WNBA style diaries: The league’s fashion game is just as fierce as the one on the court

It’s not a catwalk, but it might as well be.

With high-fashion looks, designer pieces and curated outfits, the WNBA’s pregame tunnel has morphed into a fashion show. Players are expressing themselves through game-day fits that have become a staple of WNBA culture.

Welcome to Yahoo Sports’ WNBA style diaries. This week, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, DiJonai Carrington, Rickea Jackson and Jordan Horston share their personal style, favorite fit moments and thoughts on the WNBA’s fashion renaissance.

Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Washington Mystics

There’s one outfit from childhood that sticks out to Walker-Kimbrough. As a toddler, her mom put her in a coat with leopard-print cuffs and a matching headband.

“Always had [me] looking cute,” Walker-Kimbrough said of her mom. But once she got older, she developed a stubborn side and refused to wear what her mom wanted. To this day, the two have playful disagreements about what the eight-year veteran wears, but that hasn’t stopped the Mystics guard from developing her own style. When she’s in the tunnel, Walker-Kimbrough wears effortlessly cool fits, neutral colors and statement pieces.

Yahoo: How would you describe your personal style?

Walker-Kimbrough: The one word I normally like to use is versatile. I like to be able to wear different things and not be predictable while staying true to me. I’ll even say authentic. I’ll be inspired by other things, but I always add a piece of me to it.

Yahoo: How has your style evolved over the years?

Walker-Kimbrough: I think for me it is like just trying new things. And being comfortable with trying new things. I’m a creature of habit. So I’m very routine. When I look at my closet, I definitely fall in love with the grays and the blacks and the creams. So for me, it’s just adding a little bit of color here and there.

Yahoo: How did you get into fashion?

Walker-Kimbrough: I like to get dressed every single day. Even if I’m just going to the mall, even if I’m just going to a convenience store. But I will say, I started appreciating fashion more when I went and played in Europe. And fashion to them, it isn’t even fashion, it’s just a way of life over there. They go to grab coffee and they’ve got furs on, peacoat, trench coat, everyone is getting dressed. So then I was like, ‘Oh I’ve gotta do more.’

Yahoo: Do you have a stylist?

Walker-Kimbrough: I definitely do my own. I’m not opposed to working with a stylist, but I struggle with authority, so I don’t know if that would go well with my personality (laughs).

Yahoo: How do you pick your tunnel fits?

Walker-Kimbrough: When I go shopping I just get pieces, and also, I don’t care if I rewear my stuff. I won’t rewear an outfit, but I rewear the same pieces all the time. So for me, I like to start with a statement piece, so that can be some pants, a jacket, a hat, even shoes. Usually it’s a colorful piece, and then I start styling around that piece.

Yahoo: Where are your favorite places to shop right now?

Walker-Kimbrough: Zara is one of my favorite places, and I like a lot of European brands because my body type fits European styles a lot more. Zara is a place where I can get that style here in the U.S. Because I also hate trying stuff on. I just hold it up against my body and put it together in my mind, and then hope for the best (laughs). More times than not, it does come together.

Yahoo: What are some trends you like right now?

Walker-Kimbrough: I like over-baggy pants or over-baggy shorts. Over-baggy sweats, over-baggy everything right now. Because for a long time, because I’m very, very thin, everything just looked really weird on me. Everything looked oversized on me already. So now I love a crop top with over-baggy pants. That’s like a casual fit for me right now.

Yahoo: Are there any trends you’re not into right now?

Walker-Kimbrough: Not really, because that’s my favorite thing about fashion. There is no rulebook. That’s one thing I really appreciate about the whole fashion world is that you can grab so many ideas and get creative as you express yourself. No one can tell you that it doesn’t work, as long as it’s true to you.

Yahoo: Why do you think fashion has become such a big part of WNBA culture?

Walker-Kimbrough: I think it’s because there are a lot of eyes on the W right now, and obviously we are more than athletes. I think the tunnel walks and the fashion is just another way to express ourselves and show that we are more than just athletes and for people to get to know more about us. Clothes can tell a story. There are different brands and businesses that people can support just by wearing a hat or shirt, or custom sneakers. So I think it’s another avenue for us as athletes to express ourselves outside of our jerseys and our uniform.

