NFL
By: Ashley Otero
Depending on who you talk to, athletes are idols, they are our hometown heroes, or they do the impossible. However, athletes were not widely recognized as respectable members of the community or desirable role models until they began to focus on their dress during widely publicized events such as post-game press conferences. This was a major turn in reputation for athletes across the board but the main sport to really soar were NBA players. Already running the shoe game since before I can remember, the full runway finally came calling asking everyone to step up their game.
The players went from going straight from the court to in front of the press and the takeaway was typically that they are talented but lack decorum. I think we can all agree that this is a pretty biased judgement however, there is an old wives tale that says you can judge a person by their shoes, which I still do to some extent to this day.
You can expand further on that topic here: https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-sideshow/judge-90-percent-people-personalities-shoes-researchers-192903995.html.
Since this upswing in fashion forward dress, players have opened an entirely new market to themselves, clothing lines. Now we are not talking about NBA official gear here, we are talking about full-fledged, fashion forward, on the runway clothing lines. And no one better accuse these guys of only being in it for the money or to expand their empires, they are passionate about fashion, they are typically involved in every detail of the design process. This was something that went from a non issue to a full blown contest of one upping team mates with the best outfits at post-game events, press conferences, draft day events, and locker room arrivals and now has transitioned into a powerful industry. Several athlete designers have even become so respected in the industry that they have been invited to some of the most exclusive shows during fashion week, an accolade for any designer. Since the transition in clothing alone, athletes have become widely accepted in every home as respectable, up standing, goal oriented gentlemen, the ideal role model for any youngster.
I mean I have to focus on my man D. Wade here; he is a perfect example of one of the most skilled players to one that has the most skills when it comes to fashion. Wade signed in his adopted home town of Miami and has shown a loyalty throughout his career that no one can balk at, he has now made a successful transition into a powerful player in the fashion industry as well.
However, I digress, my point is that if you feel your personal style has no effect on your own life, think again. If you are someone walking around your office/restaurant/home/neighborhood and you think no one is making judgments about your personal style, you are wrong. You might very well be silently talking yourself out of numerous opportunities every minute of every day. Basically, people are not only noticing that you are wearing your pajamas but they also assume you are a lazy bum.
For 2016 let’s try to take an extra five minutes before sauntering out of the front door to coordinate an outfit and perhaps see yourself through someone else’s eyes. You never know the power a simple, “Hey, nice shoes!” can really have.
https://proplayerinsiders.com/nfl-player-team-news-features/athletic-dress-code-impact-well-dressed-athlete/
Athletic Dress Code: The Impact of Well Dressed Athletes
proplayerinsiders.com
A recent trend in professional sports is that of a dress code, this article will focus on how a dress code can impact players as well franchises.
