layer over your makeup to help keep it from moving around, even when heat or sweat enter the picture. Most importantly, the formula is labeled non-comedogenic, meaning it’s designed not to clog pores. That’s excellent news if you’re someone who tends to sweat while wearing makeup, since locking everything in place won’t necessarily mean trapping oil and debris against your skin.

The Application and Wear

I applied Lock & Go Setting Spray the way I normally would with any setting spray: as the final step in my routine, holding the bottle about a few inches from my face and misting it over everything. The spray itself is impressively fine—more of a cloud than a direct spritz—which helps it settle evenly without disturbing the makeup underneath.

What I noticed most once it dried down was what wasn’t happening. My skin didn’t feel sticky, and my makeup didn’t develop that slightly tight feeling some formulas can leave behind. Instead, everything just had a settled look to it. My foundation stayed smooth without patching up in dry areas, my blush remained when it hit mid-afternoon, and no makeup transferred onto my phone screen the way it often does during a call. It’s the kind of setting spray that quietly does its job; I don’t feel it's working, but I noticed my makeup still looks pretty much the same hours later.

The Takeaway

After testing Lock & Go Setting Spray for a few days, what stood out to me most was how effortless it felt. Some long-wear setting sprays make their presence very known with tight skin, a nasty smell, and a heavy mist. This one is much subtler. My makeup simply looked the same hours later, which, honestly, is exactly what you want from a product like this.

Is it going to survive a literal professional basketball game the way it was designed to? I’ll leave that to Hull. But for long workdays, commuting around the city, and the general tasks of everyday life, it held up impressively well.

Shop My Other Favorite Setting Sprays

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Being born into a basketball family means the annual WNBA Draft is my Met Gala. Watching NCAA players walk the red carpet (a first for many of the league's rising stars) is as riveting as seeing which A-listers walk up the steps of the Met Museum on the first Monday in May. And, just as I expected, the 2026 WNBA Draft was another one for the (look) books.

On April 13, the new class of WNBA rookies delivered sartorial slam dunks inside New York City's The Shed. There wasn't an official dress code, but draftees took the step-and-repeat as seriously as their final college game. (Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Dominique Malonga, and more set a high bar last year.) Some players kept it cool, like Courtney Williams in a leather jacket and baggy trousers. Others saw this as their opportunity to show up and show out—see: Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Azzi Fudd, and Gabriela Jaquez in custom Coach gowns.

With a WNBA Draft this fashion-forward, the 2026 season is already turning out to be one to watch not just for good basketball, but for pre-game tunnel walks. While we await the first game, see how many style points your favorite athletes earned with their red carpet looks on draft night.

Azzi Fudd wearing custom Coach

In addition to being the No. 1 draft pick, UConn's Azzi Fudd was also one of the first athletes to arrive. Stylist Sydnee Paige dressed her in a silver sequined slip dress by Coach where the distressed pailettes exposed silk chiffon underneath. A black satin corset emerged from above the neckline, which matched the carpet-grazing bow on the side. Extra points for her Coach Tabby Bag.

Lauren Betts wearing custom Coach

UCLA's star center made her red carpet debut in a rhinestone-encrusted, little black dress inspired by '90s minimalism, also custom Coach. Much like Fudd, she accessorized the slitted maxi with a matching Tabby bag. Before the draft, she told Marie Claire that she was especially excited "for everyone to see how we all look outside of our jerseys, all sweaty."

Flau'jae Johnson wearing Bent Kahina and Vobara Jewelry

The trophy for most fabulous draft 'fit goes to LSU's Flau'jae Johnson. Stylist Elly Karamoh brought out the guard's glam side with a velvet, cut-out-heavy gown from L.A.-based designer Bent Kahina. With a furry stole up top, Johnson looked the part of an Old Hollywood starlet.

Cotie McMahon

Ole Miss Rebels were in the house at the draft, thanks to Cotie McMahon. Before the Washington Mystics chose her as a first-round pick, she posed in a pinstripe take on the skirt suit trend, complete with an envelope-style clutch, plus socks with sky-high sandals.

Awa Fam wearing Siedrés

19-year-old Awa Fam brought her fashion A-game in a crimson-colored Siedrés dress, styled by Courtney Mays. She showed off the intricate slashes on the side, the asymmetrical hem, and her metallic gold accessories on the red carpet.

Kiki Rice wearing custom Coach

As an an official partner of the WNBA, Coach dominated the draft night step-and-repeat. Still, each outfit felt authentic to the wearer. Kiki Rice looked so at ease in her chiffon-trimmed crop top, slitted satin skirt, and bejeweled Tabby 26 Bag. A leather jacket—draped loosely off her shoulders—added to the set's classic-grunge charm.

Gabriela Jaquez wearing custom Coach

Betts's UCLA teammate Gabriela Jaquez got the same little black Coach dress memo, except hers boasted a constellation of star appliqués atop velvet. In lieu of a Tabby, stylist Courtney Mays chose a super-size version of the viral Kisslock Bag.

Ta'Niya Latson

Something tells me Ta’Niya Latson will thrive as a Los Angeles Spark: Her sequined slip dress, sheer opera gloves, and diamond tennis necklace are straight from a Hollywood black-tie mood board.

KK Arnold

Kamorea "KK" Arnold turned heads in head-to-toe burgundy selects (a major Spring 2026 color trend), including a single-breasted coat, satin neck tie, balloon pants, and a quilted Chanel shoulder bag.

Angela Dugali

Newly-minted Washington Mystic Angela Dugali paired her sequined off-the-shoulder dress with a Chanel bag.

Courtney Williams wearing Coach

Mays also styled Courtney Williams in Coach—this time, in a white button-down, a black neck tie, matching trousers, and a cropped moto jacket.

Gianna Kneepkens

The UCLA Bruin-turned-Connecticut Sun shined bright before the draft in a white, halter-neck maxi dress.

Madina Okot

Atlanta Dream newbie Madina Okot was all smiles ahead of the draft in a cropped, pinstripe blazer, matching trousers, a peekaboo neck tie, and a black Gucci shoulder bag. She didn't know it yet but, if I was about to start playing with Angel Reese, I'd be beaming, too.

As fans await news of Taylor Swift's wedding to Travis Kelce, the NFL star has hinted that a potentially huge and life-changing decision could be in the works.

Amid rumors that Swift and Kelce have already set their wedding date, Kansas City Chiefs player Patrick Mahomes seemingly shared some major news on Instagram. Mahomes posted two photos taken with Kelce on the field, and the post was quickly flooded with eye-opening comments.

The Instagram account for Kelce's podcast, "New Heights"—which he hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce—was one of the first to react to Mahomes's post. A simple GIF of Travis nodding his head while saying, "Let's go," appeared to suggest the NFL player was far from done with football, just yet.

The NFL's official site appeared to confirm Kelce's decision to keep playing. "The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is expected to return to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 14th NFL season, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported," the outlet shared. "Kelce will turn down more money from other teams in free agency to stay with the Chiefs."

The publication also revealed, "Kelce's decision not to retire is a product of weeks of discussion," and suggested that the potential announcement was "a surprising turn of events."

Per the NFL, Chiefs coach Andy Reid previously alluded to Kelce's future with the team, telling reporters on February 20, "As long as there's communication, I'm good. That means people want to move forward." He continued, "I think that's where Trav is. I'm not trying to put words in his mouth at all and I try to give him some space here."

For now, at least, fans of the couple will be awaiting confirmation regarding Kelce's future in the NFL. Regardless of what Kelce decides, Swift will presumably be there to support him.

Ralph Lauren has designed Team USA's Olympics and Paralympics Opening and Closing Ceremony uniforms since the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Nearly twenty years later, the legacy continues. On December 4, the designer unveiled the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics looks: Opening and Closing Ceremony outfits that combine nods to vintage ski racing gear and high-altitude performance with Ralph Lauren's signature take on Americana motifs.

For the February 6 Opening Ceremony, Team USA will arrive in a nostalgic take on winter whites. Ralph Lauren reimagined its viral American flag sweater for two weeks of skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating with an intarsia knit in red, white, and blue. It's paired to tailored wool trousers and a vintage-inspired toggle coat—plus a coordinating intarsia knit beanie.

Once the Games conclude on February 22, athletes including snowboarder Chloe Kim and ice skater Alysa Liu will count up their medals in tri-color utility jackets. They're each emblazoned with "2026" across the front, plus a sprinkling of Team USA patches.

The 2026 Winter Olympics mark Ralph Lauren's tenth Games designing exclusively for Team USA. “The significance and sheer magnitude of dressing our nation’s incredible athletes–on the most dramatic stage in sport as they pursue their lifelong dreams–is an honor that never fades," David Lauren, Chief Branding and Innovation Officer, Ralph Lauren Corporation, said in a press release. "Our design philosophy has always been about creating dreams and telling stories through style, and these uniforms, both timeless and modern, reflect the passion, optimism, and relentless pursuit of excellence that embody the American spirit."

Already, Team USA athletes like Paralympic snowboarder Brenna Huckaby are counting down the minutes until they suit up in their Olympic uniforms.

“I love how clean and tailored the Opening Ceremony uniform is. It feels very put-together and fits really well," she tells Marie Claire. "My favorite piece is the flag turtleneck with the snowflakes because I can wear it after the Games. I think we’re going to look really good."

The second look on the roster also speaks to her competitive side: "And I mean, I love how the Closing Ceremony uniform looks fast."

Athletes like Huckaby have an even more expansive Ralph Lauren wardrobe to pull from when they touch down in Milan. So do their friends and family. Ralph Lauren has also released an expansive collection for showing team spirit beyond the slopes, ranging from colorblock rugby shirts and glossy puffer jackets to an Olympic take on the Polo Ralph Lauren teddy bear tee.

Huckaby's eyeing a rink-inspired jersey for her downtime between races. “I love the hockey-jersey top in the women’s line. With a pair of jeans, it would be really cute for a casual night out," she says.

For these athletes, the Olympic Games are about much more than suiting up in custom gear. It's about competing after years of preparation—and celebrating the work with their teammates and families. “I’m most excited to have my family there this time," Huckaby says. "It feels like a delayed celebration from the last Games since they couldn’t be there because of COVID. My family is my village, and being able to do this with them— surrounded by the people I love—means a lot.”

Still, the Ralph Lauren uniforms are Team USA's first introduction to their competitors on the Milan Cortina stage. The Opening and Closing Ceremony looks echo what the previous nine editions have already said: They're ready to go for gold, in style.

Shop Ralph Lauren's Team USA Collection

About 18 miles into the 2025 New York City Marathon, I hit a wall. My back ached. My thighs quaked. My left knee ominously popped with every other step.

I knew from months of training I'd need some extra motivation by this point in the course. The race was more than halfway over, but there were challenging hills and an entire 10k of distance ahead. I'd even programmed a Taylor Swift pump-up playlist for this moment. It still wasn't drowning out a little voice in my head saying I couldn't shake it off.

But I was about to find the last bit of hype I needed to keep going. At a break in the crowd of spectators along Manhattan's First Avenue, I locked eyes with a friend who was ready to cheer me on with some choice compliments. "Halie! You're doing it!" she shouted over the barricades. Then she paused and did a double take, "And your makeup looks perfect!"

I assumed she was just trying to make me feel better about the gallons of sweat pouring off my forehead until we snapped a quick selfie. The makeup I'd applied with full-body jitters at the Staten Island starting line hours before hadn't moved an inch. I might have hit a wall, but my marathon lipstick and matching glitter were photo-ready. I couldn't help but smile back at my reflection—and then keep putting one foot in front of the other.

At 5 a.m. that morning, I'd woken up with Maybelline lipstick and volumizing mascara packed in my starting-line bag, right next to marathon wellness essentials like energy gels, body glide balm, and extra hair ties. Running in makeup was always part of the agenda. As an editor, there's a science experiment element: a long race is the perfect controlled environment to see just how "water-proof" and "sweat-proof" products really are.

Doing a full face beat was also my way of celebrating the work that I had done. I'd spent four months preparing for the starting line: sacrificing sleep, plans with friends, and a generally "fun" way of living to train this summer and fall. I felt jubilant about the progress I'd made to make it to race day—and the prospect of running alongside so many other people with the same goal in mind. Slathering my cheeks in glitter and swiping on a pink lip was the most "me" way to turn the course into a party. I felt like I was sparkling on the inside; I wanted that feeling to be evident to anyone I ran past.

Plus, I'd be running by more than two million spectators, according to some estimates. I wanted to look good even when the distances started to hurt.

I didn't spend the entire race triple-checking my reflection. But when I stopped to take photos or scarf down a banana, I was happy with what I saw: mauve lipstick that hadn't faded or transferred to my teeth and mascara without a single smudge. The miles stacked up, and the effort I exerted increased, but my makeup seemed truly marathon-proof. One fellow editor even shouted out my "incredible" look (her words!) for her thousands of Instagram followers.

By the time I was reuniting with my family outside Central Park, my body was ready to shut down for the night. My makeup, on the other hand, looked like it could last for another World Major.

Forget hitting a goal time—completing the race with my confidence-boosting products in place was the real win for me. (But, for the record, I did PR on this race in spite of the mile-18 wall.) Ahead, see the marathon-proof makeup routine I used to feel my best, from entering the corral to crossing the finish line.

My Marathon-Proof Makeup Stack

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Aliyah Funschelle has always had an athletic streak. She played basketball growing up, rowed in college, and now toggles between weight training and Spin class. But when her friend asked Funschelle to run a half-marathon with her this past June in L.A., her knee-jerk response was: “Oh, I can’t do that, I’m not a runner,” says the 27-year-old.

But this was no ordinary half-marathon. Announced in February of this year, the Nike “After Dark” event was marketed as a global, all-women tour designed to upend the traditional performance-forward race-day experience in favor of one that highlights the social elements of running.

Instead of crack-of-dawn start times and high-pressure pacing, it featured late-night runs with live DJs, food trucks, and a post-race Doechii concert—a glitter-drenched, confetti-filled block party built to welcome women like Funschelle, who never saw themselves in the sport’s speed-focused culture. Nearly 43 percent of the 15,000 participants were first-time half-marathoners. “I didn’t know if I’d feel crazy for putting on bright-green eyeliner and butterfly clips,” Funschelle says, “but people were treating the race like a celebration.”

That kind of messaging isn’t accidental—it reflects a broader evolution in how running is marketed and who it’s for. The sport has long centered on a specific kind of athlete: elite, competitive, and chasing personal records.

But as more women turn to running for mental health and community, brands are courting a group they have often overlooked.

“For a long time, running marketing spoke to a narrow audience with a performance-only mindset,” says brand strategist Martha M. Garcia, who has worked with Teva, AHNU, Nike, Hoka, Oiselle, and other sports brands. “Women were either excluded from the conversation or expected to conform to rigid definitions of strength and achievement. These frameworks rarely accounted for the complexity of lived experience: juggling caregiving, navigating body-image pressures, or simply carving out space in male-dominated environments. This evolution in marketing is about expanding the lens.”

Over the past year, athletic companies have rolled out campaigns that emphasize joy, community, and emotional health benefits over performance. In Adidas’s recent “Supernova Rise” campaign, actress Camila Mendes shrugs, “I’m not, like, a runner—but I run.” Purists may scoff, yet the line is intentional and deeply relatable. The campaign isn’t chasing the every-weekend half-marathoner; it’s inviting in the hybrid athlete who lifts, hits Pilates, and jogs a few miles for headspace.

And Adidas is hardly alone. On’s “Soft Wins” campaign earlier this year starred Sesame Street’s Elmo in order to encourage self-compassion and personal growth over finish times. The Swiss brand reported record sales in the first quarter of 2025. Puma’s “Go Wild” initiative ditched the high-performance, elite-driven messaging typically seen in running ads to spotlight everyday runners chasing that runner’s high. Reebok’s “Running Hacks” leaned into humor and relatability, spotlighting influencers like “struggle runner” Erin Azar to dismantle the idea that you need to be fast, fit, or flawless to start.

While it may be a savvy business move, it’s also a cultural correction—a chance to make space for runners who’ve been made to feel like they didn’t belong. For women, especially, it’s a kind of liberation. Now you don’t need to run at the speed of light, prove your toughness, or fit a specific mold to show up. You can just run—have fun, even.

Which is how it always should have been. According to Running USA’s 2024 Global Runner Survey, running for enjoyment edges out running to achieve a lofty physical goal. And women are driving much of the growth: Strava reported a 59 percent surge in run clubs this year, with women under 25 as the platform’s fastest-growing demographic.

“We live in such a competitive, fast-paced world—what happens if we slow down and actually enjoy what we’re doing?” says 24-year-old Makenzie Rink. After getting lost on a supposedly “all paces” store run in North Carolina in 2023, she started building the inclusive Realistic Runner community—which now has nearly 26,000 followers on TikTok, has more than 47,000 on Instagram, and is growing in real life. “I have no desire to get faster. I run because it makes my mind feel better, it makes my body feel better, and it brings me community I didn’t have before,” she says.

For Rink, feel-good marketing is only the start. “Just because you pour dollars into a campaign doesn’t mean you’re implementing real change,” she says. As the store manager and event coordinator at the soon-to-open J&H Running Co. in Lexington, Kentucky, she’s helping build change from the ground up, by providing a community room for meetups, gear for programs for Girls on the Run, clinics for older adults, and a safe space for middle schoolers to move.

As she sees it, the new culture of running is not about proving something—it’s about reclaiming something. Which is what appealed to Alyssa Davis, 32, from Dallas, Texas. She started running two years ago as part of her weight-loss journey, but she stayed for the support. “In my opinion, there’s been this trajectory from judging others—like, ‘What’s your time?’ and all that—to just cheering each other on,” she says. “I just want to finish my run and feel good about myself, and that’s a win for me.”

This article appears in the 2025 Changemakers Issue.

When Laura Correnti took the stage at Marie Claire’s Power Play summit in Philadelphia, she made one thing clear: Women’s sports aren’t just having a moment—they’re building a movement. A longtime advertising executive and former partner at the award-winning agency Giant Spoon, Correnti built her career on creating big-impact campaigns before striking out on her own. In 2023, she founded Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment, a firm dedicated to driving commercial investment and visibility in women’s sports.

Marie Claire caught up with Correnti to talk about how she’s redefining the business of women’s sports, what brands are getting right, and why she believes the next five years could be transformational for the game.

What made you take the leap from Giant Spoon to launching Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment?

In 2019, there was a recognizable disconnect in the market following that year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup—the momentum and enthusiasm from fans and consumers following the U.S. women's national soccer team winning their fourth title (the same year players from that team would also win their equal pay lawsuit) exceeded the demand or interest from the advertising, media, and marketing industry. I wanted to understand why. After a multi-year exploration and subsequent roadshow to understand the business of women’s sports, it was determined that there was indeed a market opportunity.

Women’s sports don’t suffer from a product or storytelling issue; rather, the industry has been impeded by operating in systems not designed to support its growth. For example, women’s sports have largely been transacted on and measured by the same key performance indicators in the advertising and media industry that men’s sports have: reach and efficiency. To date, it’s impossible for women’s sports to thrive in this ad-supported model when game days have historically had little to no broadcast exposure—let alone prime-time positioning—to achieve comparable scale. The system doesn’t align, yet it is being sold as such.

This, we decided, would be the way in for Deep Blue—to apply industry knowledge and expertise as media, marketing, and advertising practitioners to a space that seemingly lacked the same. The rest of our business model would extrapolate from there.

When you started Deep Blue, what gap in the sports and marketing world did you feel needed to be filled?

In addition to challenging media models and corresponding ad-buying strategies, we also recognized that while women’s sports were hard to find due to lack of media coverage and storytelling, they were also hard to buy for that same reason—not enough exposure meant minimal inventory for advertisers to purchase.

As such, we determined it would also be necessary to build the marketplace advertisers needed to invest in women’s sports, which led to creating original IP including the iHeart Women’s Sports Network with iHeartMedia (which now has 16 podcasts in market and daily women’s sports reports on 500 broadcast stations in the U.S.) and Next Is Now, a docu-series in partnership with Religion of Sports and Ensemble. These brand-supported projects addressed the need for more content to grow fandom and more inventory to increase ad spend in the industry.

Looking back at your early days in advertising, how did those experiences shape the way you approach elevating women’s sports now?

My experience in the ad business was critical to building Deep Blue, particularly growing up in the industry on the media-buying side. Without the institutional knowledge and hands-on experience to understand how things like media rights and ad spend are inextricably linked, we wouldn’t be able to effectively inform or impact the end-to-end solutions we’re implementing for our clients in the women’s game.

Further, my experience in largely buying men’s sports over the last two decades helped to identify key nuances or gaps in the women’s sports model—including where it should compete for ad dollars, and equally important, where it needs to be treated differently to move the needle on new and incremental opportunities. This has led to effectively making the case for women’s sports being an “and,” not an “or,” for brands when making investment decisions.

There’s so much energy around women’s sports right now. In your view, what’s going to keep that momentum building?

Incrementally in investment and infrastructure will be key to growth. While we saw an initial burst of activity—from investment to valuations, viewership and ratings spikes to merchandise sales—we are focused on effective measures to ensure long-tail sustainability.

That requires finding incremental pockets of opportunity like building adjacent businesses in the category (commerce, content development, live experiences, etc.) while also iterating and innovating on the infrastructure (purpose-built stadiums and training facilities, data and technology, standards and policies). Those incremental enhancements should compound interest and value, creating a thriving ecosystem for years to come.

Deep Blue has already landed some huge clients. From your perspective, what are brands really looking for when they decide to invest in women’s sports?