Yahoo: Who are other WNBA players whose style you like?

Walker-Kimbrough: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Arike Ogunbowale, Diamond DeShields, Rae Burrell and Cameron Brink have been making some noise. I like Izzy Harrison. I’ve been eyeing Stewie (Breanna Stewart) this year. Her fits are nice. I could go on and on (laughs).

DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun

Carrington’s interest in fashion was sparked after years of wearing a school uniform. The lack of individuality back then has made way for a style that’s all her own. Carrington plans every game-day fit after a post-shootaround nap and loves fitted silhouettes, unexpected color combinations and – despite the call-back to her uniform – a pleated skirt.

Yahoo: How would you describe your personal style?

Carrington: Very feminine, girly. I like a lot of colors.

Yahoo: How has your style evolved over the years?

Carrington: I just kind of learned my body and learned what looks good on me. I learned how to integrate color and not necessarily have it match, but more so coordinate. I think that that has helped me for sure, style-wise. And then just expanding into wearing skirts, shorts, pants, dresses, like just wearing more of a variety of things. I don’t really wear jeans much, and I used to wear jeans all the time. But now I like different kinds of bottoms.

Yahoo: What inspired your interest in fashion?

Carrington: I’ve always liked to look good. When I look good, I feel good. I grew up wearing uniforms, all through high school, elementary school, preschool, all of it. Once I got to college, that was the first time I got to wear my own clothes to class, so I would put together an outfit every single day, and I just kind of carried it on to when I became a pro.

Yahoo: What is your favorite outfit from the season so far?

Carrington: Probably the denim two-piece with the really high pink heels. I loved that one. I had the shoes and I was just waiting for the right outfit to wear with them.

Yahoo: Where are your favorite places to shop right now?

Carrington: I like Fashion Nova, Shop Akira, Pink Plastic, and there are a bunch of small little boutiques that I be shopping at.

Yahoo: What’s a trend that you really like right now?

Carrington: I really like pleated miniskirts, which is funny because that’s what I wore for my high school uniform. But I still like them, and they are back in style.

Yahoo: What’s a trend you don’t like?

Carrington: I just don’t like it when people wear stuff they aren’t comfortable in. But that’s none of my business (laughs).

Yahoo: Do you have any style icons?

Carrington: I’m a big pinterest girl, so I don’t really know the people. But I look at pinterest outfits to get ideas. Sometimes I’ll just type in two colors and see how people mix and match.

Yahoo: Are there any other W players whose style you appreciate?

Carrington: NaLyssa Smith, and I’ll leave it at that (laughs).

Yahoo: Who on your team would you trust to dress you for a day?

Carrington: Ty Harris for sure. She puts together some good stuff. We don’t dress similar at all, but I can just tell she has the eye for it, and she understands how to put things together.

Yahoo: Which of your teammates would you most want to style?

Carrington: Honestly, all of them. I would like one day with each player. That would be very fun.

Yahoo: Why do you think fashion has become such a big part of WNBA culture?

Carrington: It’s clickbait, honestly. It helps to reach a different audience. Because sometimes people aren’t necessarily basketball fans, but they see the fashion side and it draws them in. It helps expand the game. I dress for myself based on what I like and what looks good on me, but I’m definitely not blind. I know the publicity the fashion side gets for us, for sure.

Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks

When Rickea Jackson was a kid, she wasn’t sure she could play basketball. Not because she wasn’t talented – Jackson was a natural – but because she thought the sport clashed with her love of all things glitz and glamour. Now, she’s fierce on and off the court. And little Rickea, she says, “Would be smiling ear to ear.”

When it comes to her fits, Jackson set the tone at the WNBA Draft, when the rookie wowed viewers with two iconic looks. The outfit change was just the beginning. Now, Jackson is working with stylist Haley Crowe to take her high-fashion style even higher.

Yahoo: How would you describe your style?

