The WNBA Tunnel Is the Hottest Runway of the Year

Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty #30

“This year we’ve gotten a lot of new fans, and many of them aren’t just basketball fans, so the first thing that draws them in is our appearance—fashion, beauty, hair, whatever—and then they’re like, ‘Oh, and they play basketball? Okay, let me watch the game,’ ” says Carrington, shooting guard for the Connecticut Sun. “In the past, I feel like being an athlete and a dog on the court did not ever overlap with being into beauty or fashion. Either you were playing sports or you were modeling. But now, you’re seeing a lot of intersection, which is great.”

The NBA men’s tunnel walk has been broadcast for years, and their fashion—designer sweatsuits and big-name sneakers—have long been part of their identity. For women in sport, the move into mainstream consumption has taken a lot longer—a clear double standard that does not fly over the girls’ heads.

Cameron Brink, forward for the Los Angeles Sparks, says the rise in public interest in WNBA players and their fantastic wardrobes is “peaking because the media has put the effort into covering us, finally. Now that people can see more deeply into our lives, they’re interested and interacting more. Hopefully, the momentum continues, because the WNBA has so much to offer.”

The tunnel has also opened up doors for plenty of marketing opportunities, as sports channels now air the players’ walk, the NBA regularly shares photos of their fits on social media, and big fashion brands—from Adidas and Puma, to Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada—are now jumping in to style and sponsor the players. Carrington, Brink, just-retired WNBA legend Candace Parker, and All-Stars Kelsey Plum and Skylar Diggins-Smith were even recently cast in a campaign for Kim Kardashian’s Skims.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Connecticut Sun #10

A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces #22

Harper’s Bazaar chatted with six WNBA athletes about their tunnel style, our collective obsession over their game-day fits, and the products they’re currently loving.

Dijonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun #21

I’m going to say my personal style is sexy, but not too much. It’s either a crop top, cleavage, a short, or a tight—not all four, you know? I could do three, but not all four. For me, it’s so important to wear things that are very authentically me when I am out of my uniform. I know trends change, but I don’t really keep up with the Joneses—I already know what I like.

I do like the Y2K trend, though; to one of our games I wore some super-low-waisted jeans. I’m obsessed with miniskirts—the tennis-looking ones that you can dress up or down. I like oversize blazers, but I wear them with, like, an exposed bra. I also love a hoop earring.

In the winter I was loving the trench coat look; I just feel like it matures and elevates any outfit. I’ve been obsessed with knee-high boots for a while—especially as a tall woman, it really shows off your legs. In the past, some tall women wouldn’t want to wear heels, but I love it. Now we’re happy and proud to be tall.

Makeup is also my thing. On the court, 95 percent of the things you wear are the same as everybody else’s, so it’s one of the things that can just make you you. On game days, I put on concealer all over my face and then a lighter concealer under my eyes. I love a good blush (Rare Beauty and Nars Orgasm powder blush). I always have to have my eyebrows snatched. Occasionally, I’ll do some type of glow on my cheeks and nose; and I line my lips with brown liner and wear a clear gloss (Fenty Beauty Ice, or even dollar-store lip gloss). My game-day bag is always busting at the seams, because I bring my hair spray, mousse, an iron sometimes, my Huda Beauty setting powder. I probably wear more makeup during games than I do in regular life, but it’s like: People get ready for work to look their best. So, for me, this is my work, and I like to look my best too.

I’m gonna be me authentically whether I’m on the court, or in the tunnel, or modeling, because that’s who I am. You don’t have to stop being one part of yourself just to fit into another.

Cameron Brink, Los Angeles Sparks #22

I definitely get excited for tunnel fits! I work with stylist Sydney Bordonaro for some of them; she’s the best. On the day-to-day, I love a good sweatsuit or matching set, because it’s unrealistic for me to have a fit every day. I’m definitely obsessed with my bags and my pants—I’ve curated a good collection of jeans that are long enough for me. And I love my dresses; it’s so easy to just throw one on and accessorize. I definitely lean into more girly outfits off the court. I think basketball helps me display more of my masculine energy, so when I have the chance to do my hair, makeup, and put on a cute outfit, I take advantage of it.