Since founding Deep Blue, we’ve observed brands are at various starting blocks—whether iterating on early first-mover positions to compete in a more crowded market or understanding the opportunity in general when entering sports for the first time.

Most are seeking ownable strategies to capitalize on the early stages of the market to generate maximum ROI. As the “get in” rate for women’s sports is still in its infancy with respect to pricing and partnership opportunities, it gives brands the opportunity to test the market—financially and creatively—to determine the best way to generate returns.

Many are learning as they enter that this is not a scale play (in comparison to men’s sports, at least not yet), but it is an engagement play where marketers can convert lifetime-value customers—often new and incremental audiences—who reward brands that get it right.

You’ve worked directly with athletes, teams, and leagues. What have those partnerships taught you?

Deep Blue has brokered a number of league, team, and athlete deals—including Bumble x WNBA, Vagisil x the NY Liberty, MassMutual’s Stay Ready campaign featuring Flau’jae Johnson, Madison Keys, and Christen Press, and programs like the Women of NHRA initiative to bring awareness to women in motorsports. Through it all, having a strategy central to the partnership is key.

We seek to develop partnerships that are transformative versus transactional, focusing on creating value vs. simply driving savings. This requires having reasons to believe, involving league, team, and athlete partners in the briefing process to ensure authenticity, having a deep understanding of audience needs and expectations, and aligning on activation and execution touchpoints that will meet fans where they are for best returns.

When you think about success at Deep Blue, how do you measure impact beyond just the business side?

Deep Blue is focused on long-tail indicators that exceed the day-to-day bottom line to understand the true impact of our work—that looks like social and economic indicators relative to girls playing and staying in sports, for example.

We’ve learned that over 90 percent of women in the c-suite have played sports at some point in their lives, with over 50 percent of those women having played collegiately—a correlation that suggests girls who play become women who lead. That said, recent studies have pointed out 45 percent of girls are dropping out of sport by the age of 14, largely due to body confidence issues (see Nike x Dove study). What impacts body confidence issues: advertising, media, and marketing. Hence, we believe the work we do plays a critical role in combating that drop-off to ensure girls have every opportunity to build leadership skills through sports that will serve them long after they’re done playing.

What milestones or accomplishments at Deep Blue feel most meaningful to you personally?

We are coming up on Deep Blue’s fourth annual Business of Women’s Sports Summit in April 2026—every year has served as a litmus test for market interest and growth potential.

Each year we have sold out while the diversification of topics covered continues to push the boundaries on what defines or makes up “the business of” women’s sports. What started with programming focused largely on the advertising, media, and marketing industry has expanded to include topics like infrastructure and facilities development, venture capital, merchandising, and more.

This annual marker keeps us honest on where progress is happening, and equally important, where work still needs to be done—informing everything from our broader Deep Blue business plan to daily client strategies.

If you imagine the women’s sports industry five years from now, what does that future look like?

Five years from now, our hope is that the women’s sports marketplace is right-sized in the sense that business models accurately reflect the product while serving as catalysts for future growth.

Right now, women’s sports are seemingly more lucrative off the court than they are on when looking at average values of endorsements and content deals, for example, in comparison to league sponsorships or player compensation. I’d love to see this get to parity with more ingenuity and intentional investment to create women’s sports–specific playbooks vs. repeating legacy models that don’t extract or maximize its true value.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women who want to break into sports marketing, media, or entrepreneurship?

Put in the work—there are no shortcuts. I’m a big believer in being a student of the game. For me, this includes reading industry news to start each day, spending time on new subject matter via podcasts, feeds, or niche newsletters, staying curious in meetings and asking questions, being in the room whenever possible (it’s where things happen), and other methods to stay competitive and add value to rooms I’ll enter. At Deep Blue, it’s imperative we stay ready so we don’t have to get ready.

There’s no right way to “do” wellness, but Marie Claire’s Doing Well offers a glimpse into the self-care mantras, therapies, and affirmations practiced by industry trailblazers.

Fresh off an incredible 2025 tennis season and just a few days after her US Open run, Madison Keys popped onto my Zoom still buzzing with the kind of energy that carried her through the past year. Back in January, she snagged her first Grand Slam title in an edge-of-your-seat final against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka—a win that solidified her place among the sport's GOATs. But what struck me most—aside from how genuinely warm and relatable she is—is that for Keys, peak performance isn't only about long practice sessions or match day adrenaline. It's about tuning into her body and mind, even amid the chaos and intensity of tour season.

Keys is game to try almost any wellness practice once, but she's the first to admit consistency matters more than buzzy trends. She swears by acupuncture and meditation, keeps an LED light mask tucked in her carry-on, and refuses to travel without a sleep mask and a pocket-sized sound machine. Like every hot girl with a mysterious stomach saga, when gut health issues left her guessing, she turned to Thorne's personalized testing when nothing else was clicking—and says it changed everything.

As we caught up, Keys was candid about what works, what doesn't (spoiler: ice-cold showers are out), and why filling her own cup first is the opposite of selfish. Turns out, winning Grand Slams isn't the only thing Keys is serious about. Here's how she's Doing Well every day.

I do all of the things. I like the more conventional practices, like acupuncture. I love it and really believe in it. I’m also big on red light therapy—I have the hat, the face mask, the blanket. Honestly, there’s pretty much nothing I won’t try at least once. I really do believe in all of it. I don’t know if people would call it woo-woo, but I think sometimes they don’t realize how much it can help.

And I’d also say meditation is incredibly important. Just finding a few quiet, still moments—whether it’s guided or with music—has always been my go-to when I’m feeling overwhelmed. It’s the most grounding thing for me.

I guess it’s similar as to what I just said. I love a guided meditation, usually on Spotify or something like that. I travel so much, and there’s usually a lot of chaos going on. My job can be unpredictable—things get thrown at us all the time. Like, this year in Madrid there was that massive blackout in Europe. We had no power for an entire day, which was crazy. Once the power finally came back on and I got back to my room, I was just like, I need someone to guide me through this and help me reset.

I have one of those LED face masks, and I travel with it. I think they’re the greatest thing on the planet. I use mine every single day. I got off it for about a week just because I was being lazy, and I swear I saw a difference. I was like, “Put it back on!” You really have to use it daily, but when you do, the results are incredible. It’s all about consistency.

I’d say my silk eye mask because it always travels with me. Actually, I have it with me right now. Oh, and I also have this little Hatch sound machine—it’s super cute and only about $30 on Amazon. I’m pretty sure it's meant for toddlers, but I love it because it’s travel-sized. Having my sleep mask and sound machine, no matter where I am in the world, is my one consistent routine. It really helps me get comfortable and fall asleep.

By really taking time for myself and continuing to do the things that matter most to me, one of which is talking to my therapist. It’s easy to fall out of that habit when schedules get busy, and it can be hard to make time for the things we should prioritize. Sometimes we get in our own way and let other things take precedence over our well-being. For me, it’s about making the effort to carve out time every week to sit down and talk with [them].

I’m such a baby when it comes to the cold. I hate it so much. I’ll cold plunge if I have to, like after a really tough match when I know it’ll help with recovery. I’ll complain the whole time, but I’ll do it. But the whole trend of doing it every day or waking up to take an ice-cold shower first thing every morning? Absolutely not. Yeah, I will not do it.

A few years ago, I was having some gut health issues and felt like I was doing everything right—eating healthy, cutting out dairy, even trying to cut out gluten—but nothing made a big difference. I also realized I was trying too many things at once, so I couldn’t tell what was actually helping. I ended up doing the Thorne gut health test, and it was honestly the most helpful thing ever. You send it in, and they give you this detailed lab report along with suggested supplements and dietary adjustments. Two of the supplements they recommended—one called EnteroMend and another called Undecylenic Acid—completely changed how I felt.

Now, I can tell when I’m not consistent with them; if I slack off, my stomach starts bothering me again. As soon as I get back on track, I’m like, wow, consistency really is everything.

I’d tell my younger self that taking time for yourself and prioritizing your mental, physical, and overall wellness is never selfish. To truly show up for others, you have to be healthy and in a good place yourself. It’s so easy to keep putting more and more people ahead of you, but then it becomes harder to be there for them because you’re not coming from a full cup. I’d remind myself that it’s not just okay, but essential, to fill your own cup first before showing up for the people you love.

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Nike President Amy Montagne kept a page of quotes from leading women athletes close by in the lead-up to NikeSKIMS’ launch on September 22. Zooming from her office the week before, a miniature of the famed Hellenistic statue depicting Nike, Goddess of Victory, just behind her, Montagne picks one to read to me. “Dina Asher-Smith said, ‘Every day I'm forced to choose between being feminine or feeling strong, but I want both without compromise,’” she recites.

That line might be the NikeSKIMS thesis statement. “It's a reminder as we're going into the launch how excited we are to keep them”—meaning, athletes like Asher-Smith, as well as Sha’Carri Richardson, Jordan Chiles, and Serena Williams, who tested NikeSKIMS in its first campaign—“at the center.”

NikeSKIMS was first announced in February with a cryptic press release and a joint logo combining the two brands. All these months later, it’s finally arriving in select stores and online on September 26, in a neutrally-toned, body-hugging drop of 58 silhouettes in sizes XXS–4XL. The palette of black, burgundy, chocolate brown, and eggplant purple feels like it was directly pasted from SKIMS’ co-founder Kim Kardashian’s closet. The fine print on the textiles—a "Shine" collection with quick-trying fabric, an "Airy" collection of breathable mesh knits—feels Nike-driven.

Bras combine the sportswear brand's DriFit (aka, sweat-proof) fabric with SKIMS’ soft molded cups, in cuts from a triangle reminiscent of SKIMS’ famed “Fits Everybody” bra to a more Pilates Princess-forward double scoop silhouette. There are micro-mini shorts and leggings in three lengths; a sub-collection of “third layer” jerseys and button-up sweatpants to mix, match, and layer on the way to a training session; and one spacious gym duffle.

Combining Nike’s expertise in activewear engineering with SKIMS’ billion-dollar shapewear business was just over a year in the making, Montagne says. But it’s not for the short-term, like SKIMS’ Lake Como link-up with Dolce & Gabbana or Nike’s outings with designers from Martine Rose to Jacquemus.

“Both brands do a lot of collaborations, but this was a whole new partnership of us coming together to create something new,” Montagne says. Several times during our conversation, she refers to the standalone brand as a "new industry standard." NikeSKIMS will be sold on both companies’ sites and in select stores over several seasons; a long-term, not-just-one-drop situation. (Exactly how long, she couldn’t share.)

At a top-secret preview last week—no phones allowed—I walked through collections sorted by their fabrication and fit. As may be expected for a launch involving SKIMS shapewear, “snatched” was the word most often used to describe the fit of shorts and leggings with more compression and visible seams resembling SKIMS underwear. There were a lot of surprising features that balanced looking good with feeling good, too. Some adjustable bras come with padded straps that adjust on the front—no more awkwardly twisting for the right fit. A pair of footie leggings features grippy soles, to solve for leaving Pilates reformer-friendly socks at home. The bras also replace removable padding and digging-in seams with seamless, molded cups. Everything is as breathable and flexible as a typical Nike matching set, but there’s more of a sheen. (Footwear, teased in the initial announcement, wasn’t on display.)

As Montagne sums up the first drop, “We’re redefining this activewear space, a space that really needs it right now.”

She’s not wrong. NikeSKIMS arrives at a moment where the business of outfitting athletes—of the pro and everyday varieties—is in flux. Tight-tight leggings are reportedly “over” for younger generations; big, baggy workout pants are in. Challenger brands (Hoka, On, and so on) are releasing collaborations and recruiting celebrity ambassadors to tiptoe onto the dominant brands’ turf.

Montagne admits there are “a lot of active brands”; this is the only one with rigorous testing by the most discerning athletes. NikeSKIMS hopes to win over closet-share with its blend of photo-friendly aesthetics and top-tier engineering: the same compromise-proof balance from Dina Asher-Smith’s quote. Already, other Nike athletes are sold.

Pro-volleyball player Madisen Skinner says the brand fits her body “perfectly”—a major confidence boost when she’s at practice. “It’s soft and comfortable, helping me perform at my best.”

“To dominate my sport, I need to feel strong and comfortable,” adds Judo World Champion Romane Dicko. She says she finds both in the products she’s tested.

Even more women at the forefront of sport starred in the first NikeSKIMS campaign—over 50, including UCLA and USC athletes—and gave feedback on the lineups they tried. The performance-to-style ratio on display in the ad is “one of the top things we hear in working with athletes,” Montagne says. “Not only do they want to perform great, they want to look great. Fit is something we’re obsessed with, and athletes all have such different bodies from Serena to Sha’Carri.” Casting so many women, from so many sports, is NikeSKIMS’ way of saying it can dress them all.

As NikeSKIMS continues serving new collections, Montagne’s collection of athlete-approved quotes will probably continue to grow. As for everyday athletes (and online fashion commentators) outside the Olympic circuit? All the pieces are in place for scoring more points.

NikeSKIMS will arrive in select Nike and SKIMS stores, and on both brands' websites, on Friday, September 26.

As a NARP (non athletic regular person), a show choir T-shirt is the closest thing I own to a sports jersey. I thought it counted, but according to my basketball-obsessed sister, it's not nearly as cool as styling the real deal.

Determined to shed my bench-warming persona for good, I went straight to the pros. No, not from the NFL or WNBA, but the street style scene. Nearly every sport from tennis to golf and even soccer has gotten the -core treatment in recent years, so there's no shortage of jersey-clad celebrities at premieres and parties today. Celebrity stylist Hattie Doolittle tells me over email that the jersey trend rises from a "need for nostalgia." She elaborates, "It's the same as wearing a band tee—it can take you back in time."

Rihanna, for one, pulled off a vintage '90s jersey as easily as I would a white T-shirt in May 2025. The baseball button-down didn't endorse a specific team, but her New York Yankees hat confirmed where her loyalties lie.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, I thought I was obligated to root for the Brewers, Bucks, and Packers. But turns out, I don't have to be a fan to sport a team's merch. Is SZA a Detroit Lions fan? Not that I know of. Being from Missouri didn't stop the Grammy winner from pulling off a bright orange Lions jersey in March 2025. Catch me next month in a Dallas Cowboys tee.

Whether or not you've attended a football game recently (I haven't since '06), take it from SZA: A single jersey can give the illusion you have season tickets. With Rihanna, Bella Hadid, Jennifer Lopez, and more stars co-signing the trend, it's clear sports jerseys are no longer just a "fan thing." They're a cool-girl calling card that could even make me get onto the field.

Rihanna's Soccer Shirt

Rihanna's closet boasts a few jerseys, spanning decades and sports alike. In Oct. 2024, she debuted a Terah striped soccer shirt at a Puma x Fenty party. To no surprise, she paired it with red Avanti sneakers, a fan-favorite model from her recent Puma collaboration. Shockingly, the green-and-white top is still available, a rare occurrence for RiRi-approved pieces.

Bella Hadid's Adidas Jersey

Between her baggy Adidas soccer shirt, SL 72 sneakers , and distressed Levi's jeans, Hadid looked more than match-ready for a trip to Times Square last summer.

Tate McRae's Jersey Dress

Yes, that's Tate McRae wearing an Air Force Academy football jersey as a dress—a limited-edition look released in 2018. What's the occasion, you ask? Just a casual night in New York City. But with track-shoes-turned-stilettos as an accessory, McRae would've fit right in on the field.

SZA's Lions Jersey

Always on board for an ultra-layered look, SZA arrived at Jimmy Kimmel Live! in a custom Lions T-shirt, made just for her by Planeta. Turns out, the orange, plaid, and pinstripe tops were stitched together, creating one statement shirt.

Reimagining jerseys is a trademark of the L.A. label. In recent months, they've up-cycled merch from the Las Vegas Raiders, Green Bay Packers, and the New York Jets (to name a few teams).

Suni Lee's Jersey & Knicks Jacket

In June 2025, the Paris Olympian channeled her inner athlete in a green, black, and yellow jersey from Supreme. It doesn't root for a specific team, so she layered a nostalgic New York Knicks bomber jacket on top.

Jennifer Lopez's Giants Hoodie

J.Lo is a Bronx native, so of course she's going to support her hometown team, the New York Giants. She even showed her team spirit on the set of Office Romance in April 2025. Her character also appeared to be from New York, as she styled a fleece hoodie from the Giants' recent collab with Todd Snyder.

Julia Fox's Baseball Jersey

Leave it to Julia Fox to give her Wales Bonner jersey a sultry spin. In Sept. 2023, she wore the navy blue button-down with nothing but a bralette underneath. The oversize theme continued with her jeans, which stretched far beyond her pointy pumps.

Hailey Bieber's Dime Jersey

Also in 2023, Hailey Bieber got a head-start on the trend with a rare football jersey from Dime. The brand behind the look is based in Montréal, but blink and you'll mistake Bieber for a New Orleans Saints supporter.

Billie Eilish's Martine Rose Jersey

In Feb. 2025, Billie Eilish brought the jersey resurgence to the Grammy Awards stage, with help from Martine Rose. She chose a yellow T-shirt with black accents, plus an L.A. Dodgers baseball cap.

This performance ignited a style streak for Eilish. On her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour, she performs her greatest hits in various jerseys from Billionaire Boys, the streetwear label founded by Pharrell Williams.

You'd be forgiven for confusing the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana, for New York Fashion Week. Players and fans filed into Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Fever, dressed in outfits earning the "W," as fans call it—the league's top in fashion. Caitlin Clark, a Prada girl since last year's draft, wore the label head-to-toe. Kelsey Plum tapped celebrity stylist Karla Welch for a Loewe look. Rookie breakout Paige Bueckers layered Burberry pieces, while Angel Reese sourced vintage luxury from What Goes Around Comes Around. Even WNBA legend Lisa Leslie wore Kallmeyer—whose founder, Daniella Kallmeyer, styles the NYC Liberty's coach, Sandy Brondello—to sit court-side.

The tone of the fashion conversation shifted once the July 19 All-Star Game's warm-up started. When players like A'ja Wilson and Sonia Citron began shooting baskets, they left the designer pieces turning the W's tunnel walks into a cultural phenomenon. Instead, every player and coach wore plain black T-shirts with a message, courtesy of the Women's National Basketball Players' Association: "Pay Us What You Owe Us."

The WNBA's astronomical growth in recent years has simultaneously boosted its players' individual profiles and its business cachet. Coach became the league's official fashion partner this fall, dressing several players for the 2025 draft, while Covergirl, Fenty Beauty, and Glossier have all partnered with teams in the league. Individual players are making history with their contracts: Caitlin Clark signed a reported $28 million sponsorship deal with Nike. According to Relo Metrics, a sponsorship measurement and data platform, the WNBA's 13 teams collectively drove a record $136 million in earned media value last year. That all propelled the league to secure a $2.2 billion deal with Disney, Amazon, and NBCUniversal for media rights.

What it hasn't yet done, however, is raise players' shockingly low salaries. Despite games drawing more than 54 million unique viewers, players like Clark and Wilson earn only a fraction of male basketball players' salaries. $66,000 is the typical minimum in the WNBA, per NPR; in the NBA, it's $1.1 million. If players want to earn more, they have to market themselves to fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands and hope a contract follows.

With an audience of 16,000 in Indianapolis and thousands more watching from home, the W's stars saw All-Star Weekend as a chance to do more than just showcase their personal style. They reminded the league who is helping it thrive. "We should be paid more and hopefully that’s the case moving forward as the league continues to grow," Clark said in a press conference, per USA Today. "I think that’s something that’s probably the most important thing that we are in the room advocating about."

Designers who've championed the WNBA's star roster notice the discrepancy between how outside brands treat players and how their league compensates them for all the business they generate. "I don't want to speak like on behalf of them, but I think it's kind of like impossible not to acknowledge [their reach]," says Daniella Kallmeyer, who hosted players and fashion personalities at a Cafe Kallmeyer x Nike pop-up over All-Star Weekend.

While players have leveraged fashion to express their personalities, they've also had to see it as a business decision: "Given the fact that their salaries are lower than most corporate jobs, and yet they have so many eyes on them, they have to become brands."

Some players have a natural affinity for fashion, and keeping track of their latest outfits is its own spectator sport. Athletes increasingly score invites to cultural events like the Met Gala and often boast impressive designer credits at industry functions like the ESPY Awards. But landing brand deals or a custom red carpet gown isn't why anyone joins a professional sports league. It's not why fans like Kallmeyer make time to watch a game in NYC or attend All-Star Weekend. They work hard to play the sport they love, and as their shirts say, they deserve fair pay for their efforts.

"People are falling in love with the players and they’re watching because of their personalities as much as their love of the game," Kallmeyer says. "It’s a clear reason to pay players for higher media deals and increased viewership.”

There's a deadline in October for a new salary contract; reports from the weekend say players aren't satisfied with the league's proposed salaries so far. Looking ahead, fans are just as adamant that players get what they deserve in the meantime. After Saturday night's game, ESPN reports that the sold-out crowd chanted two words while Napheesa Collier was awarded her MVP trophy by WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert: "Pay them!" And if they want to spread the message further, the players' "Pay Us What You Owe Us" shirts are currently for sale online.

A typical search for "What are the ESPYs?" will tell you they're an annual celebration of the past year in athletic achievements. The results will document the past twenty two years of ceremonies awarding athletes from Serena Williams to Caitlin Clark for dominating their respective fields (er, courts)—plus surprise appearances from avid sports fans like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. What the run-down of past winners might neglect to mention, however, are the best looks from the red carpet leading up to the podiums inside.