Jackson: My personal style is cute, fierce, a little bit of everything. I honestly don’t have a set, like, genre, but I just love stuff that looks good and complements me.

Yahoo: What sparked your interest in fashion?

Jackson: I would have to say my mom. Growing up she would buy me the cutest stuff, like whatever phase I was in, she would get it. I went through a rock girl phase, I went through a ballerina tutu phase, I did the super long Converse that go up to your knees. I went through every phase you can think of. So for me, it started really young, and my mom just supported that.

Yahoo: Tell me about your draft outfits. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone do an outfit change before.

Jackson: I just wanted to be different. You only get one draft in your life, so I was like, ‘Go big or go home.’ For my red carpet look I just wanted to give ‘fierce.’ I had my buffs on (Cartier sunglasses) to pay homage to Detroit where I’m from. And then with the suit, in older drafts I’ve seen, the players wore suits. And in the NBA they wear suits. So I wanted to glam it up a little bit with the silver, sparkly suit. So yeah, I wanted to give two different vibes.

Yahoo: How do you pick your gameday looks?

Jackson: I just started working with a stylist, Haley Crowe, just to kind of take some of the stress off me. But before that, I’m such a big shopper. So I just go into a store and see what’s cute, and think how I would wear it down the tunnel. It’s fun, and that’s what made me want to start doing tunnel fits. You feel pretty, and you know, basketball isn’t just all basketball. It’s OK to be cute and be hooping, or to have swag and hoop.

Yahoo: Do you have a favorite outfit so far this season?

Jackson: The LUAR one with the long blue trench coat. I feel like that gave straight model. It was different. It was bomb. That was definitely my favorite look so far.

Yahoo: How has your style evolved over the years?

Jackson: I feel like before, I was really more chill. In college, we didn’t do tunnel fits or things like that. So I just dressed pretty chill, pretty cute. But now, if I don’t look bomb before a game, I’m pretty upset (laughs). I like to look cute. It’s just fun, you get to take pictures, you get to take videos and things like that.

Yahoo: Who are your favorite designers or places to shop?

Jackson: I like all of them pretty much (laughs). Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Sami Miro Vintage I like a lot. Dior, I love Dior. YSL, honestly I love them all. My go-to for, like, chill outfits is Balenciaga. I like their slides, joggers, hoodies. And when I want to go, like, upbeat tennis girl, I go Chanel, and when I want to be comfortable I go Dior. So it really depends on the vibe.

Yahoo: What’s a trend you like right now?

Jackson: I’m a skirt girl right now. I love a cute little mini skirt and little arm jacket, that is me right now. With either a heel or a boot, that is my go-to right now.

Yahoo: What is a trend you don’t like?

Jackson: Me, personally, I’m not a baggy clothes person. But, if my stylist was to come to me with, like, a baggy pant look, and it was cute and tight up top then I would probably like it, but overall for me, personally, I don’t like the baggy look.

Yahoo: Are there any trends you think we will see in the W soon?

Jackson: I feel like the high-fashion looks are going to continue to grow. Because every time I do a cute tunnel fit, it blows up on Twitter. So I think people who are up-and-coming in the fashion industry, or just fashion people in general, have been reaching out. And they are going to want to continue to see us in their stuff because it’s something that a lot of people are looking at.

Yahoo: Who are some of your style icons?

Jackson: I don’t have a set person, I just know what fits me. But someone the other day said I kind of give Megan Thee Stallion. But I’m not as provocative as her because, you know, I’ve got to be professional (laughs). I love Teyana Taylor. I don’t know if I could wear what she wears because she’s just different, but I love her style. It’s bomb. And Coco Jones, for her classy looks.

Yahoo: What about in the W?

Jackson: Izzy Harrison. I love her outfits because they are so different. She has different kinds of pants, and she always offsets it with something else but it always goes. It’s never too much, it’s always perfect.

Yahoo: Why do you think fashion has become such a big part of WNBA culture?

Jackson: For one, people are starting to tune in more and we are getting more eyes, more viewership. So why not? Especially if you’re into fashion, why not put that out there with your other job? So it’s like killing two birds with one stone. You’re going to work, so let me put on this cute outfit because it’s going to bring more eyes, more companies. And you get to take pictures, make memories. You don’t get this back, so might as well have fun while doing it.

