Shakira Austin didn’t realize how important fashion would become when she entered the WNBA in 2022.
Her introduction to game-day tunnel fashion began at the University of Mississippi in 2020.
“My school started doing their own tunnel fits,” she said. “It was cute, but I definitely didn’t know [the WNBA tunnel walk was] as popping and as big as it is now.”
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During the last few years, college and WNBA social media teams have photographed players walking into arenas and to their locker rooms on game day. Tunnel walk fashion now quickly spreads on social media on game days.
The Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese poses on the orange carpet during WNBA All Star Game week in Indianapolis. (Darron Cummings / Associated Press)
What started as a social media trend that fans enjoyed has become a high-profile chance for WNBA players to show off their personal style and potentially land endorsement deals. A Vogue article published last season declared that “The WNBA Tunnel Is Officially a Fashion Destination.”
Austin has adapted to the spotlight and says she enjoys expressing herself through clothing.
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“It gives a little bit of a model essence,” Austin said. “You go through, you pick out your fit for the day, and all cameras are on you, so it’s definitely a nice little highlight off the court before you start to lock in for the game.”
Now in her fourth year with the Washington Mystics, Austin’s sense of style is fully her own.
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Without much styling advice from teammates as a rookie, she leaned on her passion for creativity and beauty to guide her looks.
“I’ve just always liked to express myself through beauty — from either masculine or feminine looks,” she said.
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At 6 foot 5, Austin has had to work with limited clothing options.
“Being that I am a tall girl, it’s kind of hard to find clothes, so repeating stuff is a big deal for me,” she said. “Also, just making [the outfit] a different vibe each time.”
The Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers poses on the orange carpet during a WNBA All-Star Game event in Indianapolis. (Darron Cummings / Associated Press)
Connecticut Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa didn’t get comfortable until she partnered with stylist Kristine Anigwe, a former WNBA player and owner of KA Creative Consulting.
“Figuring out, ‘OK, this is my style, this is what I actually like and enjoy wearing. How can I put it together in something that is comfortable and makes me feel confident?’” Nelson-Ododa said.
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She describes being a “serial pieces repeater,” choosing to mix and match rather than follow trends.
“Honestly, it’s fashion, there’s like no rules to it.”
Off the court, fashion is now a way for her to show different sides of herself beyond her basketball identity.
“We already have an amazing job like this, and being able to add on by showing ourselves in a different light is super fun,” she said.
Although she doesn’t have the biggest interest in fashion, Sparks center Azura Stevens has seen tunnel fashion evolve into something much bigger.
The Sparks’ Rickea Jackson poses on the orange carpet during a WNBA All-Star Game event in Indianapolis. (Darron Cummings / Associated Press)
“It’s cool to put together different fits, kind of show your personality through style,” she said. “I am kind of used to it now — it’s just a part of the game-day routine.”
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During her time in the league, fashion has become a natural part of the culture.
“It has become a really big thing for it to be like runways almost before the game. It’s a part of the culture now of the [league],” she said.
Stevens’ teammate, veteran forward Dearica Hamby, has had a career full of fashion transitions since she entered the league in 2015 when fashion wasn’t a major part of the WNBA culture.
“Mine has changed over the course of the years,” she said. “For me, I’m sometimes business-like, but overall just really well put together.”
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Hamby credits her time with the Las Vegas Aces as the moment she saw the shift.
“I kind of feel like my time in Vegas is when it really took off. We had a really talented photographer who was able to capture our fits,” she said.
Hamby is still learning what works best for her style. One thing she’s noticed: how an outfit looks in a photo matters.
“Sometimes things don’t photograph well, and that’s what I am starting to learn,” she said. “It could look good in person, but it doesn’t necessarily photograph well, so you wanna wear things that are cut and crisp.”
As tunnel walk content grows on social media, so can critiques of players and their outfit choices.
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“I’ve definitely gotten flamed before for certain outfits,” Nelson-Ododa said. “Some people are not fans and some people are fans. I really don’t care, as long as it feels good on me, I’m fine.”
“You definitely know that eyes are going to see, and you’re going to be talked about — whether it’s a positive view or negative view,” Hamby said.
What matters most to Hamby is the feeling behind the fit: “Just remind yourself that if you feel good and you feel like you look good in it, that’s all that matters.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