The 2025 ESPY Awards, held July 16 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, delivered a championship lineup of sports style. Like past installments, the athletes being honored at this year's ceremony are typically seen in their team's uniforms. But on this special night, they could fly their own style banners and express themselves. The formal-but-personal dress code let sprinter Gabby Thomas try a white feathered dress, while legendary skiier Lindsey Vonn debuted a strapless gown with a mile-high slit. Team USA gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee went for gold in a structured midi corset dress and a sequin-spangled maxi, respectively. Just before accepting her two ESPY wins, Simone Biles debuted an Athleta gown based on her favorite T-shirt. (More on that in a second.)

Personal style is never about winning, but these trophy-holders and presenters still managed to get points on the board. Ahead, see all the best red carpet looks from the 2025 ESPY Awards.

Simone Biles

A week before the 2025 ESPYs, Simone Biles exclusively told Marie Claire all about her gown for the night: a custom Athleta dress by Zac Posen, based off her favorite $59 Transcend Tee. She said she wanted to feel "comfortable"; her trust in Posen's mastery of draping and beading resulted in a deep blue gown that flowed off her form like water. Sparkling EFFY jewelry earrings complemented the beading all over her gown, and it shimmered even more onstage when she accepted her two awards for Best Championship Performance and Best Female Athlete.

Gabby Thomas

Thank goodness Gabby Thomas didn't hit the 2025 ESPY Awards red carpet at her Olympic running pace. If she had, we would have missed her angelic one-sleeve white dress by PatBo and her beaded top-handle bag.

Ilona Maher

First she ruled the rugby pitch (and TikTok during the 2024 Paris Olympics). Now, Ilona Maher's red carpet takeover era is underway, courtesy of her black gown with a daringly low plunge neckline and hip cut-outs.

Jordan Chiles

Gymnast Jordan Chiles arrived at the ESPYs with the same attitude she delivered onstage at Marie Claire's Power Play conference in Atlanta this spring: ready to take up space. She made her red carpet presence known with a Cong Tri dress that flared out and away from her body into a half-moon skirt that seemingly floated on air. It was made all the more interesting by its woven construction and plunge neckline.

Lindsey Vonn

Presenting the most strikingly minimalist look from the 2025 ESPY Awards red carpet. Skiier Lindsey Vonn is back on the slopes and vying for a spot on the 2026 US Olympic team. She quietly emphasized the strength her comeback takes in a gown with a mile-high slit and an arm-baring strapless silhouette.

Suni Lee

No one could forget Suni Lee's epic performances with Team USA at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. But if anyone needs reminding of her gold medal status, they'll only need to look at her 2025 ESPY Awards gown. Gilded silver and gold leaves coated a semi-sheer base, resulting in a nearly-naked dress that can put a Vanity Fair Oscars After-Party pick to shame.

Ciara

Ciara is a regular ESPY Awards attendee, showing out to support her husband, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson. This year, she swapped gear referencing the New York Giants (Wilson's new team) for a soft off-the-shoulder gown lightly dusted with crystals.

Alison Brie

Did Alison Brie and Simone Biles exchange wardrobing notes ahead of the ESPYs? To present Biles with her Best Female Athlete trophy, Brie arrived in an electric blue velvet mini dress by Alex Perry and silver heels that played off the cool tones of Biles's red carpet gown. Their coordinating palette looked all the more in sync when they hugged onstage.

Alex Morgan

Some red carpet gowns pick a lane: elegant black dress on the right, elaborate sequined look on the left. Former soccer player Alex Morgan decided to merge the two in a dress displaying the best of both red carpet worlds. Her bodice with oversize pailettes was the just-right contrast to her black skirt (and extra-high leg slit).

Sloane Stephens 

Tennis player Sloane Stephens brought a fresh definition of "suiting up" to the 2025 ESPY Awards red carpet. She eschewed a halter neckline or simple strapless gown for a remixed double-breasted blazer dress. When she strode onstage to accept her Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award and delivered an impassioned speech, she looked like she meant business.

Kristin Juszczyk

Any given NFL season, you'll find Kristin Juszczyk creating one-of-a-kind pieces for fashionable sports fans (including Taylor Swift). On the 2025 ESPYs red carpet, she flipped the script and wore a Wiederhoeft style favored by Sydney Sweeney. Her baby pink gown showed off the label's impeccable tailoring with a super-cinched waistline and a distinctive, belted drop waist.

Chiney Ogwumike 

She shows up to the 2025 ESPY Awards in sweeping purple sequins, she scores. Basketball star Chiney Ogwumike looked radiant in her strapless column gown and strappy sandal heels.

Ashleigh Johnson 

Water polo gold medalist Ashleigh Johnson delivered a clean finish to the ESPY Awards best-dressed with a wide-leg, quilted white suit and tiny trunk bag. But the real standouts in her look are the baroque pearl chokers winding around her neck and the cowrie shells braided into her hair.

At this point, Wimbledon is more than a tennis tournament—it’s one of the social events of the year. From the off-court fashion to the countless celebrity appearances, tournament attendees are often dressed to the nines as they watch the battles for one of the sport's most coveted trophies. Still, there’s nothing like the last day of the event—the gentlemen's singles title— when celebrities really step it up, and the accompanying beauty moments are always worth noting.

For the final day of the tournament, blowouts, short hair, and even black nails made an appearance at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. If some of our favorite celebrities are proof, the bob haircut is simply never going out of style. Soft, skin-like complexion makeup and blurred, blotted lip colors also seemed to be the running theme for glam.

Whether you’re a massive tennis fan or simply drawing inspiration for the upcoming U.S. Open, I’ve curated some of the best beauty looks from the Wimbledon final for easy reference. Keep these hair, makeup, and nail ideas from the final's biggest stars in your back pocket for all your summer sporting event needs.

Keira Knightley's Low Ponytail

After turning heads at the Bal D'Ete in Paris, Keira Knightley was back in Europe for the final Wimbledon match. For the occasion, she wore an effortless low ponytail, pairing the hairstyle with a chic all-white outfit. For a bit of edge, she also had a black manicure, which paired beautifully with her black and white bag.

Lily Collins's Black Nails

Lily Collins was spotted with a short black manicure as she arrived at the tournament. She paired the look with a bob haircut and white shirt dress.

Nathalie Emmanuel's Curly Bob

Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars have stood firm in their love of the trendy bob haircut, and Nathalie Emmanuel is proof that curly girls can get in on the fun, too. The actress’s hair featured a deep side part and super-defined curls, courtesy of what I presume to be hair gel and mousse. This allowed her blonde highlights to be front and center.

Nicole Kidman's Blotted Red Lip

The queen of barely-there glam, Nicole Kidman, struck again on day 14 of the Wimbledon finals. A defined brow and matte skin offset her blotted red lip color. Paired with her classic blowout? Elegance personified.

Daisy Edgar-Jones's Curtain Bangs

Speaking of blowouts, Daisy Edgar-Jones has perfected the ‘70s curtain bang as well as the perfect styling technique to show off her layers. Paired with a pair of vintage-looking sunglasses and a seersucker dress, the hairstyle is perfect for people who have fine hair but want a bit of volume.

Lila Moss's Slicked-Back Bun

There’s Keira Knightley’s bun and then there’s Lila Moss’s. Two sides of the same coin, Moss’s version of the updo is super slicked-back, allowing her simple monochromatic lip and cheek color to pop against her navy dress. A white clutch highlighted her sheer pink manicure.

Naomi Campbell's Voluminous Bangs

Naomi Campbell blended into the crowd (as much as she could with those stunning cheekbones) with a pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses and a simple white top. Still, I couldn’t help obsessing over her voluminous hairstyle, which featured flippy curtain bangs and layers, each framing the sides of her face perfectly, thanks to a precise middle part.

Kate Middleton is a regular attendee at Wimbledon as the royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at which the tournament is held. On July 12, Princess Kate attended the women's singles final solo. Before the event, she met with young tennis players, including an 8-year-old with some important advice for the Princess of Wales.

Princess Kate shook hands with Lydia Lowe, a young player from the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, who re-learned to walk after experiencing a brain injury. The Princess of Wales asked Lowe (via The Sun), "Have you got any advice for me? Because I've got a part, I've got to do the prize-giving." She continued, "Any advice for me?" The 8-year-old adorably replied, "Don't be nervous. Take deep breaths."

The Princess of Wales reportedly responded by saying, "Take deep breaths. Okay, I'll remember that. Thank you."

To watch the women's singles final at Wimbledon, Princess Kate wore a white Self-Portrait dress with Gianvito Rossi slingback heels. She accessorized her outfit with a gold Halcyon Days bracelet and Cartier's $3,350 18K Pink Yellow White Gold Classic Trinity Hoop Earrings, and carried an Anya Hindmarch Neeson Small Square Tote in Capra Leather, which retails for $1,490.

Kate returned to the tournament on July 13 for the men's singles final, and was joined by husband Prince William, and children Prince George and Princess Charlotte. For her second day at the competition in 2025, Princess Kate wore a royal blue V-neck dress, which she accessorized with a pair of Ralph Lauren Collection Celia Calfskin Pumps and a wide-brimmed, ribbon-trimmed hat from L.K. Bennett—an item Marie Claire's senior royal editor, Kristin Contino, also loves.

The Wimbledon tennis championships have always been a prime time for royal watching, and in the 1980s, Princess Diana was a regular fixture at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Today, fans eagerly await to see what Princess Kate wears in the royal box each year, but back then, it was Diana who stole the fashion spotlight.

Whether she was attending matches with Sarah Ferguson, Prince William, or her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, the late royal showed off her signature style in tennis whites, structured suits and statement sunglasses. Diana also attended matches in the royal box ahead of her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, cementing her status as a Wimbledon style influencer before she was an official princess.

Ahead, see some of Diana's best Wimbledon moments through the years.

1981

Just weeks before she married Prince Charles, Lady Diana Spencer joined her sister, Sarah, and the Duchess of Kent at the 1981 Wimbledon championships. The future Princess of Wales went with a very tenniscore look for the occasion, wearing a pleated white skirt with a frilly white blouse, adding a pop of color with a quilted pink blazer.

1987

Butter yellow might have swept the spring/summer trend lists in 2025, but in the '80s, Diana was the OG fan of the sunny color. Case in point: She was seen cheering at a women's match in 1987 while wearing an oversized yellow blazer and crisp blue button-up.

1987

What could be more Diana than a pie crust collar? The princess paired a bright pink floral dress with oversized, quintessentially '80s white sunglasses as she took in the action at a men's match during the 1987 championships.

1991

Like Princess Kate did years later, Diana went for Wimbledon purple at the 1991 women's final, wearing a belted violet blazer over a pleated white skirt. A 9-year-old Prince William joined his mom for his first Wimbledon match that day, with the little prince dressed up in a navy blazer and tie for the occasion.

1993

Diana brought her mom for a fun day out at Wimbledon in 1993, inviting Frances Shand Kydd into the royal box for the men's final. Along with a pair of tortoise shell sunglasses, a thick gold chain and pearl button earrings, the princess wore a silky peach blouse under a matching blazer, which she took off during the sunny match.

1994

After her 1992 separation from Prince Charles, Diana went for a bolder take on Wimbledon fashion. She was a lady in red in 1994, wearing a sleek shirt dress with gold buttons and chunky gold earrings to the Wimbledon men's final.

1995

It was butter yellow for the win again when Diana wore a tailored skirt suit to the Wimbledon men's final in 1995. She paired her summery suit with a bold pearl choker and her favorite pearl button earrings, along with a very mid-'90s pair of round sunglasses.

At Wimbledon, the action at Centre Court is never limited to the match-ups between the season's highest-ranked tennis talents. Royals and A-listers line London's famous green stands to take in the annual Wimbledon Championship organized by All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. They dress like they've trained all year to serve their best tennis fashion.

Wimbledon 2025 kicked off in late June and lasted through July 13. Before the tournament concluded with its final, nail-biting matches, attendees from Princess Beatrice and Lady Amelia Windsor to Priyanka Chopra, Sienna Miller, and Lila Moss scored style points with their twists on tennis dressing for the entire duration. Seersucker and lace dresses were present and accounted for; so were pleated skirts, stately blazers, and straw sun hats. Celebrity couple style also received a court-inspired makeover: Just see Olivia Rodrigo and Louis Partridge's adorable day three coordinating gingham moment for proof, or the white-on-white outfits Monica Barbaro and Andrew Garfield chose for day seven.

Arrivals only became more star-studded as the tournament neared its conclusion. See: late appearances from Lily Collins, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Pippa Middleton.

Even more exciting names were in store for the Championship showdown. Last year, Zendaya brought Ralph Lauren suiting to the stands and Margot Robbie debuted her maternity style in a dainty polka-dot dress. This year, the most exciting RSVP was saved for last: Princess Kate Middleton graced Wimbledon to present the winners' trophies in a Self-Portait look one day and a royal blue dress the next.

As in past years, each A-lister in the stands delivered the elevated-yet-preppy outfits that define Wimbledon style. Ahead, catch up on all the best celebrity looks from each day of Wimbledon 2025, plus ways to copy their summer style beyond the tennis court.

Catherine, Princess of Wales

In keeping with Wimbledon tradition, Princess Kate attended the final day of the tournament to present the Men's Finals winner with his trophy. (This year, that honor went to Italy's Jannik Sinner.) She wore a royal blue, cap sleeve midi dress and heaps of her favorite accessories, including Ralph Lauren heels and sunglasses, a Cartier watch, and her favorite Wimbledon sun hat.

Lila Moss

In Lila Moss's wardrobe, "Wimbledon white" is just a suggestion. The model attended the final day of Wimbledon wearing a navy dress with a lace-up collar. Brilliant white accessories tied her look to the tennis theme, including a purse carried like a clutch and Ralph Lauren sandal heels.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman joined a crowd of celebrities for day fourteen of Wimbledon, including seatmate Anna Wintour. To watch the men's singles final, the Babygirl star embraced Wimbledon's all-white dress code, wearing a white double-breasted blazer and matching pants. Kidman—who is styled by Jason Bolden—completed her outfit with a Panama hat and sunglasses, both by Brunello Cucinelli, and an Omega Constellation 25mm watch.

Daisy Edgar-Jones

Daisy Edgar-Jones arrived at Wimbledon on day fourteen for the men's singles final. For the high-profile event, the Twisters star wore Gucci exclusively, including a sweet matching linen set, consisting of a blue and white striped camisole and skirt. Edgar-Jones carried a Gucci Bamboo 1947 Raffia Bag, and wore a pair of the fashion house's Oval Frame Sunglasses.

Kate Middleton

For her first of two 2025 appearances, Kate Middleton attended day thirteen of Wimbledon, where she watched America's Amanda Anisimova compete against Poland's Iga Świątek in the women's singles final. For the occasion, the Princess of Wales wore a white Self-Portrait dress with Gianvito Rossi suede pumps. She also carried an Anya Hindmarch tote bag and wore a gold bracelet by Halcyon Days.

Tessa Thompson

Tessa Thompson had barely left her seat at Paris Couture Week before she was spotted again at Wimbledon day twelve. The actress carried some of the front rows' avant-garde energy with her, in the form of a contrasting Fidan Novruzova mini dress, Maison Margiela handbag, and Ferragamo pumps.

Lucy Boynton

Lucy Boynton kicked off day eleven with her spin on a Wimbledon classic. Her all-white dress featured dainty burgundy polka dots along the bodice and a tiered ruffled skirt that fluttered in the breeze. To finish, she slipped into a pair of cap-toe slingback heels.

Ellie Goulding

It must be said: I'm starry-eyed at Ellie Goulding's cabana striped dress and ivory top-handle bag for Wimbledon day eleven. The whole outfit has so many applications beyond the Centre Court stands, from weekend dinners to bridal showers and picnics in the park.

Olivia Cooke

House of the Dragon star Olivia Cooke traded her imperious onscreen gowns for a classic suit by Ralph Lauren at day ten of Wimbledon. She even committed to a matching tie.

Hannah Waddingham

There wasn't much Wimbledon white in sight when Hannah Waddingham selected her Centre Court outfit. Instead, the Ted Lasso star opted for a refreshing shade of chili pepper red, in the form of a collared halter-neck dress and top-handle bag. (She still snuck some of Wimbledon's signature color into her bow-embellished heels.)

Lily Collins

Lily Collins took a break from filming Emily in Paris in Rome to hop over to Wimbledon. She paired a striped Stella Jean dress with golden Alaïa mesh flats to score major summer style points.

Eiza González

Three Body Problem star Eiza González shined in the stands at Wimbledon in a head-to-toe Burberry look: Shield sunglasses, a checked shoulder bag, and a car-print slip dress. Burberry is a staple of the London fashion scene—so in a roundabout way, the actress was method-dressing.

Sienna Miller

Sienna Miller made her grand return to Wimbledon on day nine with two-fold references to the legendary tournament in tow. Her Alessandra Rich dress playfully nodded to the Wimbledon white dress code with dainty florals and a ruffled skirt. Her Bottega Veneta Cabat bag—a Dua Lipa favorite—was woven from a green leather coordinating to Centre Court's stands.

Pippa Middleton

Seven months into 2025, Pippa Middleton made her long-awaited return to the public eye at Wimbledon. She chose a bohemian twist on the all-white court dress code for her grand re-entry to the spotlight: a belted Usisi Sister dress, Castañer espadrilles, and a suede jacket by Sézane.

Leomie Anderson

Cow-print boots and a hardworking biker jacket are hardly the combo you'd expect at Wimbledon. But model Leomie Anderson proved their Centre Court appeal with a knit lace skirt and a lush, moss green bag.

Monica Barbaro and Andrew Garfield

Monica Barbaro and Andrew Garfield went Wimbledon-official on day seven of the tournament. The pair arrived hand-in-hand at Centre Court in their best all-white outfits: a semi-sheer Ralph Lauren Collection Pre-Fall 25 Dress for her, a button-down, trousers, and a sweater tied around the shoulders from Ralph Lauren Purple Label for him.

Olivia Dean

Lately, fashion circles have been caught in a fierce debate over summer's biggest color trend. Is it lemon yellow (as Hailey Bieber prefers), turmeric yellow (per Serena Williams), or the pastel-leaning butter yellow? British singer Olivia Dean cast a compelling vote for the latter in an off-the-shoulder knit dress at Wimbledon day five.

Lady Amelia Windsor

Royal title or no, Lady Amelia Windsor would have been the ruler of Wimbledon day four. Her polka dot slip dress, platform sandals, and bucket bag were polished for the photographers, yet had plenty of styling takeaways for all the commoners looking on. Personally, I'm once again reminded that a bag picking up on a pattern's secondary color works overtime to tie an outfit together.

Naomi Ackie

One print was the frontrunner for Wimbledon 2025's favorite by the end of day four. Actress Naomi Ackie also wore her best polka dots to Centre Court, pairing her mini dress with a denim jacket, Gucci loafers, and statement red bag.

Olivia Rodrigo and Louis Partridge

After wrapping her punk rock headlining set at Glastonbury, Olivia Rodrigo switched gears to go full-out preppy at Wimbledon. She tapped Ralph Lauren's Spring 2000 collection for a sweet, short-sleeve gingham print dress—the pattern of the summer, if street style has anything to say about it—and a matching red bag by Khaite. Four Frank Darling white gold rings completed her jewelry stack, including a chunky caviar eternity ring and a bubble band ring. By her side, boyfriend Louis Partridge wore the men's Wimbledon stands uniform: a blue sport jacket and khaki trousers. His tie's red stripes matched Rodrigo's picnic-patterned dress to perfection.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas

On the court, players at Wimbledon are required to compete in all-white outfits. That dress code doesn't necessarily apply in the stands, but Priyanka Chopra Jonas made a compelling argument for following it anyway. While her husband, Nick Jonas, went the country club route in a navy blue suit jacket and white slacks by Ralph Lauren Purple Label, the actress chose a flowy white halter dress by Ralph Lauren Collection and coordinating white sandals. She left behind the coin purse that joined her for a TV premiere the night before. With those deep pockets, however, she didn't need extra courtside accessories.

Leslie Mann

Remember that Wimbledon white dress code? Actress and producer Leslie Mann found a way to remix it with a touch of 2025's dominant butter yellow trend. She layered a nipped-in pastel blazer over an ivory lace skirt and pointed-toe pumps—a refreshing alternative to a one-tone dress or matching set.

Princess Beatrice

If Marie Claire readers were voting on their favorite look to start Wimbledon, Princess Beatrice's striped Sandro skirt set would take the No.1 slot. It's one of the most-viewed outfits on the site at press time, thanks to its playful embroidered flowers and just-right seersucker print.

Cate Blanchett

On the red carpet, Cate Blanchett and stylist Elizabeth Stewart subvert expectations in avant-garde pieces by the likes of Dilara Findikoglu and Ashish. For Wimbledon, the pair opted for an on-theme, yet imperious look: a structured plaid suit and sunglasses.

Mia Regan

Model Mia Reagan knew her day at Wimbledon would be filled with nail-biting matches. Her fashion solution? Packing an emotional support accessory—Thom Browne's Hector bag—alongside her pinstripe blazer and pleated skirt from the label.

Britney Theriot and Russell Crowe

For a Wimbledon day date, Britney Theriot and Russell Crowe eschewed tennis whites for mixed prints and classic suiting. The former's tie-neck dress is a Miuccia Prada original—but similar oval sunnies can be found at several court-appropriate brands.