Jordan Horston, Seattle Storm

For Horston, fashion is all about creativity, and when she needs an extra spark to find the perfect outfit, Horston uses her imagination. She likes to imagine a scenario and curate a look to go with it. Maybe one day she’s styling a fit for a new exhibit at a museum. Another day she could be inspired by businesswear, imagining she’s the coolest person in a 9-5 office. No matter the scenario, one thing stays the same: Horston always looks good. Her tunnel looks feature deliberate accessories, boxy T-shirts and footwear from an extensive shoe collection.

Yahoo: How would you describe your style?

Horston: I can’t describe my style because I really go off of how I’m feeling in the moment. I’m a Gemini, and if you know anything about zodiac signs, my style is completely a Gemini. Somedays I like a button-up, a tie and a sweater. Other days I’m in streetwear. It’s very versatile, just like my game.

Yahoo: How has your style evolved over the years?

Horston: It’s evolved along with the fashion trends. Like before I was into skinny pants and fitted shirts, and now I’m into baggy clothes, boxy shirts and streetwear.

Yahoo: How did you get into fashion?

Horston: I grew up loving to put clothes on. My mom would be like, ‘Where are you going? Why are you putting on a whole outfit to go to the grocery store?’ (laughs). But it always made me feel good. I always remember getting up, putting on a nice outfit and knowing my day was going to be great. I’ve always loved clothes.

Yahoo: How do you pick your tunnel fits?

Horston: Usually what I do is if I have something that a brand sent me, then I will design my outfit around that. But other than that, I base my outfits around what shoes I haven’t worn yet. I love shoes, I’m a big sneakerhead, and I usually decide my outfits based on what shoes I’m wearing, and what mood I’m in. And I don’t even know how many pairs of shoes I have. Too many.

Yahoo: What is your favorite outfit you’ve worn this season?

Horston: The last one I wore, and then my next one will be my favorite. I just always try and put on something that makes me feel good. When I get dressed it’s almost like I’m stepping into a character. So it could be business-casual, going to see some painting. It’s just the vibe, the type of vibe I’m feeling.

Yahoo: What are your favorite designers or places to shop right now?

Horston: Mnml, they send me a lot of clothes. But I was already shopping with them before they were sending me stuff. I love their stuff. Like I could wear strictly mnml every day and be happy. I like boohooMAN, and, of course, you’ve gotta love Fashion Nova. They are always pretty hip with the new trends. And I like smaller brands too. I like finding ones people don’t know. Those have the best quality, like I love graphic T’s, and I’ll get them from smaller brands.

Yahoo: What is a trend that you think we will see in the W soon?

Horston: I feel like the ’90s look is coming back. Kysre (Gondrezick) was doing it, and I’ve seen Angel (Reese) do it a little bit. Blazers are always going to be a thing, and then the boots and skirts for the girly-girls. I’m liking that. That’s hot.

Yahoo: Why do you think fashion is such a big part of WNBA culture?

Horston: It’s allowing people to see who we are. We can express ourselves with our clothes. There’s not just one layer to us as basketball players, who just come in in sweats every day. It allows people to see who we are as people and how we would present ourselves in the real world. And, you look good, you feel good, you play good.

Yahoo: Who are some other basketball players whose style you like?

Horston: In the NBA I like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. I love his style. His fits be fire. And then in the W, I have to go with DiJonai (Carrington). She’s been putting it on this year. I like Olivia Nelson-Ododa, her style is nice, and Rae Burrell, my old teammate at Tennessee.

Yahoo: Who is a teammate you’d like to style for a day?

Horston: Jewell Loyd. She’s a chill type of person, so I’d go with something that has chill vibes. Jeans, a graphic T, and then the accessories. You don’t really have to do too much with the fit, it’s all about the accessories.

Yahoo: Which of your teammates would you trust to style you?

Horston: Skylar Diggins-Smith. She can dress. I would definitely put her in my icons, too, because she be dressing.