As the Dallas Wings opened their WNBA season, Lala Ronay, a well-known content creator, sat courtside in a custom outfit designed by Houston-based streetwear designer Kenz. The outfit, featuring a black denim puffer jacket with the number 24 on the chest pocket and the name "Ogunbowale" on the back, was a testament to her fiancé, Arike Ogunbowale, a Wings player (Vogue). This particular look was just one example of the intentional fashion choices WAGs (wives and girlfriends of athletes) make for gameday.
In recent years, WAG culture has become a cultural phenomenon, with even high-profile women like Taylor Swift and Simone Biles making headlines while sporting custom designs by Kristin Juszczyk, wife of 49ers player Kyle Juszczyk. As women's sports gain more visibility, the attention on the athletes themselves and their partners increases exponentially.
This means that WAGs... whether high-profile or not, are aware that they may be photographed and scrutinized simply because of their association with an athlete. Danielle Edwards, fiancé of Indiana Fever's Erica Wheeler, is a prime example of this awareness. She often sits courtside in Balenciaga, opting for a more subtle fashion statement.
In WAG culture, it is common for partners to avoid wearing the jersey of their partner, instead opting to get creative with their gameday look. As Alexis Robinson, founder and owner of custom denim brand Boujee Basics, notes, "I think with the game growing itself... it's cool to see another outlet of originality" (Vogue). For WAGs like Morghan Medlock, dating Brittney "Slim" Sykes of the Washington Mystics, the awareness of being constantly photographed and videoed is a significant consideration.
Medlock, a chef, "has been dating Sykes for about a year and sits courtside at every home game." She notes, "Because I sit courtside at every home game, it brought awareness that I have to be 'on' because there are pictures being taken and cameras everywhere." Medlock's relationship with Sykes is prominent, "with Sykes often kissing her on her way back from the locker room after halftime." The increasing visibility of women's sports has created a new sphere of influence for WAGs.
As designer Kenz notes, "I think it's amazing to see the women's league growing, and the wives and girlfriends supporting each other and pushing the fashion forward ← →
Fashionable WAGs Of Women's Sports
• The increasing visibility of women's sports has led to a spotlight on the fashion choices of the athletes and their partners, referred to as WAGs (wives and girlfriends of athletes). This has led to a cultural phenomenon where WAGs are expected to dress up for games and be "on display". 2. Unlike men's sports, where WAGs often wear their partner's jersey, there is a norm in women's sports to avoid wearing the jersey of one's partner. Instead, WAGs opt for creative and original outfits, making it a deliberate and intentional process. 3. The growing popularity of women's sports has led to an increase in opportunities for designers to dress up WAGs. Designer Kenz, who created a custom outfit for Lala Ronay, is one example. This increased visibility has also led to a rise in partnerships between designers and WAGs, as seen with Alexis Robinson's custom denim brand Boujee Basics, which has dressed several WAGs. 4. WAGs are aware that they may be photographed and scrutinized simply because of their association with an athlete. This is reflected in the intentional fashion choices they make, such as Morghan Medlock's admission that she has to be "on" because there are pictures being taken and cameras everywhere. The relationship between WAGs and athletes is often public, as seen with Sykes and Medlock, who kisses her girlfriend on her way back from the locker room, making it clear what their relationship is and drawing even more attention.
"Fashion and Sports"
The world of fashion and sports - two industries that have long been intertwined, but only recently have started to blur the lines. As the women's professional basketball league, the WNBA, continues to grow in popularity, so too has the spotlight on the wives and girlfriends of these athletes. Dubbed "WAGs," they've become a cultural phenomenon, with their fashionable choices making headlines and influencing the way we think about style.
According to "Vogue," these WAGs are no longer just confined to the sidelines, but are now actively participating in the game, literally and figuratively. Take Lala Ronay, the well-known content creator who attended a recent WNBA game dressed to the nines in a custom outfit designed by Houston-based streetwear designer Kenz.
The outfit, featuring a black denim puffer jacket with the number 24 on the chest pocket and the name "Ogunbowale" on the back... was a testament to her fiancé, Arike Ogunbowale, a player for the Dallas Wings. But WAGs are more than just fashion plates. They're also partners, friends, and role models, using their platforms to promote positivity and self-confidence. As Danielle Edwards, fiancé of Indiana Fever's Erica Wheeler, notes, "I think it's cool to see another outlet of originality" - referring to the creative expression that WAGs display through fashion.
With the increasing visibility of women's sports, WAGs are no longer just spectators... but are now integral to the game. One WAG who's embracing her newfound fame is Morghan Medlock, chef and partner to Brittney "Slim" Sykes of the Washington Mystics. With her relationship prominently featured on social media, Medlock has become acutely aware of the importance of maintaining a polished image.
"Because I sit courtside at every home game, it brought awareness that I have to be 'on' because there are pictures being taken and cameras everywhere," she says matter-of-factly. But behind the glamorous facade, WAGs are also facing scrutiny and pressure. "I think it's amazing to see the women's league growing, and the wives and girlfriends supporting each other and pushing the fashion forward," says designer Kenz, "who has collaborated with several WAGs on bespoke designs." With great visibility comes great responsibility, "and these women are navigating the spotlight with poise and grace." As the WNBA continues to gain traction and popularity, it's clear that WAGs will remain an integral part of ← →
When the Dallas Wings opened their WNBA season, Lala Ronay was sitting courtside in a custom outfit. The well-known content creator was decked out in a black denim puffer jacket with the number 24 on the chest pocket. On the back, jersey-style, the name “Ogunbowale” was above another, larger number 24. The look was created for Ronay by Houston-based streetwear designer Kenz, in support of Ronay's fiance, Wings player Arike Ogunbowale.□□□ □□□
The wives and girlfriends (WAGs) of men's sports are a cultural phenomenon in their own right—whether as the stars of E! And VH1 reality shows, or as scene-stealers during this past NFL season. (Taylor Swift and Simone Biles both made headlines while sporting the custom designs of 49ers player Kyle Juszczyk's wife, Kristin Juszczyk .) As the profile and visibility of women's sports increases exponentially, the fashion of the athletes themselves is getting more attention than ever —but that means there are more eyes on their partners, too.