Honor Warren and Jessica Alba

Mother-daughter dressing has made its way to Wimbledon 2025. Jessica Alba and her daughter, Honor Warren, took in the sporting event of the summer in coordinating floral outfits. Warren's went the Gen Z route in the form of a matching set (a tank and a maxi skirt) while Alba opted for a flouncy maxi dress and sneakers. Either template is a a dream for one-and-done dressing on a hot July day.

Molly-Mae Hague 

Molly May-Hague's expertly slicked-back bun took over the Marie Claire beauty chat when she arrived at Centre Court. On the fashion side, we couldn't look away from her Dior shirt dress, mini Lady Dior bag, and slingback pumps—an outfit reminiscent of Jennifer Lopez's recent front-row look for the designer's haute couture runway. Any khaki dress would appear just as polished with knife-sharp kitten heels, with or without designer credits.

Rebel Wilson

There's no other way to put it: Rebel Wilson's pink lace dress and coordinating Gucci handbag were pitch-perfect choices for Wimbledon day two. Oversize sunglasses and studded Valentino sandals toughened up her peony dress's garden party energy.

Wimbledon season is here yet again, and no one does courtside style like the Princess of Wales. As the royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC)—and a massive tennis fan—Princess Kate has been a fixture at the annual event since she married Prince William in 2011.

Like the rest of her wardrobe, Kate's Wimbledon fashion has shifted throughout the years. For the first four years of her marriage she relied on traditional tennis white and shorter hemlines, but her Wimbledon style has shifted to include a rainbow of colors. The tennis event also gives her the opportunity to experiment with new summer accessories, like her Victoria Beckham sunglasses or L.K. Bennett sun hat.

Ahead of the Princess of Wales's 2025 Wimbledon appearance, let's take a look back at some of her greatest fashion hits.

2016

Although she's normally a fan of polka dots and florals, the then-Duchess of Cambridge showed off an unusual pattern when she arrived at the 2016 men's final in a white Alexander McQueen dress featuring everything from skulls to lipsticks in its colorful print.

Of course, Alexander McQueen has been the royal's go-to designer since Sarah Burton designed Kate's wedding dress, but she's tended to go with tailored, solid-color coat dresses versus the Brit-punk side of the brand—making her "Obsessions Talisman" dress a welcome departure from the royal norm.

Kate let her dress do the talking, wearing minimal accessories including gold statement earrings from Brora and folding Ray-Ban "Wayfarer" sunglasses—an editor-approved summer must-have.

2019

Emilia Wickstead was the winning designer when Kate presented the men's singles trophy in 2019, with the royal wearing a powder blue dress for the occasion. The swirly, softly pleated skirt gave off all the princess vibes and the dress featured cap sleeves with gathered fabric at the shoulders.

She accessorized with In2Design pearl drop earrings and beige Aldo heels, wearing her hair down in her signature bouncy blow dry.

2022

Alessandra Rich has become one of Kate's go-to labels since she first started wearing the label in 2021, and 2022 was a particularly big moment for the designer. The princess wore a number of Rich's styles throughout the year, including a navy polka-dot dress for the Wimbledon's men's singles final.

The retro-style midi featured a peplum waist and bow trim at the neck, and she kept the vintage vibes going with white cap-toed heels by the designer. Kate—who coordinated in blue with Prince George, who attended his first Wimbledon match that day—brought some extra sparkle with a sapphire and diamond pendant and matching earrings.

2024

The Princess of Wales was given a standing ovation when she entered the royal box in 2024, and for good reason. The men's singles final marked the second time she was seen in public that year due to her battle with cancer, and to celebrate her return to Wimbledon, Kate brought daughter Princess Charlotte and sister Pippa Middleton.

For the happy occasion, the princess wore a purple Safiyaa midi dress featuring draped detail at the bodice and a full skirt. This was the first time she wore purple to Wimbledon, and it's an especially meaningful one for the AELTC, as purple and green are its official colors.

Kate accessorized with a new pair of gold By Pariah hoop earrings, Victoria Beckham sunglasses, nude Camilla Elphick slingbacks and some of her favorite bangles by British brand Halcyon Days.

For any elite athlete, chasing the outer edges of your own potential is an act of courage. But on June 26, Faith Kipyegon—a Kenyan three-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1500 meters, world record holder in the women’s mile, and mother—took that pursuit to a new level. Under the bright lights of Paris’ Stade Charléty, she attempted something no woman has ever done: to run a mile in under four minutes.

Spoiler: She didn’t quite get there. But Kipyegon’s time—4:06.42—was still the fastest mile ever run by a woman, shaving 1.22 seconds off her previous best. And while the four-minute goal remains elusive, her Breaking4 attempt was a landmark—both for the sport and for what women are told to believe is possible.

“I think I've shown other women out there that we have to push ourselves,” she told Marie Claire after coming up short on the goal. “You can try.”

Nike, her sponsor, staged the attempt with great attention to detail, curating a mass marketing frenzy to uplift Kipyegon’s charge into the history books. On the ground, the event—which was open to the public—included a luxe purple carpet, the athlete’s favorite color. The stadium’s infield was transformed into a massive broadcasting hub for a livestream featuring Saturday Night Live’s Ego Nwodim as a trackside correspondent.

The brand also created a custom collection in honor of the event for all 13 professional pacemakers—11 men and two women, including Olympians Jemma Reekie and Georgia Hunter Bell. But arguably the most exciting part of the event was how Kipyegon’s bold attempt to do the unprecedented pushed Nike to debut new gear designed to help women test their limits, starting with hers.

Kipyegon wore Nike’s first-ever 3D-printed sports bra in competition, made from FlyWeb, a 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane material, which is lightweight enough to make you question if you’re wearing anything at all (I know, I held it). Better at minimizing sweat retention than other textiles, it’s the first 3D-printed bra the brand’s ever made, worn for the first time in competition by Kipyegon during the attempt. The team at Nike says that this—in addition to the other items she wore for the attempt—could eventually be for sale, but no release date has been announced.

Then there was her Fly Suit, a sleek one-piece with a complementary headband and arm and leg sleeves created to help Kipyegon be as aerodynamic as possible, which looked like something pulled straight from The Incredibles. The suit featured strategically placed Aeronodes, half spheres that vary in size—some smaller than a pencil tip. Their purpose is two-fold: Split the air in front of Kipyegon and reduce drag. Kipyegon completed the look with a revolutionized track spike that’s about 25 percent lighter than the Victory 2 model she wore at last year’s Games at 85 grams, and you’ve got a well-tested recipe designed for maximum effectiveness and speed.

“It's a career highlight for me, for sure,” says Amy Jones Vateralus, Vice President, Nike Sports Research Lab (NSRL), who had a heavy hand in working on these pieces. “To be able to focus on a single athlete, a female athlete, has been really important. Especially since a big part of my career has been advancing women's sport and performance to be able to do that and give it this much commitment.”

That same level of precision extended far beyond the clothing. From the get-go, scientists deemed Kipyegon’s attempt possible, but with a slew of caveats that Nike obsessed over meticulously in the planning of Breaking4. Elements like gaming the weather (organizers sought a window with zero rain, wind speeds under 12 kilometers per hour, and moderate temperatures), minimizing jet lag (Paris’ time zone is only one hour behind Kipyegon’s home in Kenya), and the perfect pacer strategy to keep her on pace and shield her from the wind.

The significance of this moment, as breathtaking as it was under the bright Paris lights, extended far beyond the track and a new record. For decades, the four-minute mile has been a benchmark for human speed, first broken by a man in 1954 by Britain’s Roger Bannister. That same month, England’s Diane Leather became the first woman to break the five-minute mile. Since 1967, only 15 new records have been set in the women’s mile. Thirteen of those came before the year 2000. In 2023, Kipyegon ran a 4:07.64, smashing the old record by 5 seconds—and in doing so, set the stage for what would become Breaking4.

Even if she didn’t break the barrier, Kipyegon brought unprecedented attention to women’s middle-distance running. While we’ve seen an overall uptick in fanfare of women’s sports (about 3 in 10 U.S. adults now follow women’s professional or college sports “extremely,” “very” or “somewhat” closely, according to an AP poll)—track and field has suffered from a lack of media coverage for a long time. Regardless of what happened in the stadium on Thursday, Kipyegon’s boldness brought unprecedented attention to middle-distance running, an achievement that carried even more weight coming from a woman.

Her attempt also reframed the conversation about what women’s bodies are capable of achieving. It was a reminder to so many that if you dare to dream, you have the opportunity to surprise yourself well beyond the parameters of sport.

“I wanted to prove to the world that everything is possible in life, but only if you dare to try,” Kipyegon said in a post-race press conference.

If you dare to try, you might also be rewarded in ways that you don’t expect. The morning after the attempt, Tanya Hvizdak, Vice President of Global Sports Marketing at Nike, announced the brand’s commitment to building a maternity ward in Kipyegon’s honor. Located in Keinget Ward, Kuresoi South Sub County, Nakuru County, the new Dare To Dream Maternity Ward represents a lifeline in a country where an estimated 7,700 women die each year from pregnancy-related complications.

“To see this, it’s really emotional,” said Kipyegon, who like many athletes, had a difficult journey back to sport after having her daughter Alyn by caesarean section in June 2018. “It will help so many mothers who have already carried their babies for nine months, get to hold them in their hands.”

This initiative perfectly encapsulated Faith’s spirit. Her physical prowess, records, and gold medals are undeniable, but her true legacy extends well beyond the track as an advocate for maternal and girls’ health.

“I feel great. I feel so proud of myself that I've tried. Today was a learning lesson—I gave it my all,” she told Marie Claire. “Everything is possible. I think there's more in the tank. I can still improve on what I did today, and I'm so grateful.”

More in the tank, indeed. Next weekend Kipyegon will lace up again at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. She’s planning to go all-in and gun for a new world record in the 1500-meter, she told reporters Friday morning.

And don’t worry, she’s not done yet with the mile.

“If it’s not me, it will be somebody else. I know one day, one time, a woman will run under four [minutes]. I will not lose hope. I will still go for it.”

It’s time to get your hot pants out and press play on "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC—America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders season 2 is officially here. The popular docuseries, which follows veterans and hopefuls through the audition process for making the squad of one of America’s most storied institutions, returns without missing a beat. Like season 1, the new episodes illustrate both the glamour and the ugliness that goes into being one of 36 young women selected to put on the famed uniform, as well as their fight for more pay equity with the football team. (As revealed by the final episode of season 2, released June 18, 2025, the dancers have earned a 400% pay increase.)

Across the seven new episodes that focus on the 2024 season, we get glimpses of fan favorites from season 1—like Victoria, who departed for New York and a chance at The Rockettes, and Reece, who returned as a veteran—but the second season centers its focus on an entirely different cast of cheerleaders. Ahead, we break down the journeys of the most prominent veterans, rookies, and alums this season, including whether we’ll see these faces on the field again.

The Veterans

Chandi Dayle

Chandi is a sixth-year returning veteran and named one of the 1st Group Leaders of the 2024-2025 team. According to her bio on the DCC website, she began dancing at 3-years-old at Ballet Tucson, where she practiced ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and hip-hop. Chandi continued dancing through summer camps, high school, and college pomlines. She was the captain of the University of Arizona Pomline for the last two years of her college career. A softer and quieter presence, DCC head choreographer Judy reveals that she felt kinship with Chandi because their personalities were similar.

A social media manager and licensed pharmacy technician from Arizona, Chandi admits on season 2 of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders that she sometimes works up to four jobs (not including her dance career) to make ends meet. During the 2024 training camp and season, Chandi worked at a Pilates studio in the mornings, helped her family’s drug repackaging and mail-order pharmacy business remotely, did administrative work for one of the DCC sponsors, and executed social media work for a pediatric dentistry.

While others on the team were outspoken about the low wages they made, Chandi was not and said that she “saw both sides” of the argument. “We do deserve to get paid a fair amount,” she says in the new season of the Netflix docuseries. “But at the same time, I’m here to dance because I love to dance. I can see both sides, and I support both sides.” She goes on to say she doesn’t have the courage to join her fellow veterans in leading the conversations with HR, indicating that she doesn’t want to rock the boat on this matter.

Chandi’s then-boyfriend Ryan appears on the series, but the cheerleader reveals that they broke up during the season before the team trip to Bahamas. In the finale, her teammates detail an incident in the Bahamas when Chandi brought someone into her room, causing tension among them. At the time, she also struggled with her mental health, largely due to a previous toxic ex-boyfriend who both abused and stalked her following the breakup, which she has spoken out about on social media.

Eventually, she stepped down from a leadership position on the team and, after a mental health break away from the sport, she returned for the final game of the season.

In the season finale, Chandi says that the “DCC isn’t even happy for me anymore…I really just wanted to dance and be happy, and I haven’t been.” While Chandi didn’t write a farewell post to the franchise online like some of her teammates did, she officially hangs up her uniform in the final moments.

Jada Mclean

A Palm Springs native, Jada returned to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders for her fifth season where she was also named one of the 1st Group Leaders alongside Chandi. Jada credits her father for instilling a love for the Cowboys in her, even though he wasn’t always around during her childhood. Meanwhile, her brothers have adopted the Eagles as their team, but Jada says she enjoys the friendly sibling rivalry.

Jada is one of the more outspoken members of the team, leading the charge in conversations surrounding the wage disparity. “We do a damn good job at being cheerleaders. But we’re still fighting to be seen for what we’re worth,” she says in the fifth episode of the docuseries. Along with fellow veteran Megan, Jada spearheads a meeting with HR and legal teams to discuss updates to their contracts. The negotiations seemed to be at a standstill until the post-season, when they received notice that their efforts would be rewarded with a 400% raise.

In the finale and on Instagram, Jada confirmed that she’d be putting down her pom-poms after five seasons with the Cowboys. “Counting out one last time under the AT&T Stadium lights,” she wrote on January 5, 2025. Following her career as a member of the DCC, she’ll likely return to a career as a cosmetics specialist for a dermatology practice, though she also teased that she’d be turning to modeling in a March 2025 post featuring glam shots of the cheerleader.

Along with her teammates, Jada attended DCC member Jessica Bowman’s wedding in May 2025 and was a trophy presenter at the ACM Awards.

Armani Latimer

Armani danced competitively for almost 15 years, according to her official DCC bio. Following high school, she spent three years on the Carolina Girls Dance Team at the University of South Carolina, where she graduated with a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Armani made the team during the pandemic, which they nicknamed #bubblesquad.

In season 2, Armani opened up about her alopecia, a medical disorder that affects hair growth, during a hair styling appointment when she was fitted for a new wig. As depicted in the finale, she took the field proudly displaying her bald head during the Cowboys's season to spotlight the condition. The official DCC Instagram account posted the video with the caption, “Confidence takes center stage for Alopecia Awareness.” The Netflix series shows her parents in the stands, wiping away tears. “Super proud. Proud daddy,” her father, Cody, says while recording her performance.

Armani was also part of the negotiation team for the pay bump. Even though she won’t be returning for another season to benefit from the raise, she said that she “loves the fact that I made change for the girls coming up behind me.”

Like Jada, Armani confirmed on the show and social media that she won’t be returning for another season at the Dallas Cowboys. “Though I’m hanging up my boots, the memories, the friendships, and the legacy will forever live in my heart,” she wrote in the caption. “Once a DCC, always a DCC.”

Since the season ended, Armani attended her teammate Jessica Bowman’s wedding and has dipped her toes into influencing, with sponsored posts for Vaseline and a local Dallas moving company.

Megan McElaney

Fourth-year veteran and California native Megan began dancing when she was 3 and started competing at 8, having trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, and musical theatre. In college, she danced on the San Diego State University Dance Team, becoming captain during her junior and senior years.

During season 2 of the docuseries, Megan joined Jada and Armani in vocalizing their fight for higher wages. “I’d say that DCC is the most stable dance job that there is, but still, you’re gonna need two jobs as a dancer,” she stated plainly. Of the three, Megan is the only one who will be returning to the team to cash in on the 400% raise—something she called “life changing.”

During the offseason, Megan bought a house in Texas with her boyfriend and fellow Californian Alex, and also attended Jessica Bowman’s wedding. In December, she shared that her cat Chloe died at age 14.

The Rookie Candidates

Charly Barby

After falling victim to Kelli’s brutal final cuts in the first season of the series, Charly has a lot to celebrate in the 2024 season: She officially made the roster as a rookie. Like many of her teammates, the native Californian started dancing when she was just 2-years-old and “began taking dance very seriously” when she was 8, per her DCC bio. After making the team in 2024, she posted a photo of herself pointing at her image in the Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room before the first game of the season. In the caption, she wrote, “As I look up at my name & photo in the iconic Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room I cannot help but be proud of where I am today. What a journey. My heart is overfilled with love!!”

During the second season of the Netflix series and via an Instagram post in December 2024, Charly revealed that she had been diagnosed with pulmonary embolism in her left lung in May of that year. Detailing the diagnosis and treatment, Charly wrote, “I believe that I initially started with a DVT clot, however it was too late to tell since it had already been in my lung. I am very lucky to have not had surgery. I have been on blood thinners for 6 months and counting & am continuing to learn more as well as be tested for other underlying conditions on top of Factor V Leiden. However today I feel better & healthier than ever before!!”

Since making a full recovery and joining the team, Charly has continued to post moments from her rookie year throughout the season, as well as sponsored posts for companies like Revolve and Tresemme.

Madie Krueger

The youngest member of the team, Madie, hails from La Porte, Texas, a small town outside of Houston. Like her peers, Madie has been dancing since a young age and trained with a studio affiliated with Dance Masters of America, exposing her to choreographers and instructors from across the country. She also performed in ballet, which helped train her in dance performance.

While Madie’s teammates are juggling full-time jobs, she attends college at Texas Woman’s College in nearby Denton—a schedule that keeps her hyper-focused. Madie knew that if she made DCC, she wouldn’t have the typical college experience, but her dreams of making the team superseded any of those expectations. Still, the adjustment was difficult. “I had a really bad night at practice one night because I was so stressed with chemistry. Judy called me out for not knowing a dance, so the next day I didn’t pay attention in school and was watching the DCC videos in class,” she recounts. “Hearing ‘tic-tic-boom’ and trying to learn quantum theories is crossing my brain.”

College, coupled with her DCC duties, marks the first time she’s been away from her family and boyfriend for an extended period, and Madie admits in the show that she felt lonely at times. The differences in their current lifestyles caused some friction in her relationship, as depicted on the show, but they’re still going strong. In January, they brought home a puppy named Kipp.

Madie has chronicled her rookie year on Instagram, from their annual service day to their trip to the Bahamas to the holiday games.

Dayton Bramhall

Dayton faced extra pressure as the daughter of a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and current staff member, Shelly. Dancing since she was a child, Dayton opened up about a toxic relationship and disordered eating that kept her away from dance for five years. Dayton also appeared on the former CMT reality show Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders: Making the Team, which chronicled the team, where she was cut dramatically without her mother’s knowledge. Unfortunately, history repeated itself when Dayton got cut during training camp.

Despite the heartbreak, Dayton is still passionate about dancing. She celebrated International Dance Day in April and regularly posts professional dance photos. Dayton remains close to her family and recently attended her friend’s wedding.

The Alums

Victoria Kalina

Following her departure from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders after four seasons, Victoria announced she had her sights set on another iconic franchise: The Rockettes. Season 2 checks in with Victoria during her early days in New York, as her mother moves her into the city and she poses with fans in Times Square. Her mom leaves after a tearful goodbye, knowing that her daughter will grow up and learn to be on her own thousands of miles away.

Victoria regularly posts dance videos and throwback photos from her time with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. A joking post read, “What GameDays have been looking like in NYC” alongside a video of her doing the Thunder choreography at a youth dance clinic.

In April 2025, Victoria revealed that this year is a “not now” for The Rockettes, but she’s still loving her life in N.Y.C. “I can’t wait to continue to push this next year and continue to see what other spectacular things unravel in this magical city,” she wrote, indicating that her Rockettes dream is still something she’s chasing.

Coco Gauff made 2025 her year at the French Open. Winning over Aryna Sabalenka at the women's singles finals, she became the first American woman to take home the French Open trophy since Serena Williams in 2015.

Her champion title comes three years after placing runner-up at the 2022 French Open. In the time since, Gauff trained hard and won the U.S. Open in 2023—but also worked on her mindset, making changes to become both more focused and happier on the court.

Gauff spoke about the changes she made to feel more focused and happier on the court on the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk." Fresh off her victory, she told editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike about the emotions she felt after the 2022 French Open and the advice she gave herself to move forward.

"Honestly, after that 2022 final, I had no idea how to access these tools," the tennis star says. "I didn't know how to center myself. I didn't know how to meditate. I didn't know how to look at the positive side of things. So I really sat in that disappointment for months, maybe up to even up to a year."

Time healed the wound, but Gauff still realized that she couldn't linger in negativity "if I want to accomplish my dreams."

"I can't be my biggest opponent first," the 21-year-old says. "I already have one opponent. I don't need two."

Gauff continues, "I realized that I have to look at the positives and control my own narrative and not let the narrative control me. And I felt like I was letting the tennis control my emotions, control my self-worth, control how I approach life and friendships, and I realized it should be the opposite."

So, the athlete decided to pay more attention to other parts of her life. "I started to welcome more friends in my life," she shares, "More family, enjoying those experiences, taking trips, going to concerts, and things like that. And I think the more I did that, the more I found happiness on the court."

Gauff also received advice from former tennis players about finding a balance between the sport and personal life. "They always talk about the importance of enjoying your life outside of tennis and enjoying the cities that you're in and not staying cooped up in the hotel room and just a tournament site," she explains. "So I think that has been the big part of my success, because especially the last year I've been trying to do more, force myself to go out...I thought to be a successful athlete that I had to be locked in at all times and kind of ignore other areas of my life and other needs of my life. And then I realized that you can definitely do both."

