Trend Spotting at the Olympics
So many bows, braids and ring tattoos. Plus a conversation with the maker of that GOAT necklace...
The summer of sport has lived up to the hype. Kudos to Peacock for nailing the coverage. I’m up early these days and it’s been so fun to just toss on something like triathlon at 4 a.m. with the click of a button. Watching the Games all day, every day means I’ve been able to observe a few trends across different sports. Of course, my viewing behaviors are biased (go boats!), so this is by no means comprehensive or scientific, but here’s what I’ve been noticing.
Bows - I am not a big fan of bows in sports. When I was competing, I wanted (needed?) to look more intimidating and viewed bow-wearing as a sign of weakness. I’m coming around to it a bit thanks to some of the many athletes who’ve donned them in Paris. Jordan Chiles sported a red-white-and-blue one for the team finals. Coco Gauff had a big white one in her ponytail as did 800m runners Anita Horvat and Gabija Galvydytė from Slovenia and Lithuania, and Ireland’s 400m star Rhasidat Adeleke. USA’s Melissa Jefferson wore a blue bow when she won bronze in the 100m. Plus, most of the Australian rugby team donned bows, and South African swimmer Tatjana Smith put on a green satin headband topped with one for her gold medal ceremony. That’s a wide range of countries and sports, so would say that bows are officially IN. Should we thank Hillhouse Home?
Makeup - As ever, the gymnasts stood out for their skill with a makeup palette. I spotted a few trends during the Team Final and All-Around. It was especially fun (and good for beauty brands – Business of Fashion covered their playbook, here) to see Team USA touching up their makeup during the competition. Simone Biles used a Fenty setting powder and Nyx lipliner while Jordan Chiles spent a few minutes applying Glossier’s Balm Dotcom and Sunisa Lee showed off her Rhode peptide lip tint and viral phone case. Intricate eyeliner was also in – Jordan and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade sported some of the more elaborate looks. (On the track, I spotted Cuban 800m runner Daily Cooper Gaspar with a similar aesthetic.) Again, as someone who cannot even attempt a cat eye without it smudging, they deserve gold medals for serving face during the most important competitions of their lives.
It’s also noteworthy to see so many of these athletes speaking about their looks, capitalizing on the interest with Get Ready With Me’s or in interviews. Many athletes are rightly pretty circumspect when it comes to sharing their training regimen, so revealing makeup or nail tips offers the chance for some BTS without spilling any trade secrets. Elle UK called the Paris Olympics a “Beauty Playground,” interviewing several athletes who said that their makeup is a form of self-expression. GB sprinter Dina Asher-Smither told Elle: “With my make-up that’s just me being me and I like to show up as myself.”A few other make-up notes:
It wasn’t just gymnasts showing off their makeup on camera. Mac Cosmetics posted about Sha’Carri Richardson donning their Squirt Gloss Stick before the 100m.
Ilona Maher revealed her lucky lipstick – Maybelline Super Stay in the Self Starter colorway – to @HighlightHer.
Nails – Athletes continue to have fun with their manicures, and it now seems like bold, patriotic nail art is practically a requirement – even in sports where there’s a high risk of damage.
To wit, I loved this footage of Team USA soccer coach Emma Hayes showing off her red nails and telling her athletes that she scheduled manicure time for them. Trends aside, manicures are a great activity to keep athletes off their feet before a match.
Teen Vogue reported that Lee wears drugstore press on nails, specifically KISS’s Salon X-tend LED Soft Gel System Starter Kit in the style Pure, for her almond-shaped nail with a French manicure.
Heptathlete Chari Hawkins showed off her manicure, which she had done at the Olympic Village salon. I am obsessed with the tiny Eiffel towers and the Brooks logos (such a sly way to show off your sponsor!).
Scrunchies – If you’re not a bow girl, perhaps you’re a srunchie girl? It seemed nearly every player on New Zealand’s rugby team had a different colorful one in their hair (their all-black kits allow for some fun accessorizing). From what I could see the whole Chinese gymnastics team sported matching yellow scrunchies for the team final.
Sequins – Gymnasts wearing sequins isn’t new, but the level of bling felt elevated this year. Did everyone get the memo that the USA would be sporting thousands of dollars in crystals? I thought Brazil’s bedazzled, bright yellow kits stole the show during the All-Around and I loved their royal purple looks for the Beam finals. I have to wonder if Simone chose her All-Around leotard, which was called “Luminous Legacy” for the name alone. I love a visual pun made possible by fashion.
Jewelry - As someone who wears a lot of jewelry even while working out, I appreciate seeing elite athletes who do the same (Olympians, they’re just like us!). I spotted a lot of athletes like Laura Smulders in BMX wearing an Olympic ring necklace (perhaps as an alternative to a tattoo?). Simone Biles has one and she added a diamond-studded goat necklace to her collection too, which she showed off after the All-Around. I DM’ed her jeweler for the details (interview below!).
Olympic Tattoos – Getting a tattoo of the Olympic rings is a tradition some athletes follow, and it seems even more popular in Paris. I spotted them all over the place – high on hips, delicately on the inside of wrists, and boldly on biceps. The Telegraph covered the trend, here and so did USA Today. The tradition began with swimmer Chris Jacobs more than 30 years ago and has spread to other sports. I think it’s noteworthy that even the biggest stars with plenty of gold medals to their name have them.
Hair – Let’s call it the Simone Biles effect, but I noticed a lot of women wearing two smaller braids on either side of their center part (a look Simone wears often), in a host of different sports from rugby to field hockey and track. In this Elle feature, Simone called out Jordan Chiles as the team’s hair braider – such a clutch role on any team.
