Brooklin Dailey runs up and down the basketball court in Drake blue each game, but off the court, she’s all country glamour. A farm girl at heart, she wears white sparkly cowgirl boots paired with a cowgirl hat and either denim skirts or baggy jeans when she slam dunks a paper in class or turns in a buzzer-beater assignment right on time.
The sophomore guard isn’t the only Drake student-athlete known for their fashion sense. In fact, she’s one of many American athletes trying to project a more fashionable image to their fans.
Travis Kelce, Stefon Diggs and Jalen Hurts treat stadium tunnels like catwalks. Tennis star Serena Williams graced a sand-studded cover of Vogue in a flowing blue dress.
Haley Harves, a sophomore at Drake, describes covers like Williams’ as a “looking glass” into the personalities of her favorite athletes. She believes people’s sense of style is often a glance into their deepper personality, like retired tennis pros Caroline Wozniacki and David Lee showing off their opposite personalities through opposite outfits or Naomi Osaka wearing bold stripes on Vogue covers.
Harves also learns a lot from student-athletes’ pre-game fits.
“Being able to have these creative, fun and cool outfits during the pregame, it’s a great way for people to express themselves,” Harves said. “You can definitely sense a general vibe from people by what they wear.”
As Harves puts it, athletes wear more than just workout gear. This rings true for Dailey, who considers if she has practice when picking outfits. If she does, her style is comfier clothes that are easier to change into when going from class to practice.
During the off season, by contrast, Dailey embraces the freedom of the off-season, putting away the athleisure for a more elevated look. She is purposeful about styling her hair elegantly, like half-up-half-down or braids, while also sprucing up her style with all things denim and her massive collective of cowgirl boots.
Dailey grew up on a farm right outside of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, which is where her love of Western style comes from.
“A lot of the times when you wake up and you’ve got to go to practice, you don’t want to wear jeans and skirts. That’s not very comfortable,” Dailey said. “… If you’re busy, you’re forced to wear a comfier outfit. I do wish there was a little more freedom there. That can be fun. Especially when it gets nicer out.”
Dailey loves to accessorize. Her favorite accessory is a chunky bracelet. She advises everyone to be intentional about these smaller fashion details.
“Chunky bracelets, belts, necklaces or earrings can make an outfit or break an outfit,” Dailey said. “I also think doing your hair is a big part of making an outfit, because if your hair is sloppy it makes the outfit worse.”
Sophomore football player Javon Murry describes accessories as a large part of his style, especially during games. Fashion is a way of expressing himself without saying anything.
“If it’s a big rivalry game, I’ll definitely try to pick something that pops out to people because I want them to know it’s a statement,” Murry said.
Murry describes his style as sporty but still remaining comfortable. He doesn’t go out of his way to dress up, instead wearing what feels nice, though he said Eagles member Saquon Barkley’s style is an inspiration.
Gabbie Schroeder, a junior defensive specialist on the volleyball team, is also a fan of comfier outfits. It is all about being “intentional but effortless” for Schroeder. She uses this philosophy when she needs to look put together without overcomplicating her outfit.
“I’m really big into my color palette and things that accentuate my features,” Schroeder said. “I don’t like to wear flashy things. I like to be simple but effective.”
Schroeder’s fashion advice is simple: the sandwich method. A matching top and shoes are the bread, while a contrasting bottom piece is the filling.
Schroeder assures people that fashion does not have to be expensive. She finds most of her favorite items at Target, whichat she thinks is an affordable option for college students.
“Growing up, we weren’t wealthy, but I still wanted to put myself out there and be myself,” Schroeder said. “I think your outfit and your style is a great way to show the kind of person you are, so I’ve always been, ‘Ballin’ on a Budget.’”
Both Dailey and Schroeder use social media to display their favorite outfits. Schroeder doesn’t want her social media to be a “highlight reel,” so she posts random moments to show that people can look cute in anything.
But these athletes aren’t dressing for the camera or the court. Drake athletes’ style comes from choosing what resonates with them, whether it be Western, Eagles-inspired or just whatever is most comfortable.