Clearly, the shift paid off.

Gauff opens up about what's next (including Wimbledon!), her fashion collaborations with New Balance and Miu Miu, and more on this week's installment of "Nice Talk." The episode is available everywhere you listen to podcasts.

One of the past year's biggest trends is a slogan T-shirt with a powerfully succinct message: "Everyone watches women's sports." It's not quite an exaggeration. Viewership for basketball, soccer, and more are on the rise, at both the collegiate and pro levels. WNBA tunnel 'fits get as much attention as their NBA counterparts. Brands are inking major sponsorship deals with women's teams. According to athletes, executives, and founders in the industry, the momentum is only getting started.

At Marie Claire's Power Play summit in Atlanta on May 15, two-time Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, Atlanta Dream COO and President Morgan Shaw Parker, and Jolene Jolene sports bar founder Chelsea Fishman agreed the attention was long overdue. In a conversation presented by Zales with journalist and analyst Tabitha Turner-Wilkins, they said the state of women's sports isn't simply "strong" or "growing." "I would say, we are up there," Chiles told the room to applause. Expanding viewership isn't just on account of their physical prowess; it's on the passion and purpose they bring.

Putting their entire selves on the mat, court, or fan circuit comes with its downsides. Chiles, for example, faced harassment on a global scale after her Olympic medal was revoked last summer (never mind that the entire controversy wasn't her fault). For every supporter who couldn't wait to visit Fishman's new bar, there were dozens of Reddit commenters doubting a women's sports-dedicated spot could last.

The detractors hurt, but they also motivated panelists to keep advocating for equal attention (and pay). "We're not going to solve it all in this lifetime, but if I could help push this industry, this movement, a small step forward, and we can actually see it in our lifetime, that's a life well lived," Shaw Parker said.

Ahead, read the best quotes from these barrier-breakers' wide-ranging conversation on ambition, pressure, and authenticity, on and off their preferred playing fields. If you're not watching women's sports already, you will be by the end.

Jordan Chiles, Two-Time Olympic Gymnast

On bullying after the Paris Olympics: "Since Paris...I think that was the hardest thing that I've ever had to do in my life. I've been racially attacked online, and told to get hung and and lynched and all these things. But I think this moment was the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with, and I did go down into the deepest of all deeps. I didn't know if I deserved. I didn't know if I was great.

I was like, why does every single time I do something great, it always gets stripped? [...] The only reason why it happens to me is because I am strong. I get to be put into the next thing that's being given to me. Since then, I've been able to present at VMAs. I've been able to use my platforms to help with mental health and encourage the younger generation. I went to college. That past is the past, and I can only control what's the future. Being myself is the biggest thing that I could ever do in life."

On learning from her sister: "My older sister had this ability to really embrace who she was as just being her authentic self. She went through a lot. [...] Obviously, my mom, she's the queen of all queens. But my sister gave me this ability to be like, 'You know what, sis, if you wanna do this, go do it. If you wanna have this ability to really change what you're trying to see within gymnastics, go do that.'"

On staying true to her purpose: "I'm always gonna be that authentic self because at the end of the day, I didn't wake up to be somebody else. I woke up to be the person I'm supposed to be, because that's the gift that I was given."

Morgan Shaw Parker, Atlanta Dream COO and President

On the difference between men's and women's sports: "What's interesting with men's sports is it's built in a very specific way. Every time you walk into an NFL team, there's one mission, and that one mission is to win a championship, right? I've always thought, in service of what? Why?

What am I winning a championship for? I want to bring home that ring. Absolutely. Do I want to celebrate those players? Absolutely. But for women's sports, it's just so much more. And I think about in service of what? In service of the hundreds of thousands of young girls that need to have visibility and access to see this game.

On building an inclusive workplace in the WNBA: "I was told for years, 'Oh, it's so hard to find diverse employees.' I'm sorry, look at the women in this room and tell me it's hard to find diverse talent. It's not. You just have to fish in different ponds.

"Year two, we were named the most diverse business operations engine in the WNBA. It's not hard. It takes what it takes. Just focus on why you're there.

"I always hire people that are really smart and smarter than me, and that's OK. It helps me test water, check it out, dream big, jump in that deep end, but they are always going to get me back to where we need to go, where organization is going to be pushing forward. We're going to be a catalyst for change."

Chelsea Fishman, Jolene Jolene founder

On pioneering a sports bar centered on women athletes: "Being in this infancy, what's exciting about it is that we get to define it, right? We get to make the rules. It's so cool and so fun to be a part of the women's sports space right now just because of everything that's going on. Especially as a viewer, a bar dedicated to women's sports was unheard of a few years ago, and it's still new.

"As viewers, we have these sports and these athletes and these organizations that we've been cheering on for years. Now, they're actually putting them on TV, which is helpful.

"We're in this space where the talent has always been there, , but the attention and the knowledge is finally starting to catch up. So it's a really fun time."

On men becoming fans of women's sports: "You don't have to be against something to be for something [else]. I think a lot of people, especially men, get afraid that if they cheer for a women's sport that they can't cheer for a men's sport. I think creating these spaces, like an actual, physical space where we can celebrate and tune in, moves the needle."

Since their first team-up for the Spring 2022 season, New Balance and Miu Miu sneakers have typically debuted at Paris Fashion Week. After taking a lap around the runway, they immediately walked onto editors' wish lists. Nearly four years later, the fashion doubles pair is looking stronger than ever with help from 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff.

Gauff is the guiding light behind the latest New Balance x Miu Miu sneakers, plus a lineup of tennis gear to wear on and off the Grand Slam circuit. The footwear riffs on her signature pair for competitions: the Coco CG2. It blends grippy soles for darting around the court with the slim, ballet flat-adjacent shape ruling all of 2025's trendiest sneakers.

Gauff paired her updated shoes with 2025's sportiest fashion trends (though in this case, they're built for competitors—not just runway spectators). Colorblocked track pants and technical windbreakers accompany tennis classics like pleated skirts and bra tops. Even crew socks get the New Balance x Miu Miu treatment with logo-branding on the hem.

The current No.4 women's tennis player in the world was the first to wear her designs before they reached Miu Miu stores this September. She played three tournaments in Rome, Berlin, and Cincinnati over the summer—and the three colorblock pairings throughout the collection reflected each city's palette. She arrived in Rome in the navy and white sets, then traveled to Berlin in white and green, followed by royal blue and white for Cincinnati.

New Balance x Miu Miu sneakers haven't ever appeared in a professional sporting event before. With the chance to make style and sporting history, Gauff told Vogue she wanted this collection to push boundaries.

“I showed them what silhouettes I like, and we worked around that as a starting point. We were, like, What can we do in tennis that has either never been done or been done very few times?" she explained. "The only time I can think of high fashion on the court was when Off-White partnered with Serena [Williams.]"

When Gauff walked onto the court in her New Balance x Miu Miu best, she was also the first player to wear an Italian designer for gameplay in the country. From every angle, this collaboration is a major serve.

New Balance x Miu Miu for Coco Gauff is now available online and in select Miu Miu stores.

One of the many reasons women's sports deserves equal airtime, and equal pay, with men is that the powers that be behind the female franchises are having almost too much fun with their mascots. Case in point: Ellie the Elephant, the sassy, twerking, fashion-maven mascot for the New York Liberty basketball team. Since replacing the previous (and much less fun to watch) mascot, Maddie the dog, four years ago, she has provided the perfect degree of maximalist style to the sidelines, amping up the crowd and dancing with the team's infamous 40-and-up dancers, the Timeless Torches, during half-time.

Big Ellie, as she's commonly know, already has a suite of custom jersey dresses by sportswear designer Gabe Stark (in addition to outerwear, jewelry and custom sneakers), a profile in The New York Times style section, "Have You Ever Seen an Elephant Twerk?", and hundreds of thousands of followers on both TikTok and Instagram. Clearly, the mascot is a rising star in the fashion space, but it's time her signature court-side glam—think mile-long lashes and playful hairstyles like braided ponytails to down-to-there weaves—received some much-deserved attention.

Fittingly, the Brooklyn pachyderm with the most notorious court-side glam in the game can now add beauty spokesperson (so to speak) to her growing resume as the new face of Essie. She is now the nail brand's official "Mani Mascot."

The full campaign launches today, April 10, and features Ellie in full court-side glam and, of course, sporting a chic Essie manicure in the team's signature teal. "Essie is excited to champion this momentum and be part of the ever-growing fusion of beauty and athletics," the brand wrote in a press release to media.

Of course it's not unusual for players to land brand contracts, especially with the new NCAA rules granting collegiate athletes the ability to monetize their image and accept endorsement deals (Paige Bueckers, you're an icon), but I can't say that Chicago's Benny the Bull or San Antonio's The Coyote have any brand contracts to their name, or a team of personal stylists. Consider this news all the more proof that the WNBA is just as relevant for basketball fans of all genders, and is committed to reflecting the interests and values of its female audience.

It's no accident that Ellie has resonated so deeply with Liberty fans. The team has made a concerted effort for the mascot to represent the diverse identity of her home borough and the league itself. Not only that, the team that is responsible for styling the elephant—all Black women who jokingly call themselves her "aunties"—is striving to work with primarily Black and Brooklyn-based designers, per Sports Illustrated. And if you've never walked around Brooklyn and engaged in some people watching, you might not realize just how crucial a killer manicure is to the locals. From the latest nail color trends to boundary pushing NFC nails, New Yorkers in-the-know will always bring their best nail game to the table—or, as is the case with Ellie the Elephant, to the court.

Shop a few gel by essie—the brand’s newly reformulated, long wear polish—colors to wear to your next New York Liberty game.

Netflix's new hit comedy Running Point is a must-watch TV show for anyone interested in an empowering story about women in sports. Co-created by Mindy Kaling, the first 10-episode season stars Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, a reformed party girl whose family owns a pro basketball team, the Los Angeles Waves. Isla has loved basketball since she was young, but her father was a "sexist asshole," so he passed her over as the team's next president. But when her brother (played by Justin Theroux) lands in rehab due to a drug scandal, Isla is shockingly tapped to become the team's new owner—and the most powerful woman in basketball.

Since Running Point's premiere, sports fans have noticed that the fictional Isla sounds (and looks, TBH) similar to real-life L.A. Lakers president Jeanie Buss, who's also part of a basketball dynasty. The similarity is partially intentional, as Buss is involved in the Netflix series, serving as an executive producer. However, Buss's real-life story is much different than the show—though still one of a woman who worked to the top of the sports industry and made history. Read on for everything to know about Jeanie Buss, including her surprising connection to her somewhat on-screen counterpart, Kate Hudson.

Who are Jeanie Buss and the Buss family?

Jeanie Buss, 63, is the daughter of late real estate-mogul and former Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss and his first wife JoAnn Buss. Jeanie's the fourth of the pair's five children; her siblings are older brothers Johnny, Jim, and younger sister Janie. She also has two half-siblings, Joey and Jesse, from Jerry's relationship with Karen Demel.

Jeanie began her sports executive career at age 19. While pursuing a business degree at the University of Southern California, her father named her general manager of the Los Angeles Strings, a professional tennis team. The team went on to win two league titles, but it eventually dissolved in 1993. Buss continued her journey by running the Los Angeles Blades professional roller hockey team.

During Jeanie's teenage and young adult years, her dad Jerry Buss purchased the L.A. Lakers and turned the organization into a championship team, as seen in HBO's short-lived series Winning Time. Jerry famously planned for his children to take over the L.A. Lakers as a unit. An anonymous associate of Buss spoke about the succession plan in a 1998 Sports Illustrated interview. They said, "Jeanie is the most capable one, yet she's overlooked by her loving dad."

At the time, Jeanie was President of the former Great Western Forum (the arena in Inglewood, CA, where all his sports teams were based), a post she held for four years. In 1999, Jeanie was named the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations, fulfilling Jerry's plan to eventually have her and her brother Jim run the franchise together.

As for her personal life, Jeanie had many beaus when she was younger, including a six-month relationship with tennis star (and Never Have I Ever narrator) John McEnroe, who previously played for the Los Angeles Strings. Jeanie met her first husband, Olympic volleyball player Steve Timmons, in 1986 at the Forum, and they eventually split after three years of marriage. In 1996, she began dating then-Lakers coach Phil Jackson, which lasted 17 years.

The sports exec surprised the public by posing for a Playboy shoot in 1995. In a throwback post from Playboy's Instagram, Jeanie said of the shoot, "I posed for Playboy Magazine at a time in my life when I was 32-years-old and recently divorced. It was a decision that freed me from the expectations of others and allowed me to accept my body and myself exactly as I am."

When did Jeanie Buss become president of the L.A. Lakers?

Following Jerry Buss's death in 2013, his 66 percent stake in the team was passed down to his six children, each receiving 11 percent and Jeanie became the controlling owner. Jeanie became the team's president and representative on the NBA's Board of Governors, while her brother Jim remained executive vice president of basketball operations. All six Buss children worked in the Lakers front office in some capacity for the next four years.

In 2017, Jeanie fired her brother Jim and the Lakers' general manager Mitch Kupchak, due to the team's poor performance over the previous four seasons. Her eldest brother Johnny responded by trying to get Jeanie ousted, but she prevailed in the Succession-like battle. Eventually, Johnny and Jim agreed that Jeanie would be the controlling owner of the L.A. Lakers for the rest of her life.

"My dad had his children, but the Lakers were his baby. He expected me to protect the baby," Jeanie told CBS News in 2024. "I had to let my brother go when he was overseeing the basketball operations. Year after year, not making the playoffs—that was not the brand of Laker basketball that Dr. Buss had created."

In 2020, Jeanie became the first woman controlling owner to steward her team to an NBA championship. The win also marked her sixth title as an executive for the Lakers. Outside of basketball, Jeanie co-owns the all-female professional wrestling promotion Women of Wrestling (WOW), and she began her television-producing career with the Emmy-winning Hulu docuseries Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers. In September 2023, she married comedian Jay Mohr after two years of dating.

Is 'Running Point' based on Jeanie Buss? Is it based on the L.A. Lakers?

There are many similarities between Jeanie Buss and Isla Gordon: the Playboy shoot, the best friend in the front office, dating her team's coach (depending on how Running Point season 2 may go.) Also, Buss and her lifelong friend and business partner Linda Rambis, are executive producers on the Netflix series. However, while speaking to Time, Buss clarified "while we inspired so much of the story, these characters are not my family, and Isla Gordon is not me."

In an interview with Variety, Kaling confirmed that the show's writers only used Buss as a light inspiration, partly out of a desire to "protect" her.

"This is a fictionalized version of Jeanie’s life. She has real-life relationships with people, and we want to protect that by not basing anything on anyone," the writer told the outlet. "Of course, there’s flourishes that are [real]. She, famously, was in relationships with people that we’re like, 'Oh, that’s really interesting,' and we cherry-pick those things. But we want to protect her relationships."

Are Jeanie Buss and Kate Hudson friends?

To play Jeanie Buss, Running Point cast someone with a decades-spanning friendship with the L.A. Lakers owner. Rom-com queen and Isla Gordon actor Kate Hudson has actually known Buss for most of her life, ever since the pair met as L.A. natives.

In the Time interview, Buss recalled how, when she was in her 30s, she was "chauffeuring and touring Hudson as a 16-year-old around the Forum in the 1990s when her parents Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn attended L.A. Kings games."

Buss told the outlet, "I kind of took her under my wing because she's a very curious person, asked a lot of questions. I knew she could nail the part because she'd seen me in action, and she understood how the back of the house of a sports team worked. I really didn't have to coach her at all. She brought it and she nailed it."

In a Variety interview, Hudson spoke about how she related to the pressure of playing a woman with a family legacy to uphold. "Your parents have worked so hard to create a legacy. How do you protect that? How do you carry it? How do you nurture it? Jeanie’s story is very different than mine—because the arts is very different than an actual franchise—but I understand what it’s like to always want to show up, to make sure that you’re protecting what that is."

Netflix's comedy series Running Point is a must-watch show for sports fans and aspiring girlbosses alike. Executive-produced by Mindy Kaling and L.A. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, the show follows the dysfunctional Gordon family, who owns one of the best basketball franchises in the world, the L.A. Waves. When she gets the chance to become the team's president, Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) is determined to turn the flagging team around and reclaim the Waves' place as league champions.

To play the fictional basketball family and the players, coaches, and loved ones in their orbit, Running Point has recruited several beloved stars of TV sitcoms and classic rom-coms, and even a real-life gold medalist. With season 2 out now on Netflix, read on to meet the new and familiar faces starring in Running Point.

Who Plays the Gordons in 'Running Point'?

 Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon

At the start of Running Point, Isla, the sole Gordon sister, runs the Waves's charity organization, despite her extraordinary knowledge and passion for basketball. After several years as a socialite, her brother Cam gave her a job within the Waves family to help her get her life together. A decade later, she's suddenly tapped to become the team's president—and the most powerful woman in sports.

Kate Hudson, 47, grew up in L.A. with her mother, Goldie Hawn, and stepfather, Kurt Russell. Hudson rose to fame as a rom-com queen, starring in 2000s movies including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Bride Wars, and Something Borrowed. She's also become eponymous for her beloved role as Penny Lane in the cult-loved '70s period piece Almost Famous. More recently, she starred as Birdie Jay in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story and received an Oscar nomination for her leading role in Song Sung Blue.

Outside of acting, she co-founded the athleisure company Fabletics, releases folk-rock music, and is engaged to musician Danny Fujikawa. Also, her older brother Oliver Hudson appears in Running Point season 2 as a member of the McShay family.

Instagram: @katehudson

Justin Theroux as Cam Gordon

Cameron "Cam" Gordon, the eldest son, is the beloved president of the Waves who knows everything about the franchise. He's riding high in life...until a drug-induced car crash sends him to rehab. In his absence, he appoints Isla as the team's new head, but things get tense when he comes back for his spot in season 2.

Justin Theroux, 54, made his acting debut in the '90s and rose to fame with roles in American Psycho, Mulholland Drive, Sex and the City, and Six Feet Under. He previously starred in the HBO dramas The Leftovers and White House Plumbers, both of which earned him Critics Choice Award nominations. Theroux was previously married to Jennifer Aniston, and he recently welcomed a child with Paradise actress Nicole Brydon Bloom.

Instagram: @justintheroux

 Scott MacArthur as Ness Gordon

Ness Gordon, the second-eldest brother, is the Waves's general manager. Jack Gordon's only child who can play basketball, Ness played on the Waves for half a season before playing professionally in the Philippines...and later getting arrested for a drug scandal. He's not very polished or book-smart, but perhaps the kindest of the four siblings.

Scott MacArthur, 46, grew up in Chicago and trained at the comedy conservatory Second City before starting his career as an actor and writer. He's best known for starring in comedies like The Mick, The Righteous Gemstones, and Killing It. He's also appeared in movies El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and No Hard Feelings.

Instagram: @scottwmacarthur

Drew Tarver as Sandy Gordon

Alexander "Sandy" Gordon (above, left), Jack Gordon's youngest son, often feels alienated from his elder three half-siblings. Smart and ambitious Sandy is the Waves's Chief Financial Officer and, as Isla says in her voiceover, "one cheap bastard." Though he's out to his family, he keeps his dating life private.

Drew Tarver, 39, is best known for playing Cary Dubek on Max's underrated TV show The Other Two. The actor and Upright Citizens Brigade alum has also appeared on the shows Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, Love, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Ghosts, as well as the movies The American Society of Magical Negroes and Unfrosted.

Instagram: @drewtarver

 Fabrizio Guido as Jackie Moreno

Jackie grew up in L.A.'s Boyle Heights neighborhood as a lifelong Waves fan and has worked in concessions at the Waves stadium since he was 16. A lifelong secret comes to light when his mother dies, and Jackie suddenly finds himself in the team's inner circle.

Fabrizio Guido, 26, is an L.A. native who started as a child actor in shows and movies, including Grey's Anatomy, World War Z, and Welcome to the Family. He most recently appeared in the comedy sequel Good Burger 2 and the HBO mystery series Perry Mason.

Instagram: @fabrizioguido

Ike Barinholtz as Cousin Benny

It turns out that there's another Gordon in town! In season 2, Running Point introduces Benny, Isla and her brothers's wayward, slightly sketchy cousin. He's played by Ike Barinholtz, a 49-year-old actor and comedian who co-created the Netflix series alongside Mindy Kaling, Elaine Ko, and David Stassen.

Barinholtz, who rose to fame as Morgan Tookers on Kaling's sitcom The Mindy Project, recently starred as Sal Saperstein in the Apple TV satire The Studio. He has also appeared in movies, including Neighbors (alongside his The Studio co-star Seth Rogen), Sisters, Suicide Squad, Blockers, and Late Night. He's also the 13th-highest-earning game show contestant of all time, after winning Celebrity Jeopardy!'s first season, and competing on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Instagram: @ikebarinholtz

Who Plays the Front-Office Workers in 'Running Point'?

Brenda Song as Ali Lee

Ali Lee is Isla's best friend, whom she trusts more than anyone. Luckily for the new president, Ali is already the Chief of Staff for the Waves when Isla gets promoted, making Ali the perfect right-hand woman. As Isla says in a voiceover, Ali's also "from the South Side of Chicago and tough as hell."

