The Most Stylish Games Ever
By Hannah-Leeba Ellenhorn, Arts Editor
The recent Summer Olympics were by far the most stylish games ever. Competing for medals, the athletes also won fashion gold, sporting uniforms designed by haute couture icons and setting new fashion trends. From the gymnastics arena to the swimming pools and even at track-and-field events, the athletes not only played hard but looked pretty darn cute.
Some particularly stand-out fashion moments were provided by the gymnasts. Great Britain’s uniforms were designed by Stella McCartney (daughter of Paul, and justifiably famous in her own right). In red leotards, the gymnasts of Great Britain stood out for their costumes’ vibrancy and sparkle.
Glitz and glitter proved to be compulsory in the Russian gymnasts’ routines. Looking as if they bathed in glitter with hair that was encrusted in sparkles, they still never managed to shine as bright as U.S. gold medalist Gabby Douglas and her million-dollar smile. The Fab Five of the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team may not have run through fields of glitter, but they managed to win the gold and sparkle without it. The U.S. Team sported red leotards laced with rhinestones along the arms and torsos.
Swimmers typically aren’t fashion trendsetters. But that’s what the Olympics are for, breaking records and embracing trends! The American men and women scored well in medals but when it came to fashion, Ryan Lochte was an all-around winner. Sure Michael Phelps will go down in history as the Olympian who won the most medals (22 to be exact), but Lochte will be remembered as the Ralph Lauren fashion model who flashed his fabulous American flag grill during five medal ceremonies.
Although most bathing suits worn during the Olympics were rather ordinary, each American swimmer sported an American flag swim cap that was labeled with his name. This made it very easy to tell which swimmers were in which lanes because otherwise they tend to look very uniform.
One swimmer, however, decided to stand out from the herd. Serbia’s Milorad Cavic wore a hot pink swimsuit, allowing him to be easily spotted. Men like him prove that only real men wear pink.
Not to be outdone by the boys, lady swimmers helped set some of their very own records. U.S. gold medalist Missy Franklin and Britain’s bronze medalist Rebecca Adlington wore mighty patriotic manicures. The U.S. Women wore navy blue swimsuits with the same caps that the men wore. Also personalized with their country’s flag, Great Britain swimmers wore caps that bore the letters “GBR,” easily read by the camera as well as by the pool.
Although not as personalized and professional looking as U.S.‘s, the home country deserves credit for its ladies’ hands, too, manicured to patriotic perfection with many inspired by the Union Jack, Britain’s flag.
China’s Fu Yuanhui wanted to make her own fashion statement and arrived at the pool wearing a dragon hat for the semi-final in the women’s 100-meter backstroke.
The Track and Field Competitions saw their fair share of fashion savvy as well, the athletes’ costumes embracing an array of bright colors. Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare competed in a love-it-or-leave-it, two-toned hairstyle. Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran and won her second gold medal in the 100-meter dash donning a gorgeous green ribbon in her hair. She beat American Carmelita Jeter by just .03 of a second. Carmelita looked fierce in her bright red Nike-designed unitard and Josephine Baker-inspired, gelled-down hairstyle.
From the very beginning, these Olympics were not just about athleticism. The Opening Ceremonies felt more like a Red Carpet parade of strikingly beautiful uber-humans than an introduction of the athletes who would be participating in competitive sporting events.
Later,the closing ceremony highlighted the theme of fashion overtly by showcasing super-models from all over the world. When cat-walk royalty like Stella McCartney, Ralph Lauren, Georgio Armani are selected to design outfits, for Great Britain, the U.S. and Italy, respectively, style happens.
And speaking of stylish royalty, hosts Prince William and his stylish wife the Duchess of Cambridge lent regal glamour to the games, both in patriotic clothing. Whether it was Kate’s blazer and jeans or William’s collared shirt and khakis, the royals managed to bridge the gap between causal and classic attire while still dressing to impress.
In fact, it’s not hyperbole to declare the 2012 Olympics the most stylish ever.
