The combination of fashion and sports is nothing new. From Top 10-ranked tennis players bringing designer bags onto the courts to NBA players wearing their own clothes in the tunnel leading to the court, sports and fashion are now more closely linked than ever.
This alliance has made its way to the high school level, with student-athletes also sporting fashion beyond the uniform.
By wearing colorful and flashy attire, U-High athletes find confidence in their game and a way to express their personality and skill.
Each time junior Devyn Moubayed steps onto the soccer field, she laces up her bright turquoise Nike Tiempos with purple details. For her, the cleats don’t just give a competitive edge — they enhance her confidence as well.
“If I was wearing cleats that didn’t look good or with bad colors, I would maybe be a little self-conscious,” Devyn said.
Like Devyn, junior Osvaldo Carretero sees his hot pink spikes as a way to express his personality but to also feel more confident before a cross country or track and field race.
“I feel like having shoes that represent my personality kind of makes me feel more confident when I’m racing,” Osvaldo said. “Since whenever people see me running, they’d be like ‘Oh, this person’s literally colorful.’”
This connection between personal style and performance isn’t limited to footwear. Ninth grader Sally Barth is known to wear brightly colored suits during swim practices. Her favorite suit is her hot pink one, because it gets noticed. She feels that these suits help showcase her personality.
“I would say I’m a bubbly person, especially during swimming,” Sally said, “and I feel like it brings out that aspect.”
On the basketball court, sophomore Bomi Johnson turns heads with his bold footwear choices. His pink or blue Nike KD4s serve as the statement piece of his basketball uniform and compression wear.
“That’s what people see, and when my shoes are colorful, they know when I’m on the court,” Bomi said. “Even if everyone on the court is skilled, it is something that can differentiate you from one another.”
Bomi believes shoes allow players to adequately represent themselves.
“Shoes can tell a lot about a person,” Bomi said. “When you think about what you wear on the court and, like, your accessories, it is kind of like regular fashion. It tells your mindset and feelings about the sport.”
Accessories also play a large role in how student athletes have added flair to their game-day looks. During the volleyball season, junior Isabella Huang often wore hair ribbons instead of just regular elastic bands during her games to add to the fun of the season.
“I think it was a cute accessory especially during the homecoming games,” she said.
While accessories and colorful shoes often draw attention, many athletes emphasize a balance between substance and style. Osvaldo sees a correlation between playing level and fashion.
“If you’re wearing bright shoes or bright spikes, then you’re probably fast,” said Osvaldo.
For Bomi, fashion does come in tandem with skill, but skill is still the priority.
“I like to focus on the skill first,” Bomi said, “and then I’ll get the shoes.”
Devyn also believes that skill is primarily what tells the story of an athlete. She adds that although it is important to feel like you look good, it should not be the primary way athletes represent themselves.
She said, “Skill makes the player, not the cleats.”