Brenda Song, 38, started her career as a 6-year-old child model, becoming a Disney Channel star, most notably playing London Tipton in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Song's adult roles have included The Social Network, Scandal, Dads, Station 19, Dollface, Blue Eyed Samurai, and The Last Showgirl. She and her fiancé Macaulay Culkin share two sons.

Instagram: @brendasong

Jay Ellis as Jay Brown

Jay Brown, a former star basketball player, is the level-headed head coach of the Waves in season 1. Off the court, Jay is a practicing Buddhist and a devoted dad. Though he leaves the team at the end of season 1, there's still history between him and Isla.

Jay Ellis, 44, is best known for starring alongside Issa Rae as Lawrence Walker, on the beloved Black TV show Insecure. The actor briefly worked as a PR intern for the Portland Trail Blazers before beginning his modeling and acting career. His most notable roles include The Game, Mrs. America, Top Gun: Maverick, and History of the World, Part II. He released his memoir, Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)?, in 2024. Next up, he's set to join another Mindy Kaling series, her upcoming Hulu comedy Not Suitable for Work.

Instagram: @jayrellis

Ray Romano as Norm Stinson

After Jay leaves the Waves, Isla finds a head coach replacement in Coach Norm, a former Waves assistant coach who mentored Jay when he was a player. Though Norm had a successful career, he's been out of the game for a while and has some baggage and social awkwardness to work through.

Ray Romano, 68, is a three-time Emmy-winning comedy legend best known for leading the beloved sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. The N.Y.C.-born actor and comedian went on to voice Manny in the Ice Age animated films, and to appear in shows and films including TNT's Men of a Certain Age, NBC's Parenthood, 2017's The Big Sick, 2019's The Irishman, HBO Max's Made for Love, and Netflix's No Good Deed. In 2022, he made his directorial debut with the film Somewhere in Queens.

Roberto Sanchez as Stephen Ramirez

Stephen Ramirez is the no-nonsense head of the Waves's board, who has been with the team since Jack Gordon was in charge. A constant reminder of her father, Stephen would have no problem removing Isla from her seat if she failed the team.

Roberto Sanchez, 61, is a prolific Cuban actor who broke out as Roberto in 2003's 2 Fast 2 Furious. He has since appeared in dozens of hit TV shows and directed three short films. Most recently, he appeared in Starz's BMF, Apple TV+'s Palm Royale, and Showtime's Dexter: Original Sin.

Instagram: @official_roberto_sanchez

Richa Moorjani as Aruna

Never Have I Ever alum Richa Moorjani, 36, joins the Waves front office as Aruna, the team's no-nonsense accounting whiz who is tasked with wrangling the team's finances. Since her breakout role in Kaling's coming-of-age series, Moorjani has appeared in FX series including Fargo season 5 and Alien: Earth.

Instagram: @richamoorjani

Who Plays the Waves on 'Running Point'?

 Toby Sandeman as Marcus Winfield

Marcus Winfield is the Waves's long-time star player who counts his accomplishments as two championship rings, two Olympic gold medals, 12 All-Star Game appearances, and a past romance with Rihanna. Though he's become checked out as a team leader, the many shakeups after Isla's promotion get Marcus to step up.

Toby Sandeman, 38, grew up between London and Barbados and became a competitive runner. After modeling to help afford his athletic career (including a British Vogue shoot with Naomi Campbell), Sandeman won two gold medals for the U.K. at the 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships. He made his acting debut on the E! drama The Royals and went on to appear in She's Gotta Have It, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and The Game.

Instagram: @toby.sandeman

 Chet Hanks as Travis Bugg

Waves point guard Travis Bugg used to be an All-Star, but he's recently better known for being a part-time rapper and a thorn in team leadership's side. Still, Isla believes he can get back into the game as an indispensable player.

Chet Hanks, 35, is the son of Oscar winner Tom Hanks and actress/singer-songwriter Rita Wilson. Chet made his acting debut in the 2007 teen movie Bratz and has appeared on TV shows Shameless, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Empire, Your Honor, and Atlanta. Like his Running Point character, he has also released rap music, including his controversial single "White Boy Summer."

Instagram: @chethanx

Uche Agada as Dyson Gibbs

One of Isla's first moves as president is to recruit D-League player Dyson Gibbs to join the Waves. After struggling with his teammates's spending habits and a case of the Yips in season 1, the former rookie is feeling himself in season 2...so much that he makes a pass at Travis's girlfriend Zoé Debay (Aliyah Turner).

Uche Agada, 25, is a Nigerian-American actor who grew up in New Jersey. He made his acting debut playing NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo in Disney+'s 2022 sports biopic Rise.

Instagram: @ucheagada

Who Plays Everyone Else on 'Running Point'?

 Max Greenfield as Lev Levenson

Lev Levenson (above, left), Isla's kind and supportive fiancé of three years, is played by Max Greenfield, 46. The TV veteran rose to fame on 2000s shows like Veronica Mars and Ugly Betty, before landing his Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated role as Schmidt on New Girl. His non-TV projects include films like The Big Short and Promising Young Woman, and he has written several children's books.

Instagram: @iammaxgreenfield

Scott Speedman as Luke McShay

In season 2, Running Point introduces the McShays, another wealthy L.A. family who have been rivals to the Gordons their entire lives. (The McShays own L.A.'s hockey team.) However, it seems that Luke McShay has formed a special interest in Isla.

Scott Speedman, 50, is a Canadian actor who rose to fame with his role as Ben Covington in the coming-of-age romance Felicity. Since then, he has appeared in shows and films including the Underworld series, Animal Kingdom, Grey's Anatomy, and You season 3. He's currently playing the titular role in the ABC crime drama R.J. Decker.

Instagram: @scottspeedman

Scott Evans as Charlie

Sandy's boyfriend Charlie (above, left), a loving dog walker and aspiring actor, is played by Scott Evans, 42. The younger brother of fellow actor Chris Evans, Scott started his career on the soap opera One Life to Live and has since appeared in shows and films including Looking, Grace and Frankie, With Love, Barbie, and All's Fair.

Instagram: @scottevansgram

Keyla Monterroso Mejia as Ana Moreno

Ana, Jackie's cousin who reveals his surprising connection to the Gordons, is played by Keyla Monterroso Mejia, 28. The actress grew up in Southern California and got her breakout role in 2021, as bad actor Maria Sofia Estrada on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Her other notable credits include the On My Block spinoff Freeridge, in which she played a leading role, Abbott Elementary, One of Them Days, and You're Cordially Invited. Monterroso Mejia also appears in the Apple TV satire The Studio.

Instagram: @keylamonterrosomejia

Natalie Nakase has broken several glass ceilings throughout her coaching career. She did so by believing in herself and doing whatever it took—even if it meant taking professional demotions and ignoring the naysayers.

On this week's episode of the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk," Nakase, who now coaches the Golden State Valkyries, reveals the worst feedback she ever received—and how it only propelled her forward.

Nakase explains she was taken aback by the advice she received while interviewing for a coaching position and didn't get the role. "I was getting a little bit of a reflection of why I didn't get the job," she recalls. "They said, 'You should get married and have a family, and then you'll know what it's like to take care of people, and you'll be a better coach.'"

However, the WNBA coach says she was able to turn the experience into a positive. "It wasn't the right fit," she says on "Nice Talk." "I actually walked away saying, 'Thank you.' In my mind, I probably wouldn't have excelled with that organization. I probably would have shrunk and not [have been] able to be myself.'"

In general, Nakase says, she has learned not to take rejection as feeling as though "you're not good enough," but that "it's just not the right fit." "When you start thinking like that, then you really start to continue to improve and get excited and really want to go after jobs," the former assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers says.

Now that Nakase has accomplished many of her goals, she wants to use her platform to help others reach theirs.

Though she says she never set out to reach the milestones that she has—from becoming the first woman to coach Japan's top professional basketball team to being the first Asian American coach to win a WNBA title—it's happened because of her love for the game. "I can't breathe without basketball, so it just happens," Nakase says. "But now, as it's coming to fruition and people are talking about it, I'm taking it more like it's an honor...and it's a responsibility. Now that people are listening, people are watching, I want to make sure that whatever I do, I really want to be legendary."

The former player explains that while she aspires to win multiple championships, she also wants to open doors. "If you want to be a coach or an assistant coach in professional sports, let me know. You know, how can I help? I want to continue this," says Nakase. "Just because I'm first doesn't mean anything. I want to open up the doors and help people as best as I can because I love this job. I love basketball."

On this week's "Nice Talk," Nakase also opens up about the challenges she faced in not being heavily recruited to play college basketball, despite being named high school player of the year, the gender pay gap in sports, her coaching philosophy, and more. The episode is available now wherever you listen to podcasts.

Swifties have come to expect seeing Taylor Swift's Chiefs game outfits, whenever she rocks up to support boyfriend Travis Kelce. On Jan. 26, 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs played the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship, and Swift's outfit was on form, as usual. But fans focused in on one particular detail—a necklace, which many believe to be a hint at the forthcoming release of Reputation (Taylor's Version).

Fans of the "Look What You Made Me Do" singer have been patiently awaiting the re-release of 2017's Reputation. A plethora of fan theories have wrongfully predicted the release date of the much-anticipated re-recording. However, eagle-eyed Swifties are convinced that the performer's Louis Vuitton outfit at Kelce's AFC Championship on Jan. 26 contained a subtle Reputation-coded clue.

Sarah Chapelle, who has blogged about Swift's style for more than a decade, identified the singer's "Ancient Coin Necklace" as being a design created by Steven Battelle. In her Instagram post regarding the item, Chapelle noted that Battelle "uses real ancient coins in their work so every single piece is unique and different."

"Taylor has worn a number of vintage coin necklaces recently, including at a few Chiefs games," Chapelle wrote on Instagram. "What immediately came to my mind was her season opener outfit which was also styled with a vintage, ancient bronze coin necklace. I imagine that something about it feels like embodying a fighting / warrior mindset to fit in with the 'go fight win' of sports."

Some of Swift's fans discussed the necklace on X, with several suggesting that the coin in question featured snakes, which were key to the Reputation era. A Steven Battelle item on 1st Dibs that "depicts two intertwined serpents" seemingly added weight to the theory.

"It's the year of the snake so it's very likely rep TV will be released sometime this year," one fan wrote on X. Another Swiftie wasn't so quick to believe or dismiss the potential clue, writing, "i can't clown over her fashion choices anymore she's worn so many snakes this past year."

However, another X user noted that Swift's necklace was actually a Roman coin, which tragically disproved the snake theory.

For now, at least, fans will just have to continue waiting patiently to find out if Reputation (Taylor's Version) is finally on the way. Sadly, this latest "clue" is probably just another in a long list of red herrings.

There's no question that a sports story makes for a great cinematic experience. There are dozens of iconic athletes or instances of underdog teams turning into champions, and the intensity of a game, match, or competition can essentially mirror the rise and fall of a film's climactic action. Whether you're seated on game day or simply a fan of great movies, there are many incredible sports movies worth watching.

Many sports movies span genres, from hilarious comedies to rom-coms to prestige dramas. In fact, some of our greatest actors have transformed themselves for a sports movie or have several under their belt. Each of these movies has something for even the uninitiated: You don't need to be a die-hard fan, in other words, to connect to the spirit of the film. Below, the 32 best sports movies of all time.

'Any Given Sunday' (1999)

Olive Stone has done some incredible financial and political movies (Wall Street, JFK), which means his take on a down-on-its-luck football team is just as epic and dramatic. Oh, and it's got an Al Pacino speech that's largely considered one of his greatest of all time.

WATCH IT

'Bend It Like Beckham' (2002)

This 2000s movie became the highest-grossing soccer film when it was released and holds the no. 3 spot to this date. It's centered on a group of young women chasing dreams of becoming pro "footballers," with brilliant performances (and a love triangle!) by Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

WATCH IT

'The Big Lebowski' (1998)

Some of this movie's funniest scenes are in a bowling alley with The Dude (Jeff Bridges), his bowling partners, and some (seriously ridiculous) competitors. While bowling isn't the main plot point of this Coen Brothers classic about a man embroiled in a wild kidnapping case, if you rewatch it, you'll find bowling is more important to the story than you may recall. And it holds up great.

WATCH IT

'Blue Chips' (1994)

William Friedkin (The Exorcist) dives deep into college basketball and cheating in Blue Chips—and even gets real-life greats like Larry Bird and Shaquille O’Neal to portray players. Nick Nolte, meanwhile, plays Pete Bell, the hapless coach who decides to dip a toe in some illicit recruitment.

WATCH IT

'Bring It On' (2000)

Bring It On makes a terrific case for cheerleading being a sport, and an intense one at that. Ahead of its time in many ways and full of quotable lines, the movie remains an absolute blast and a flip-filled extravaganza to boot.

WATCH IT

'Bull Durham' (1988)

Falling solidly in the "sports romance" category is Bull Durham, with middle-aged catcher "Crash" Davis (Kevin Costner) assigned to help a young pitcher prep for the major leagues. "Groupie" Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) enters the picture, and, well, we don't want to spoil it.

WATCH IT

'Caddyshack' (1980)

Caddyshack doesn't particularly feel like a traditional "sports" movie, per se; it's more seen as a Chevy Chase comedy). However, the goofy film covers golfers at an exclusive country club—and the climactic scene centers around a very precarious putt.

WATCH IT

'Challengers' (2024)

Who knew tennis could be so hot? This Luca Guadagnino film is about a love triangle between tennis players (Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist) where the sport becomes a vehicle for their passions.

WATCH IT

'Chariots of Fire' (1982)

Chariots of Fire tends to be remembered for one scene alone in which men run in slow motion on the beach—but it's a lot more than that. Two 1920s British track and field athletes (Ben Cross and Ian Charleson) prepare for the 1924 Olympics, and the film resists a lot of easy tropes on the way.

WATCH IT

'Coach Carter' (2005)

Samuel L. Jackson plays the titular Ken Carter, a real-life high school basketball coach who imposed some intense requirements on his players—namely that they maintain academic standards to be able to play. The uplifting story may not be wildly original, but Jackson is (predictably) riveting.

WATCH IT

'The Color of Money' (1986)

This Martin Scorsese film features the first, but not the last, time that Paul Newman will be on this list. Technically this is a sequel to another great sports movie—1961's The Hustler—but it stands alone, too, as it follows Newman's veteran billiards shark as he trains a young up-and-comer (Tom Cruise).

WATCH IT

'Creed' (2015)

After many Rocky movies, a contemporary reboot was not necessarily expected to capture the grandeur of the original films. However, it surpassed some previous iterations and took the concept in new directions by following Adonis Creed's son (played by Michael B. Jordan). Sylvester Stallone, reprising his iconic role, was even nominated for an Oscar.

WATCH IT

'Everybody Wants Some!!' (2016)

This Richard Linklater film centers around 1980s college baseball players and features an ensemble of up-and-comers including Wyatt Russell and Glen Powell. It's an extremely nostalgic spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused and there isn't a ton of plot (beyond the shenanigans the players get up to), but it's also a nice counterpoint to the "dumb jock" college sports movie.

WATCH IT

'Fat City' (1972)

Yup, that's a young Jeff Bridges! This is a tale of two boxers, one at the end of his career and one at the beginning, who connect over the sometimes harsh realities of the sport. Both stars—Bridges and Stacy Keach—offer great performances.

WATCH IT

'Field of Dreams' (1989)

"If you build it, he will come." We won't spoil the ending of this movie, but this sweet tale of a man (Kevin Costner) who follows a whisper to build a baseball field in his cornfield—that then manifests the ghosts of former players—is a tearjerker in a great way.

WATCH IT

'Friday Night Lights' (2004)

Before it was a hit TV show, Friday Night Lights was an underrated 2000s movie that adapted a nonfiction book about a Texas high school football team. The result is a true-to-life, fascinating drama highlighting in grueling detail the pressure and passion of some very young players.

WATCH IT

'Hoop Dreams' (1995)

A three-hour documentary about high school basketball might not initially sound like your cup of tea. But when it expertly dovetails with issues like poverty and race and includes riveting drama, it makes for exceptional cinema—whether you watch sports or not.

WATCH IT

'Hoosiers' (1987)

Hoosiers is a sweet and earnest film, but it's probably the best example of the genre: Gene Hackman is a 1950s basketball coach in Indiana with a mysterious past. His tough-love attitude enrages and eventually inspires a high school team to top performance.

WATCH IT

'A League of Their Own' (1992)

This beloved, memorable film follows the trajectory of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, assembled during World War II. The movie is populated by acting greats like Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Bill Pullman, and Rosie O'Donnell (to name just a couple), and is a blast from start to finish.

WATCH IT

'Miracle' (2004)

If you're unfamiliar with the 1980 Winter Olympics hockey game between the Soviet Union and the United States, so much the better: Put on this movie immediately. Even if you are familiar, this captivating movie based on a real world event is a must-see.

WATCH IT

'Moneyball' (2011)

This book-to-movie adaptation had a script written by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin—which means that the snappy banter is a huge part of this sports drama. Brad Pitt plays a baseball general manager who was one of the first people to use advanced sports analytics to draft players.

WATCH IT

'Murderball' (2005)

Some of the best sports films are documentaries, and Murderball avoids every pitfall of a movie about wheelchair rugby. It's not designed to be overly uplifting but is instead as brutal as the title implies—and before long, you'll be wrapped up in its intensity.

WATCH IT

'The Natural' (1984)

The Natural has been described as depicting baseball as almost godly. Robert Redford leads the film as a once-great player with a second chance, and the film was so important to the culture that it was nominated for four Oscars.

WATCH IT

'Raging Bull' (1980)

This is certainly not an uplifting movie—Robert De Niro plays a boxer whose trajectory is intense—but in the hands of Martin Scorsese, it's brutal and propulsive and absolutely riveting to watch (even as you watch some of it through your fingers).

WATCH IT

'Remember the Titans' (2000)

This feel-good movie is a heartwarming delight and guaranteed to lift your spirits. Denzel Washington is based on the real-life Herman Boone, who attempted to integrate a Virginia high school football team. No spoilers, but if that's not enough to sell you, this also features a young Ryan Gosling.

WATCH IT

'Rocky' (1976)

It's hard to emphasize what a complete revelation Rocky was, along with its writer and star, Sylvester Stallone. The movie is such a sweet, sad, heartfelt look at a down-on-his-luck boxer that you don't have to be interested in any sport to let it move you.

WATCH IT

'Rudy' (1993)

Caveat: This "based on a true story" movie is a rather loose telling of "Rudy" Ruettiger (played by Sean Astin), who dreamed of playing football for the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame. Second caveat: A lot of this movie is a bummer, but hang in there, because the last third is worth it.

WATCH IT

'Slap Shot' (1977)

This is considered a "cult classic" that wasn't appreciated when it first came out but is now reclaimed as a great movie. Paul Newman is a player and coach who decides that the best way to energize his ice hockey team is to resort to (brutal, hilarious) brawling.

WATCH IT

'Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby' (2006)

This is, without a doubt, a pretty silly movie about a NASCAR driver (Will Ferrell, never funnier) who lacks self-awareness. But as a satire about race car driving that simultaneously loves the sport, it's hard to find a better sports-comedy.

WATCH IT

'Tin Cup' (1996)

Kevin Costner wisely reunited with Bull Durham director Ron Shelton for this sports romance. In somewhat of a similar setup, Costner is a burned-out golf player who tries to one-up a rival (Don Johnson) because he's got a crush on the guy's girlfriend (Rene Russo).

WATCH IT

'White Men Can't Jump' (1992)

It's hard to find a better "sports buddy comedy" movie. Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, friends in real life, are a wisecracking basketball-playing duo that is very fun to watch. It's also a rumination on how there's still some time for fun, even as realities of the real world creep in.

WATCH IT

'The Wrestler' (2009)

Darren Aronofsky has made some brutal movies, but perhaps none more wrenching than The Wrestler. Mickey Rourke plays "The Ram," whose life as a pro wrestler past his prime is stark and devastating. Fair warning: It's pretty bleak, but (as with all Aronofsky films) there's real beauty in it.

WATCH IT

Welcome to Nice Talk, hosted by Marie Claire Editor in Chief Nikki Ogunnaike. Each week, Nikki sits down with fascinating women—entertainers, entrepreneurs, creators, athletes, and changemakers—to discuss money, power, and style. “Well-behaved” women have long been discouraged from speaking on these topics—style should be effortless, and conversations about money or power aren’t “proper,” “ladylike,” or “nice.” But Nikki's definition of a Nice Talk is one where all parties walk away feeling empowered. You can listen to Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

A'ja Wilson and her fellow WNBA teammates have long spoken out about the gender pay gap in professional basketball, and she thinks it's time for allies to stand up for them.

The Team USA and Las Vegas Aces player shares on the latest episode of the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk" how she thinks the issue of pay disparity between men's and women's sports can be best addressed, noting just how important it is for others in positions of power to advocate for the women on the courts.

"I can scream at the top of my lungs, 'I want my money in my bank account,' but who are the people who are on foot that can get the job done?" Wilson says. "That's where I lean to. That's where I tap into the most: making sure that those people who are in those spaces understand, 'No, this is something that you really want to invest in.'"

The star athlete explains on "Nice Talk" how she thinks it's essential that allies who can represent individual players and teams "speak highly" of them, and fight for fair deals and partnership opportunities—all the while emphasizing that money can be made by working with the WNBA, too. She explains, "I think the biggest thing is always showing up and being present and letting people know that, 'This is why you need to invest in us.' Because I feel like people sometimes got to see the product for real to really understand, 'Do I want to invest in this?'"

Wilson adds, "I may not be there to have that seat, but you do, and if you're really about it, this is how you can start addressing it at the table."