I think any trend done right can look good; I love that big slouchy socks are coming back, and I’m into denim-on-denim and wide-leg pants. The Skims campaign I did was amazing and felt so empowering. Fashion is one of my biggest passions outside of basketball, so anything I can keep doing in that realm, I would be so happy with.

My game-day makeup is more muted just because I don’t want my foundation and everything to be everywhere, so I focus on my eyes. But on the weekends, if I’m going out, I love a good eye-and-lip combo.

DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut Sun #24

Alyssa Thomas and Dewanna Bonner

Alyssa Thomas and Dewanna Bonner

I’m big into fashion. I’m the girly one that wants to be in heels, and my fiancée, Alyssa, is like, ‘The only way I’ll do it is if I’m comfortable.’ She’s laid-back; I’m the outgoing one. I love a bold party look, that’s me. We actually have a stylist who has been putting together pieces for us, so that’s been cool. I’m a denim-on-denim type of girl. I love leather, but the weather is changing, so I’ll be wearing more dresses.

Most people watching us play don’t know our personalities—they think that we’re like, not human on the court. So, the WNBA letting us express ourselves through our clothes this year has been different. Also, it’s a social media world, it’s a marketing world, so you gotta put yourself out there.

I don’t wear makeup—I’m not waking up any earlier than I have to, you know? But I’m always gonna have a lip gloss—or five or six—on me. Fenty Beauty I think is the best on the market. And I always keep some kind of travel perfume in my bag (right now it’s Tom Ford, the cherry one), and a pair of earrings—I can’t walk out of the house with no earrings.

Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun #25

Alyssa Thomas and Dewanna Bonner

Alyssa Thomas and Dewanna Bonner

This year we really just said, “Let’s put some clothes on—we’re more than capable of playing the game in the fashion sense, too.” I love Devin Booker’s style: comfy and casual. I feel like a lot of my looks are based off of that.

Before this year, we were just here for business, you know? We would come do our job. We’d put sweats on, get to the gym, play the game. But now that we’re putting on the clothes and taking the time to stop for a picture, people are so fascinated by it, and, I mean, I’m super into it.

Something I’ll never wear? Heels. Definitely never. I’m all about comfort, and I don’t think that would be comfortable for me at all. In my game-day bag I keep Aquaphor, some type of cologne, and Black Girl Sunscreen.

Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings #24

I’ve been in touch with fashion since I was a kid, but it has been amplified now. Basketball has given us the platform to express our individuality with things like the walk-in tunnels, and it’s dope that people are tapping into it.

My personal style? I would definitely say streetwear—cozy, cool sweatpants. If I do wear pants, it’s jeans. Maybe three or four outfits during the season I’ll have a stylist select, but most of the others I do myself. It’s more stressful than exciting, because I have so many clothes, and I don’t know what to choose—but that’s a good problem to have! My go-to shoes are white Air Force 1s. My style icons are Virgil Abloh and Pharrell Williams.

Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks #5

I would say I’m chic, girly, and sporty. I enjoy being fun, but also keeping it mommy. (Hamby is mom to daughter Amaya, seven, and son Legend, one.) It’s never over-the-top, but it’s cute. I love a good two-piece set; I’ve been rocking those since I was a kid, so I can never go wrong with that. I love monochromatic looks and fun colors.

The tunnel fits have really been a way for us to express our personalities. People see us on the court, and if you don’t know us, then it’s hard to relate. I feel like through style and looks, people can get a sense of who you are a bit more.

When I’m in uniform, I do a little highlight and glitter on my face to add some sparkle. My beauty routine is just a good hot shower and a nap.

Rosa Sanchez is the senior news editor at Harper’s Bazaar, working on news as it relates to entertainment, fashion, and culture. Previously, she was a news editor at ABC News and, prior to that, a managing editor of celebrity news at American Media. She has also written features for Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter, among other outlets.