It’s noteworthy to see athletes adopting Biles’ signature look, given some of the grief she has gotten about her hair in the past. Simone Biles told Elle, “I’m finally learning to love my hair and the texture that I have and the styles that I can do.” Biles, like Gabby Douglas before her, was subject to internet ridicule for her hair, a subject which is discussed at length in her Netflix documentary. There’s so much history to unpack on the topic of Black women’s hair, and as a white woman I admit I am not fully equipped to do so, but I do want to recognize the extra burden Black athletes shoulder when it comes to presentation. It’s not enough to be the world’s best athlete, you’re held to an impossible beauty standard too.
To wit, I appreciated 200m runner Gabby Thomas’ TikTok, in which she discussed her nerves going to the Olympic salon before her race, since she couldn’t be sure the stylist would be skilled at working with textured hair.
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Hats: Those who have been reading this newsletter closely (hi, Mom!) know that I am a little obsessed with hats. I thought that South Korean shooter Kim Yeji’s backwards hat was the pièce de résistance on her Matrix-like Fila ‘fit. I also spotted Team USA Beach Volleyball in hats designed to accommodate ponytails. Their hats appear to be made by Vimhue, which advertises designing “with the unique contours of the female skull in mind.” OK!
Diamonds are a GOAT’S Best Friend
When Jordan Chiles handed Simone Biles a diamond goat necklace after her victory in the All-Around, the magpie in me was desperate to find out the backstory. The statement necklace, which features 546 diamonds was designed by Janet Heller Fine Jewelry, who also made Simone’s Olympic rings necklace. I spoke to the brand via DM to get more details on their collaboration with the Greatest of All Time.
How did the GOAT and Olympic Ring designs for Simone come to be?Simone was referred to us by a good friend and fellow Olympic athlete Tara Davis-Woodhall. We had made a gold and diamond Olympic rings necklace for Tara, and Simone saw Tara wearing it at the 2020 Olympics and wanted the exact same necklace. Simone reached out to us to make the Olympic necklace and subsequently reached out to us to commission the GOAT necklace prior to the 2024 Olympics.
For her Olympic rings necklace, was there any consideration for the fact Simone might train in it? How did that impact the design?
Yes, we knew she would want to train and perhaps compete in it so we made it pretty thick. We also hand drill and hand set all our diamonds so the quality of the workmanship is impeccable and will stand up to a lot of wear. We want to make sure diamonds will not pop out!
What’s the story behind Tara’s necklace?
Tara Davis-Woodhall’s necklace collection features three special pieces. First, a 14KT Gold & Diamond Olympic Rings Necklace symbolizing her incredible athletic achievements. Second, a personalized piece celebrating her marriage to fellow Olympian Hunter Woodhall, with her married last name, “Woodhall.” Lastly, a 14KT Gold & Diamond Silhouette necklace, capturing her iconic long jump. This silhouette has been Tara’s personal logo since high school. Tara expresses her love for jewelry and her sport through this unique piece that we made for her. Tara shared with us, “The silhouette has been my logo since high school. I’ve always loved jewelry and love to jump in all types of jewelry. So, to be able to express myself while wearing my silhouette is the best of both worlds. So thankful to have had Janet Heller Fine Jewelry make my dream necklace.”
What should women look for in jewelry they might wear while training or competing?
We like to make our pieces thick enough to ensure that they cannot bend at all. In addition, our custom-made made pieces are hand-drilled and hand-set, making them more durable than pre-set diamonds to ensure that it is highly unlikely any diamonds will pop out while the athletes wear their pieces in training and competition!
Did you know Simone would wear the necklace after the All-Around? How did it feel to see your design in that moment?
No, we had no idea Simone would wear the necklace after the All-Around, it was a complete surprise! When we saw her proudly sharing it, showing it, and loving it after winning her SIXTH Olympic medal, we were blown away! It was absolutely surreal! That moment was beyond incredible and a true career highlight for us. It’s something we’ll cherish forever. Working with Simone to create such a one-of-a-kind piece was an absolute dream come true. She is incredibly kind, down to earth, so humble, and an absolute joy to work with. Seeing her wear our necklace so proudly and knowing it will forever be a part of her amazing journey is a memory we’ll revisit over and over again!!!!
Quick Thoughts
Things that drew my eye or ire…
In the Wall Street Journal, Ashley Mateo explored the way boutique running brands (like Tracksmith, Bandit, Saysky and Soar) are allowing runners to showcase their personalities.
The Olympic gear TikToks keep coming – I really liked Team New Zealand’s rugbies, which I spotted below. Surprised more teams don’t have them. I also learned via scrolling that Team Great Britain coordinates their looks for every day of the games – there are mannequins in the lobby of their accommodations showing what colors and options everyone should wear. The marketer and team captain in me loves the attention to detail.
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browserGear fit issues continued for Team USA – their Nike media day looks were too large across the board. I noticed it on the gymnasts but even the taller swimmers had challenges, which Claire Weinstein shared on her page (I love that she also admits she is bad at makeup!).
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browserThanks to my endless scrolling of TikTok, the music accompanying this trend is now playing on a loop in my head at all hours. Apparently, “Paging Dr. Beat” is a Gloria Estefan song from the ‘80s? Anyway, I may have to add Belgium to the top of my best-dressed teams list. I love the curved striped detail that connects all their looks.
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browserLet’s end here: I appreciated this post from Female Quotient on the dirth of women photographers in sports. It’s a topic that isn’t discussed often and has a huge impact on the kinds of images we consume and the experience of the athletes.
Rashidat spoke about her “hair bauble” here! https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNqmMLVW/
Great stuff! Amazing, how you find all these little details. 👍🏻