Thus far, the Olympian has partnered with multiple brands, including Nike, who named her one of the brand's signature athletes and she launched a collection with. "This is huge that a Black woman can sit here and say, 'That's my shoe. That's my collection that people are wearing,'" Wilson says of the collaboration. "I don't take a moment [like that] for granted."

While the Las Vegas Aces player notes that the fight toward pay equity isn't easy, she emphasizes that it's essential for the future of the WNBA. "Sometimes those conversations aren't the easiest, because people may not want to hear that, or they're like, 'This, isn't it.' But when you get those people that want to know more—that want to actually do the work—that's the people that I love to stay close with, because long term, not just now, you're planting seeds, so now the next generation can then flourish," Wilson says.

"Change doesn't happen overnight," she continues. "We're just now starting to see this huge growth of WNBA, and it's been 28 years. So understanding that when you can plant those seeds with those allies, we're going to start reaping the benefits sooner or later."

"I think the tides are slowly starting to turn because people are starting to invest and people are starting to see, 'Oh, no, these women get it done, both on and off the court,'" adds Wilson.

The basketball star, who will soon play in this summer's Olympic Games, opens up more about adjusting to becoming a celebrity athlete within the past few years, how she shies from setting high goals, and more on this week's episode of "Nice Talk." The podcast is available now wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are an American institution, and now, Netflix superstars. The renowned NFL cheer team is the center of the new hit docuseries America's Sweethearts: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, which hit streaming on June 20 and has become one of the most popular and best documentaries of the year. Created by Greg Whiteley (of Cheer and Last Chance U fame), the seven-episode show chronicles the team's 2023 season from auditions to playoffs, documenting the epic highs and lows of NFL cheerleading as the year's hopefuls try out for the world-famous organization.

Since the series premiered, countless viewers have been searching for updates on the captivating dancers. Read on to learn what some of the fan-favorites from America's Sweethearts are up to now, including who returned to training camp ahead of this year's football season.

The Veteran Candidates

Kelcey Wetterberg

Kelcey is a pediatric nurse from Omaha, Nebraska, who returned for her fifth year as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader in 2023. Per her DCC bio, she started dancing at the age of 3 and began competing by 8, as part of Nebraska Dance Company and Millard West Dance Team. In 2017, she became a gold medalist with the United States National Jazz Team. She also spent two years on the Arizona State University dance team, before becoming the Choreography Captain for the University of Nebraska's Scarlets dance team. She graduated from the school's Medical Center with a degree in Nursing in 2019, the same year she joined DCC.

In 2023, after making it onto the team for her fifth year, Kelcey was named as one of DCC's team captains, a.k.a. a 1st Group Leader. She worked as a nurse during the day and attended DCC practices at night, often leaving the house at 7 a.m. and getting back home at midnight. She said in the docuseries that though her routine was "exhausting," she still "cherished" her time on the team.

Per her Instagram, Kelcey is currently in the midst of wedding planning, after getting engaged to her fiancé Nate Crnkovich during the docuseries' filming. Last year, the dancer shared the pictures from the surprise proposal, along with a sweet caption.

"What a surprise!!! Nate, you are the man of my dreams! You make life so bright and full of love," she wrote. "Our love story has brought so much happiness and growth to my life, & now we get to write a new chapter! I’ll love you forever, I can’t wait to be your wife!!!!!"

Nate replied, saying, "I love you future Mrs. Crnkovich 😉"

Victoria Kalina

Victoria grew up with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders all her life; her mother Tina Kalina was a DCC in the '80s, and Victoria has known the team's director Kelli Finglass since she was born. Growing up in Coppell, Texas, Victoria began dancing at age 2 and competed with Top Hat Dance Centre, later becoming a teacher at the studio in high school, per her DCC bio. When she was 18, she first auditioned for the team in a process chronicled on the CMT show Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team, which ran for 16 seasons from 2006 to 2021. Though she was cut from training camp on her first attempt, she returned the next year and made it onto the team at 19.

At the start of America's Sweethearts, Victoria auditions for her fourth year on the team, and makes it through training camp to join the 2023 roster. As the cameras follow her for the season, we see Victoria's home life living with her mother Tina, with whom she's extremely close. Victoria also recalls her tenure on the team and opens up for the first time about her struggles with depression and disordered eating. "Whenever I get into a bad depression, I turn to bad coping skills, which causes bad eating habits," she explains on the show.

In the final moments of America's Sweethearts, Victoria confirmed that she did not plan to re-audition for her fifth year at DCC. Just days after the docuseries arrived on Netflix, the former cheerleader posted her first-ever YouTube video, where she revealed that she's set to move to New York City to continue her dance journey. She mentioned that she has always admired the Radio City Rockettes, but added that she's "open to any and all opportunities that are out there."

“I might go up there and hate it, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen because I’ve been dreaming of New York City being my home forever," she said. "And I’m so excited to say that is finally happening.”

The Rookie Candidates

Anna Kate Sunvold

Anna Kate grew up in Columbia, Missouri in a very athletic family; her sister Caroline is a retired DCC, while their father Jon “Sunny” Sundvold is a retired professional basketball player who played for several NBA teams. Anna Kate competed nationally as a teen, via her local studio Columbia Performing Arts Centre, and went on to join Texas Christian University's dance team, per her DCC bio. According to her LinkedIn, she graduated summa cum laude from Texas Christian University with a degree in business administration in 2023.

After graduating, Anna Kate relocated to Dallas, where she prepared for her audition with the help of Caroline. (She also lived with Caroline in a studio apartment for several months.) Anna Kate made it through training camp and became an official Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. During her rookie year, she also began her career in the financial planning industry.

Anna Kate is currently part of the 2024 training camp for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, as seen by a group photo shared on the team's official account.

On her Instagram, she's shared that she has recently been traveling and spending time with her fellow cheerleaders, including attending Reece Allman's wedding last April. Anna Kate has also celebrated special occasions with her boyfriend of four years.

Anisha Kurukulasuriya

Anisha, 31, is a pediatric orthodontist, dance instructor, and former dancer for both the NBA's Golden State Warriors and the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. She currently serves as an ambassador for the National Desi Dance League. According to her National Desi Dance League bio, she attended the University of Southern California as an undergrad, where she was a member of the Zeher dance team and won the title of Miss Bollywood America. She was previously a key dancer in Lilly Singh’s World Tour: A Trip To Unicorn Island, and she toured with the renowned dance troupe Mystic India.

Anisha auditioned for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 2023 and impressed the judges with her Bollyfusion solo, making it into training camp. However, she was eventually cut before the team was finalized. In a sentimental Instagram post, the dancer reflected on her audition and training experience.

"I know I had joked about fighting for my life every day in training camp, but I truly have no regrets about auditioning; it was an extraordinary experience to dance alongside these incredibly talented and compassionate women and I’m grateful for the friends I’ve made along the way through @dccheerleaders," she wrote. "Representing the South Asian community on such a prestigious platform was a true honor, and I hope it opens doors for others in our community to excel in this industry."

Per Anisha's Instagram bio, she splits her time between L.A. and Dallas, and she regularly hosts dance workshops in both cities. She has also taught classes in cities including London, Chicago, and N.Y.C. She doesn't appear to be part of the 2024 DCC training camp.

Charly Barby

Charly grew up in the San Francisco area in Livermore, California, and began dancing ballet when she was 2-years-old. She shared her love of dance in the docuseries, explaining, "Ballet is a great base to have…there’s a right and a wrong to technique, and I always like to get it right.” While attending Arizona State University, Charly danced on the school's dance team and competed nationally. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science in communications and a minor in media analysis in 2023.

Charly stunned the judges with her impressive technique during the 2023 auditions, and easily made it into the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' training camp. However, she was dropped from the team during the final cut. She reflected on her experience in an emotional comment, accompanied by an Instagram reel of her practices throughout the camp. "The amount of hard work, determination and dedication it takes to chase this dream is unlike anything, and I absolutely thrive off of it," she wrote, later signing off, "I’ll see you next year ;)"

Over the past year, Charly has shared many dance and travel posts on Instagram, including a birthday trip to Hawaii and a solo trip to N.Y.C., where she met up with her fellow rookie candidate Kelly Villares. On June 26, 2024, the official DCC Instagram account revealed that Charly is currently part of the training camp for the 2024 team.

Kelly Villares

Kelly is a Weehawken, New Jersey, native who has dreamed of becoming a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader for most of her life. In interviews with her parents, Lina Londono and Onel Villares, the now-divorced couple shares that Kelly has loved dance since she could walk and that they stayed married throughout her childhood partly so they could afford her lessons. Kelly trained at Studio L Dance Company in New Jersey and competed nationally on the studio's award-winning team, per her Instagram. In 2023, she graduated from Rutgers University, where she was a co-captain of the school's dance team, and soon after traveled to Dallas to audition for the team.

On America's Sweethearts, she shows off her 20 years of dance experience with a lyrical-jazz solo to Céline Dion's "Ashes," and she makes it into training camp. Kelly even gets a makeover as part of the training, where she dyes her hair brunette after several years as a blonde. However, in episode 3, Kelly gets cut from training camp, due to her lack of experience with the DCC's choreography and style of dance.

Now at 22, Kelly is currently taking part in her second year of training camp, as a rookie candidate for DCC's 2024 team. On June 26, 2024, the franchise's official Instagram shared a photo of Kelly from her latest audition for the team, along with this year's set of potential rookies. The dancer shared her excitement for this year's training camp in a comment on the post.

"I am so privileged and honored to be back in Training Camp," she wrote. "Grateful is an understatement!! Thank you for this opportunity 🥹🤍"

The New Jersey native has also shared updates from her life post-show on Instagram. She appears to have spent the months training for this year's auditions and spending time with the friends she made during the 2023 training camp. Last April, she joined Charly Barby, Anna Kate Sundvold, Camille Sturdivant, and other familiar faces in Florida to celebrate Reece Allman's wedding.

Reece Allman

Reece was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, where she began dancing at the age of 3, per her DCC bio. She attended a School of the Arts for grade school and competed in pageants as a teen, winning Miss Florida Outstanding Teen in 2017. For college, she attended the University of Alabama, where she received a degree in dance after being a member of the school's dance team for four years. She is also a devout Christian, who says in the docuseries that she believes her dancing abilities are a gift from God.

Allman was an instant star as soon as she appeared on America's Sweethearts, thanks in part to her skilled Latin ballroom-inspired tryout solo. She tried out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 2023 after graduating from college, and once she got through training camp, she became an official rookie on the team. She relocated to Dallas alongside her then-fiancé Will Allman, who she met when they were students at Bama (and who was her "first-ever boyfriend.")

In April 2024, Reece and Will were married in a gorgeous ceremony in Jacksonville. Per a wedding Reel shared on Reece's Instagram, the bride even performed a DCC dance routine at the reception. Many of the friends Reece met in the docuseries attended the wedding as well.

In another post, Will wrote of the occasion, "Married the woman of my dreams in front of 250 of my best friends and family. A perfect day that will never be forgotten. Thank you to all of you who were able to come celebrate Reece and I!"

Reece recently auditioned for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' 2024 team, per an Instagram Reel shared by the franchise's official account. She's currently part of the 2024 training camp.

The Alums

Caroline Sunvold

Caroline, 28, is a dancer and former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, who performed on the team for five years before retiring after the 2022 season. The Columbia, Missouri native discovered her love of dance as a toddler and has trained for most of her life. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s in business administration with a minor in finance in 2018. Just months later, she passed training camp and became a DCC rookie, eventually earning titles for both Rookie of the Year in 2018 and Veteran of the Year in 2022.

When America's Sweethearts began filming in the summer of 2023, Caroline was still recovering from foot and hip reconstruction surgeries, the latter of which she had put off to complete her final DCC season. After she helped coach her sister Anna Kate in preparation for the 2023 audition, Caroline attended alumni events and reflected on the next stage of her life after being a DCC (and the emotional crash that comes with so much change).

Caroline currently works as an account manager for a Dallas-area medical device company, per her LinkedIn. She also recently received a certificate in mastering sales from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. On the personal front, the dancer has also shared snapshots of her recent travels to Tulum, Mexico and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on her Instagram.

In 2014, Cleopatra Coleman and V. Stiviano were both up-and-comers seeking success in their respective fields. Coleman had just moved from Australia to L.A. to pursue acting in the U.S.—and in the years since, she has become an underrated, versatile scene-stealer on projects ranging from last year’s gruesome Infinity Pool and the FOX comedy The Last Man on Earth. Stiviano was the assistant to LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his girlfriend at the time, and nearly overnight, she became an infamous tabloid figure when TMZ released a tape of Sterling telling her not to associate with Black people. Stiviano is still best known for the scandal and has remained out of the public eye to this day, save for one viral interview.

When the tape leaked, the private conflict between Stiviano and Donald’s wife Shelly Sterling became the nation’s monocultural scandal. It also led to a racial reckoning within the NBA revolving around players’ right to protest and what owners (now dubbed “governors”) can get away with regarding their teams.

A decade later, Coleman brings Stiviano to life in FX’s Clipped, which presents her as more than the stereotypical “other woman.” “There are so many perspectives the show could have taken,” Coleman tells Marie Claire. “The fact that we were wanting to delve into her psychology at all was really exciting to me because there could be a version of this show where you [only showed] the surface-level, tabloid version of her.”

So instead of portraying her as a caricature, Coleman portrays Stiviano as a layered, ambitious woman determined to reinvent herself, possibly to her detriment. “I felt like I was playing a character based on the myth of V,” she says. “There's this idea of her with the visor and the roller skates and the white suit and the Barbara Walters and the Silly Rabbit and all of that. But then there's this human being underneath all of it.”

Now that Clipped is airing weekly on Hulu, following its June 4 premiere, Coleman chats with Marie Claire about performing scenes with Jacki Weaver and Ed O’Neill, the difference between seeking fame in 2014 and 2024, and how growing up feeling like an outsider eventually helped her Hollywood career.

Marie Claire: When you first heard about the Sterling tape scandal, what were your first impressions of everything?

Cleopatra Coleman: I had just moved to L.A. [in 2014], so I was in the States when it happened. I remember everyone was talking about it. It was such a scandalous, bizarre, upsetting combination of things. I remember V. I remember the way people were talking about V at the time. I knew what everyone else knew, which was this surface-level version of her and what we were seeing in the tabloids. So it has been really cool to unpack her further.

MC: She's a fascinating person in this saga because she's still essentially a cipher. There’s only an interview of her with Barbara Walters that’s available, and she’s so hard to read. How do you prepare to play a character like that?

CC: I was really grateful to [showrunner] Gina Welch and her exciting, nuanced, thoughtful perspective on V. In terms of getting into the character, a lot of it is the writing. I couldn't have done the performance I did without the infrastructure that Gina laid out, in just being interested in how V feels and what her experience was.

I've never played a real person before. I did approach her like I'd approach any fictional character, except that I did have that interview and a couple of other things to look at. Other than that, I really tried to treat her like any character I would approach, and that's through compassion and empathy always—just genuinely being interested in her, where she was coming from, what her motivations were, and who she was as a human being.

MC: Looking through your previous credits with Neighbours, Infinity Pool, and The Last Man on Earth, you have a history of playing characters in wild situations, whether that's soap opera or absurd horror. V can be quite melodramatic. Did you feel like you played her as going through this experience in an emotionally heightened way?

CC: She's interesting because there are elements that are quite heightened, and then she'll adopt two children, which I think is a very down-to-earth human thing. I locked into the tone of the show and the way she was written—and it is heightened because it was a heightened scandal. Harnessing that energy in the show was really important.

There's a definite heightened idea because this show is based on a true story. It's not a documentary. It is fiction, but there are factual elements. I had so much fun playing with the heightened versions, and then the moment that you think, 'Oh, this person's not a human,' like reminding you, 'No, she absolutely is.' That was really fun as an actor.

MC: V essentially was myth-making at the moment. There’s just not much foresight or thinking ahead to what comes on the other side of that fame.

CC: It was just a different time. It was kind of a seminal, viral situation. I've been thinking about this idea of like, 'If this had happened now, would it have made as much of a lasting impact,' because there are so many scandals going on all the time that we're noticing because of social media. I don't think they're happening more; I think we're just more aware of them. Perhaps if this happened now, two days later, there'd be something else.

MC: It also makes me think of some of the imagery that comes up in the show with Kim Kardashian and Omarosa. It is very much of that time and makes you think about how the nature of influencing has changed so much since then.

CC: Absolutely. The way we treat these kinds of female figures is different too. People in L.A. who have had run-ins with V love to tell me she's this or she's that. A lot of the time it's negative, and it's very interesting to me that they don't say, 'Oh, that Donald Sterling.' But then you ask other people and they're like, 'She's an icon. She's iconic.' Had this happened today, I think she would've been seen more in that light and we would've had more space to see her humanity more. But I will also agree that there's not much to gather from what we saw at the time [from] that myth-making and the images we saw. It was a very limited idea of her.

MC: Speaking of heightened absurdity, was there a scene in which you had the most fun playing opposite the Sterlings? Like, was it fun to call Shelly Sterling a witch?

CC: A lot of actors love to play the quote-unquote 'baddie.' In that moment, V was the baddie. Also though, I love Jacki [Weaver] so much. She's so sweet, and a fellow Australian. There was part of me that was dreading it. I hated being mean to her, but she also made it fun.

There's one take [from episode 1] that's not in the show, but we were trying different things, and when I blew in her face, 'You're dust,' she blew right back. And I was like, [gasp]. It was just so playful and so fun. It helps to have an actor to work opposite like Jacki Weaver, who's just an undeniable presence, and you feel that sense of trust that you can go there and we're enjoying it.

MC: Did you also have a playful mood with Ed O'Neill, even as he's playing such a horrible person?

CC: Yes, I did. Ed is such a legend, and he and I do really have this familial bond. It was shocking to me how quickly he and I were thick as thieves. He's so caring and wonderful and I felt really safe with him. It was similar to Jackie. These are pros, and so we knew what we were doing, and I felt safe to play with that very, very complicated dynamic that V and Donald have with Ed.

MC: Clipped offers some insight into V’s thinking by including scenes with Deja, her friend who she discussed everything with, but who also pushed back. What was it like playing those scenes?

CC: Really great. I did that with Yvonna Pearson, who was so excellent. She's so good in the show. Gina gave her these amazing lines about the world, feminism, and the patriarchy. All we had to do was say the words, because they meant so much, and we could bounce off each other.

It was really interesting to play with the power balance and how that shifts in their relationship. There's a time when V's really looking to her, and Deja's in a powerful position, and then there's a time when V becomes more powerful. Even in the middle of a conversation, V will switch positions. There's a lingerie scene where V's trying on the corset to go talk to Donald and Deja's schooling her on how it works. And then halfway through the conversation, V starts schooling Deja. I had so much fun with those scenes; they are really a highlight.

MC: The show portrays the different natures of fame. In the big confrontation between V and Deja, when V becomes a paparazzi star, Deja says that V is now the bad kind and famous, and V says, "There's no such thing." How did the show make you think about whether the nature of fame is a plus or a detriment?

CC: It depends on the person. There are a lot of people who are happy to be famous. They don't care what it's for. I don't really relate to that. In my realm, that success opens doors and allows me to play more characters and make more art. It's always art-focused. But I do understand that there are people who have different priorities, and we are living in a world where you can make that happen from your living room. If your goal is to make money, you really can these days. But for me, that's never been a focus or a goal. It's always just been about what I can create, and how exciting it feels to embody characters that excite me or work with people like Gina, collaborators who push me to a new place as an artist.

MC: Every role you’ve played is so versatile and chameleonic. Why did you decide to do a bit of everything in your career rather than focusing on a certain genre?

CC: It's just about the character. I'm very, very lucky that I've been able to have such a versatile career. I used to feel self-conscious about it and that I needed to choose a lane, and then I realized, that was my lane. to be as different as possible in every role, just really throw myself in, be as immersive as possible, disappear as much as I could, and be of service to the story.

I'm very interested in counterculture and people who are outliers, either because they're defiant, or because they're vulnerable, or because they're just different. That's something that I relate to; maybe that's why I end up doing jobs like that.

MC: Growing up mixed-race in Australia, did you feel a bit different, and then maybe like a fish out of water once you moved to the United States?

CC: Absolutely. Growing up in Australia, I never saw anyone that looked like me in the media. I think for a lot of us at that time, it wasn't the way that it is now, but especially in Australia, it really was not diverse. I'm also very grateful for that time because it taught me the skills that I have. It taught me my work ethic, and this idea that you have to be undeniable. You have to make it so they can't say no. To come from a space where there was no space for me, there was no lane—I still to this day have not done an Australian film—I'm also really grateful to have been able to come to America and to be able to find my place. It's not something that would've been possible in Australia.

Ultimately as an artist, I'm so, so grateful for my experience. I feel like an anthropologist when I look at other people, and that all stems from being different, being on the outside, being so interested in their psychology, and thinking, 'What's it like to be normal? What's it like to grow up with a white picket fence and like all of that?' My childhood was incredible, but it wasn't like anyone else's. It was completely creative and wild and in nature and I was just like, 'What's it like to be a normal girl?' I just found that so interesting. It's definitely been a gift as far as being an artist and having a perspective.

MC: You do have a history of writing and producing your own projects. Have you like, felt any pull to get behind the camera, as you're now 20 years on in your career?

CC: It's definitely something that interests me. I have directed a couple of short films. The one I most recently directed hasn't been released, because I'm keeping it for myself for now, but I am developing it into a feature.

My dad was a script editor for a long time, and he's a writer, as well, and it's a very unstable business. The first lead role I ever had in a feature film, I wrote myself. I learned that being an outsider in Australia, you just develop more skills. I see it as a positive. If you can rise to the challenge, it grows you. So writing was always something I knew I was going to do. I thought I'd have an acting career first and then I would write. But what I've realized is that it's better to be able to create your own opportunities.

MC: You're currently working with Jason Bateman on his next Netflix series, Black Rabbit. Clipped is already major, but once you hit Netflix, there are so many eyes on you that it's another level. As you're getting close to another level of fame and recognition, how do you like to stay true to yourself and your self-image?

CC: We'll have to see. I don't feel at risk of losing myself at all. I don't know if that's naive, but my career has been like a slow build. There haven't been a lot of huge jumps where my world has completely changed. It has slowly changed, and I've been able to acclimatize along the way, which has been really healthy, psychologically and emotionally. I've watched it happen the other way for people, where they change and they can't get a grasp of the ground. I think because I don't really prioritize fame, if anything, I welcome the idea of having access to more characters to play. It's always about that. I've been doing this for so long, and I'm so clear that this is my calling and I get so much from it, therefore I'm very protective over my relationship to my art. I always put that first.

I'm just a low-key small-town, beach-, rainforest-dwelling person. I have amazing people around me that keep me grounded, but also know how to celebrate me when it's time to do that. I have the same friends I've had since I was 15 years old. They've seen me act my whole life. Although it's like bigger stuff than the things I did in Australia, it's essentially the same thing where they're like, 'Oh, we saw your new thing,' or they'll all get together to watch whatever the new thing is. It's pretty much the same as when I was 15. Nothing's really changed. It's just that more people are seeing it. But it all depends on your perspective, and my focus really isn't on anything apart from my art form and how much I enjoy doing it.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Heading to Ralph Lauren's New York City headquarters to preview Team USA's Opening and Closing Ceremony uniforms for the 2024 Olympics, I expected to see a room full of red, white, and blue. It's tradition: Ralph Lauren has designed Team USA's Opening and Closing Ceremony outfits for the past eight Olympic Games, beginning with Beijing in 2008. Each time, the uniforms had plenty of stars, stripes, and Americana insignias to go around. The palette is a prerequisite for around 600 U.S. athletes to represent their country at the biggest international competition in sports, after all.

What I didn't expect in the mahogany-paneled room full of Team USA athletes and their new uniforms was a crossover with the heart of fashion's biggest trends. Returning for a ninth time, Ralph Lauren is still dressing athletes for the Olympics in their star-spangled best—but they're emphasizing the crossover between the world of sport and the world of fashion in fresh ways. And, it's all available for anyone to shop before the Olympic torch is even lit.

To open the Olympics, athletes including gymnastics phenomenon Simone Biles and swimming legend Katie Ledecky will wear refreshes of Ralph Lauren classics: a navy blazer with white and red trim, a striped Oxford button-down, and tapered jeans. As far as first impressions on the Olympic stage go, it's a neat summary of the classic codes defining American fashion (and Ralph Lauren's take on it), all that are being reinvented in a prep revival at brands both at home and abroad.

Things get more experimental with the Closing Ceremony uniforms. Ralph Lauren nodded to the motorsport frenzy ruling fashion and sport with white racing jackets fit for the pit of a Formula 1 Grand Prix. (Never mind that motorsport isn't Olympics-verified—yet.) Athletes (and by that point in the festivities, medalists) will pair these with white jeans and polo shirts made from a knitting technology that reduces fabric waste. I could as easily imagine these jackets in a Hailey Bieber or Emily Ratajkowski paparazzi shot as I could at the Olympics—they're a reflection of the sporty-chic outerwear that's all over street style.

All these pieces are online for purchase now. With an Olympics to be held in one of the world's great fashion capitals, it follows that the uniforms feel extra-wearable beyond the tentpole ceremonies. "This summer, Paris is the backdrop where fashion and sport will collide on the world’s stage with a global audience and that is an incredibly exciting proposition,” David Lauren, Chief Branding and Innovation Officer, Ralph Lauren Corporation, said in a statement. "For nearly 60 years, Ralph Lauren has been a pioneer at the intersection of style and sport—the vibrancy, passion, and self-expression in sport has been a central touch point of inspiration for our brand since the very beginning of the iconic Polo brand in 1967."

In addition to the Opening and Closing Ceremony uniforms, Ralph Lauren also brought "villagewear"—a.k.a. pieces for athletes to wear in their downtime—to its ninth Olympic collaboration. Here, the crossovers between trending style-meets-sport pieces are even more obvious. There are pleated tennis skorts and dresses for both actual tennis players and Challengers obsessives; chore jackets and satin bombers that are street style's light layers du jour; and lace-up rugby jerseys that wouldn't look out of place in Chloë Sevigny's closet. Prices range from $69.50 for a jersey tee to $398 for field jackets.

There's also a sign the Olympic designer is paying close attention to the viral chatter around its heritage pieces. Daniela Moroz, who will sail for Team USA, directed my attention at the preview to an item I thought I recognized among the uniforms on display at Ralph Lauren HQ: the American flag sweater "everyone knows" (in Moroz's words), updated with Olympic rings stitched below the flag.

For some athletes, bringing fashion into conversation with sport is about more than making a great first impression at the Opening Ceremony. Competing in a male-dominated field like sailing made Moroz hold herself back, style-wise. But, "over the years I've been more and more comfortable with expressing my feminine side a bit more. Fashion has to do with some of that," she told me, "and it's cool to now get to partner with such an iconic American brand and represent that on the world stage."

Moroz can't wait to wear her Ralph Lauren uniform in Paris, but she says the pieces will have a life in her closet before, during, and after the Games. (In fact, she was already wearing the Closing Ceremony uniform when we met.) "It's a cool combination of special to the Olympics, but they're totally timeless," she says of the designs. "Like you're going to be able to wear this forever and pass on to your kids. It feels really special."

Team USA apparel by Ralph Lauren is available to shop at RalphLauren.com.

One week after becoming the WNBA's top draft pick, Caitlin Clark is already set to score a league record.

Clark is reportedly nearing an eight-year Nike deal valued at $28 million—the highest value contract ever floated to a WNBA player, according to reports by The Athletic and the Wall Street Journal.

Once the paperwork's signed, she may also design Nike's next It-sneaker: Clark's deal also includes a signature shoe. She reportedly turned down proposals to become the women's face of Nike's Kobe Bryant line instead.

The highest-scoring player in the entire NCAA had her pick of brands to represent as a new player on the Indiana Fever. The WSJ and Athletic noted Adidas, Puma, and Under Armour each courted Clark with deals of their own. None came close to Nike's proposed $28 million. Under Armour had the next highest bid, at $16 million over four years.

Clark became a crowd-favorite during last month's NCAA tournament, sinking three-pointer after three-pointer and attracting the highest-ever viewership for a women's championship game with an audience of 18.9 million. Fans were outraged last week to learn that Clark—the highest-scoring player in both NCAA leagues—would only earn $76,535 annually as a WNBA rookie. Meanwhile, a first-round draft pick in the NBA can earn sums as high as $10 million.

A prospective Nike deal isn't the only historic fashion-meets-sports moment of Clark's burgeoning WNBA career. The two-time national player of the year was dressed by stylist Adri Zgirdea Toth for the 2024 draft in head-to-toe Prada—which the house had never done before for a player of any gender.

"Dressing an athlete for the draft is a first for Prada, and this is obviously a first for Caitlin, too," Zgirdea Toth told Marie Claire. "Both are at the forefront of what they do—it’s almost too perfect."

Flag football player Diana Flores's résumé is filled with athletic milestones, from becoming the youngest-ever player to compete in an international tournament for her sport (at age 16), to clinching Under Armour's first-ever ambassador spot for a flag football player (at age 26). She's competed in four World Cups and a World Games; her trophy case at home contains gold, silver, and bronze medals. She would be the last to say she reached these heights in her sport all on her own.

In conversation with Under Armour Chief Communications Officer Amanda Miller at Marie Claire's Power Play event, Flores credited each and every accomplishment to two groups of women who inspire her: the ones who break gender barriers in sports by playing with her now, and the ones who could follow her example in the future. (Okay, discipline has also played a role.)

"The thing I love the most is that you can feel this sense of sorority between all the athletes, [all from] different countries, no matter your sport," Flores said. "I bet if you see a female athlete succeed, you're going to cheer with her. And that's what it's all about."

Flores has been as devoted to championing gender parity in flag football as training for her own games. Flag football is at an exciting juncture, she noted: More than 200 million athletes currently play it across one hundred countries, and it will be included in Olympics for the first time at the Summer 2028 Games.

Still, flag football isn't a professional sport—meaning athletes are not paid for playing. Instead, they make a living outside of the arena while devoting countless hours to practicing and competing for free. "You actually pay to play, and you actually pay to represent your country, and you actually give from your pocket your time, everything, to do what you love," Flores said. "You have to be ten things at the same time, which makes, I feel, every accomplishment and every goal and every journey more to admire."

With every game and every major opportunity (like, say, a role with a massive athleticwear brand), Flores hopes to unlock new pathways for up-and-coming players—as well as that official, professional sport status.

When she found the sport at age eight, Flores had to train with teenagers because there wasn't an outlet to practice for her own age group. Now, she gets to be the example she didn't have on an international scale growing up. (And, she pays it forward by hosting training camps for young girls.)

"Everything we're working for has a bigger purpose," she said, "that it is not for us. It's for the girls that are coming behind us." Building a more equitable arena really is a team sport.

Shop Diana Flores and Amanda Miller's favorite Under Armour picks below.

Shop Diana Flores's Under Armour Picks

Shop Amanda Miller's Under Armour Picks

Naomi Osaka has announced her pregnancy to her fans.

The tennis player took to Twitter to share a sonogram, captioned, "Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023."

Osaka also included a screenshot of her Notes app with the words:

"The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that its the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun.

"These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I've dedicated my life to. I realize that life is so short and I don't take any moments for granted, everyday is a new blessing and adventure.

"I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I'm looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, 'that's my mom', haha.

"2023 will be a year that'll be full of lessons for me and I hope I'll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I'll be at Aus 2024. Love you all infinitely."

She concluded, "Sidenote : I don't think there's a perfectly correct path to take in life but I always felt that if you move forward with good intentions you'll find your way eventually."

Though she didn't mention him in her announcement, Osaka has been dating rapper Cordae since 2019, according to People.

Osaka made headlines in 2021 when she withdrew from the French Open to protect her mental health.

She discovered basketball in a grade-school sports class, and her dream began. She imagined training every day and improving her skills, playing on a team. Sounds simple enough, but as a girl growing up in Afghanistan, she knew it might be impossible.

At the time, opportunities were opening up for women and girls following the ouster of the oppressive Taliban regime by U.S.-led forces in 2001. But women and girls still faced many battles for their basic rights—including the right to go to school, play sports, and get a job. “When schools opened at that time, most people didn’t give permission for their girls to go,” says Amina, whose name has been changed for this story to protect her family. “Some of my relatives told my father, ‘Why do you send your girl to day school? She should be in the house. She should learn the house chores because in the future she should get married.’ ”

Through sheer determination, Amina managed to achieve her goal, joining the Afghan women’s national team before the age of 20. Basketball gave her the opportunity to travel beyond her city, and eventually, her country, for the first time. She pictured herself using the confidence and experience she had gained to become a government leader one day, continuing to change people’s perspectives on women’s rights. 

But she wouldn’t get the chance.

When the Taliban seized control of the country amid the withdrawal of U.S. troops in August 2021, women faced a harsh new reality. “In Afghanistan now, the Taliban are actively depriving women of livelihoods, sports, schooling, and identity,” says Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, a nonprofit that investigates and exposes abuses around the world. “Among the very first acts by the Taliban was banning all sports for women and girls. That sent a harsh message to Afghan women and girls that they have no right to be healthy and happy in public.” Indeed, a Taliban official said in September that women would not be allowed to play sports that would leave their bodies “exposed,” an edict in line with the militant group’s history of forcing women to cover themselves from head to toe.

Amina’s basketball career was not only over, but it put her life at risk. “She was a national player with high visibility in traditional and social media,” says Mara Gubuan, founder of Equality League, a nonprofit focused on gender equality in sports that has been working with Afghan women athletes to help them get to safety. Amina’s prominence made her a prime target, given the Taliban’s long history of violence against women: Under prior Taliban rule, women were not even allowed to leave the house without a male companion; those who did risked being flogged, stoned, or executed. Amina had taken on a public role—the Taliban could decide to make an example of her.

Amina knew she needed to find a way out. It seemed like another impossible dream, but that had never stopped her before. Her quest to escape the country—and the story of how she managed to make it happen—is a testament to her courage and strength, and a window into life for women in Afghanistan. But it’s not over yet.

Amina is accustomed to fighting battles for her freedoms; she has been doing so since she was a child, pursuing her love of basketball against the odds. She started by sneaking off to a local gym after school to practice with a city girls’ team, telling her parents she was doing extra coursework. But when the coach wanted her to travel to a competition in the capital of Kabul, she had to ask her parents—a daunting task.

She gathered the courage to open up to her mother, hoping she would break the news to her dad. “My mom always supported me and tried to change my father’s ideas,” she says. But news of the basketball team came as a shock. “She said, ‘What? If your father hears, he will take you out of school. And what will our neighbors say about you?’ ” Amina recalls. 

She eventually convinced her mother to talk to her dad, but it didn’t go well. Amina listened from another room. “My mom cried, ‘You should support your girl; she is good. You can go to the gymnasium and speak with her coach. You will see her friends; they are all good people. She will be healthy and happy.’ He was shouting, ‘I never should have let her go to school; she became a bad girl,’ ” Amina says. “I think he worried about our culture, our customs; he worried about other people.”

Frustrated, Amina refused to eat until her father agreed to meet with the coach. “My coach spoke a lot with my father about my future,” she says. “He said, ‘One day, you will be proud of your daughter.’ Because my coach was an old man, my father accepted that.” Her dad said she could play on the team, as long as she didn’t tell her relatives.

She laughs as she recalls traveling to Kabul for the first time. She had never flown on an airplane before. Girls rarely traveled anywhere without their parents. “It was the first trip in my life. I took just my basketball clothes and basketball shoes,” she says—it hadn’t occurred to her to bring anything else. When she wanted to take a shower, she had to ask her teammates to borrow shampoo, much to their amusement.

She joined the Afghan women’s national team in 2010, a proud moment for both her and her family. “My father 100 percent changed,” she says. “After that, my father gave permission to my sister: ‘You should go to basketball.’ I was very happy because I could change my father’s mind.” 

While on the team, Amina started college and got married. “I had a crazy schedule,” she says. She faced more battles as well: Some of her in-laws disapproved of her playing basketball and criticized her husband for it. “They said, ‘Why do you give permission for your wife to go to the gymnasium? She should be in the house,’ ” she says. “But my husband and my father-in-law supported me.”

She soon started a family and got a job with an international nonprofit teaching literacy to women, to help bring in some money. She took a couple years off from basketball, rejoining the national team in 2014. She was steadily rising in prominence, advocating for women in sports in the media and planning to get a master’s degree, when Taliban forces began seizing cities across the country.

Amina knew what that meant: “If they took Afghanistan, there is no way for me; life is not valuable for me,” she says, adding that above all else, “I was worried about my family, my husband, because, always, he supported me.”

In early August, she heard the sounds of shooting and fires as the Taliban stormed her city. When the militants took control on August 12, she scrambled to find a way to flee. She decided to head to the airport in Kabul, quickly packing a few items of clothing for her family. She didn’t know how they would manage to catch a flight out of the country. She just knew she had to try.

Before she left home, she hid her basketball certificates and paraphernalia so the items wouldn’t put her parents at risk if the Taliban were to find them. She took her university diploma, which she hid in her pants in case the Taliban stopped her at a checkpoint and took issue with her being an educated woman. “I heard the Taliban was everywhere and they would search every person,” she says. Then she crammed onto a bus with her family, on a journey to an uncertain fate.

When Amina arrived in Kabul three days later, she saw the Taliban celebrating in the streets, firing their guns into the air. Her family found a room at a shabby hotel near the bus station. Depressed and exhausted, she couldn’t believe that her future and her hard-won freedoms had suddenly disappeared. “In one moment, everything changed,” she says. “Like a dream, I tried to wake up, but I couldn’t.”

When she heard that it might be possible for vulnerable Afghans to board U.S. military flights amid the U.S. evacuation, she felt more hopeful. She texted her teammates to see if they wanted to try to evacuate with her, and some met up with her at the hotel. They tried to make their way to the airport, but chaos reigned—thousands of people were rushing to try to catch flights out of the country. “I thought, All of Afghanistan is here,” she says. Day after day, Amina’s family and teammates kept trying to get through the crush of people, to no avail. On August 26, when a suicide bomber killed at least 180 people outside the airport, her family had left the area just a few hours earlier to head back to the hotel.

The U.S. military evacuation concluded at the end of August, leaving control of the airport to the Taliban. Amina lost hope. At the hotel, things were getting dicey; she and her husband had run out of money, and her teammates worried that they would draw the Taliban’s attention for being single women staying in a hotel. To their relief, a man Amina had met through the sports world, who is not being identified in this story to protect his family, said they could take shelter at his house in Kabul.

Little did Amina know, she had an advocate a world away in America. Equality League’s Gubuan was determined to help Afghan women athletes escape. Her colleague Nida Ahmad, Ph.D., contacted an Afghan member of the International Olympic Committee, Samira Asghari, requesting rosters of the women’s national teams. Gubuan got the list of names and started contacting global organizations that she hoped could help. When she learned that FIFA, the world governing body for soccer, would be evacuating members of the women’s soccer community, Gubuan sent along the names of women on the other national teams, including Amina and her basketball teammates. FIFA said it could help members of the basketball team as well.

When Amina heard the news, she felt a flicker of hope again. 

FIFA arranged for Amina’s family, teammates, and the man who had sheltered them in Kabul to board a flight to Canada, via Qatar, in October. And not a moment too soon. Amina heard that just days earlier, the Taliban had shown up at the gym where she used to train, demanding information about the women who played there.

To help the group get through the tangle of Taliban checkpoints, Gubuan’s team forwarded letters that FIFA said were from the Canadian government. The letters said that each person had been granted a visa to enter Canada.

Letters in hand, the group headed out to the airport. The journey was fraught: When one woman’s scarf blew off her head at a checkpoint, a Taliban soldier snatched her passport and grilled her harshly, lecturing her to “wear a hijab,” Amina says. Relief came only when the man who had sheltered the team intervened.

Amina’s group—some 30 people total—managed to make it through the mayhem onto the flight to Qatar. FIFA helped evacuate more than 120 additional people at risk due to their links to women’s sports.

As Amina watched her homeland disappear through the airplane window, she had mixed feelings. “It was an amazing day for every one of us,” she says, but while she looked forward to a life of freedom in Canada, she was also saying goodbye to her parents and other beloved family members, with no idea when she might see them again, if ever.

Amina and her group made it to Qatar, but then, an unexpected blow: Canadian officials said the group did not have visas to enter the country.

The news came as a profound disappointment. Amina had believed she would be starting a new life in Canada. Now everything was uncertain. Her group was rerouted to Albania, where they were offered temporary visas. Her love of basketball had left her stateless.

When asked about the letters Amina’s group carried, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told Marie Claire in a statement, “In order to help facilitate the evacuation of vulnerable Afghans, the Government of Canada directly sent an email to impacted IRCC applicants; the email contained a letter addressed to the applicant intended to assist them in getting through checkpoints on the way to the airport.” But Amina and her companions weren’t applicants for refugee status at the time and hadn’t received the letters directly from the Canadian government. In its statement, IRCC said it is “not able to speculate as to what third-party communications some individuals may have received.”

Gubuan, whose team had received the letters from FIFA to forward to the athletes, notes that it was an extremely chaotic time and that protocols “flew out the window” in an urgent, good-faith effort to help vulnerable Afghans.

In a statement, FIFA did not address the letters specifically but told Marie Claire, “Since August 2021, FIFA has been working intensively to support the safe evacuation of members of the Afghan sporting family. … FIFA remains in contact with various authorities and organizations, including the Canadian government, to help find a permanent home for the group currently in Albania.”

Today, Amina’s family and teammates are living in limbo, staying at a hotel in Albania on temporary visas. She says she is very grateful to everyone who has helped her, and she is enjoying being able to play basketball again, but she is deeply anxious to know where she will resettle. She and her family have few personal belongings with them, just the clothes they packed in a pair of backpacks. 

Gubuan points out that the basketball players will be leaders wherever they land. “Playing sport was never easy for them—there were so many objectors and oppressors. Their fortitude to take up sport shows strength of character,” she says. “These women are not only successful in sport, but in life. They were productive in their country, and they want to be productive in their resettlement country.” She notes that individuals and small nonprofits such as Equality League stepped up when the crisis hit, but she expects international sports bodies and human rights organizations to assume future responsibility for safeguarding athletes, including the many women and girls who remain in Afghanistan hoping for refuge.

Worden at Human Rights Watch agrees. “Equality League is doing the work that UN agencies or governments should be doing: finding ways for the team to stay together, continue to train, and rebuild their lives somewhere where playing sports is not a crime.”

When Amina finds a home, she wants to become a voice for the forgotten women athletes of Afghanistan. To that end, she is working with Equality League to receive training to advocate for herself, her teammates, and others. For her future country, wherever that may be, she has a message: “We will make you proud.”

For information on how you can get involved, go to Equality League.