NBA Players United

Rookies Well Suited for NBA Season

By Talia Bargil

for NBPA.com

 

Palisades, New Jersey -- This year’s NBA rookies are practicing hard to compete with the pros, but when it comes to fashion, are they out of their league?

 

In an effort to assist the newcomers in making a positive first impression, the NBPA recently partnered with Sean John, Diddy’s signature apparel line, during the rookie-mandated Rookie Transition Program. With a panel in place whose A-list rosters span celebs and athletes worldwide, stylists to the stars Waraire Boswell, Rachel Johnson, Groovey Lew Jones and Michelle Ten, spoke to the group about the importance of putting their best fashion foot forward.

 

“Fashion is not a frivolity. The way one dresses is a reflection of who they are, hence, affects brand positioning and opens doors for endorsements,” said Ten, celebrity stylist and founder of Missfit Styles. “NBA players are viewed as a business, and other companies will align themselves depending on their look. I am a firm believer that everyone is their own business card.”

 

Boswell, fashion consultant, tailor by trade and creator of his WB clothing line, also feels strongly about the “long lasting effects of proper fashion etiquette.”

 

“Each player is a walking conglomerate, and you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When they step out in public, they represent their team, teammates and family name,” said Boswell, whose NBA clientele includes Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Blake Griffin and Tyson Chandler, among others. “A lot of men feel they don’t have style, but the more you work on it, the better you get at it. It all starts with how you view yourself and how you carry yourself in your clothes. You need to form discernment for yourself first.”

 

Mediated by Sean John’s Dao-Yi Chow, Byron Kirkland and Raheim Robinson, the panel received tremendous positive feedback from the group of newcomers.

 

Through an interactive competition, the stylists and rookies dressed mannequins to put their lessons to the test. First-year Spur Jack McClinton, a self-proclaimed trendsetter, was proud to represent his group when charged with the task of dressing their mannequin as a player pretending to meet with a corporate sponsor.

 

“It was fun! We had to show everybody our group had style, so we put him in a navy blue suit with a handkerchief…not too loud, but that mannequin looked good,” said McClinton. “I was always into fashion, but when you’re in the NBA, you’re a professional…and you should look like one.”

 

Stressing the importance of a proper fit, Johnson, Thomas Faison Agency Wardrobe Stylist, offered her professional expertise.

 

“Many of the guys are tall, thin and lanky and tend to camouflage their bodies with oversized clothing…not the best way to showcase themselves,” she said. “They should be looking to wear jeans, polo shirts, sweaters, suits, etc. that fit their bodies properly – not necessarily tight – but items that work along the lines of their body. It’s about embracing their size, shape and athletic bodies.”

 

Standing tall at 6’7,” Boswell can certainly relate to the challenge of a proper fit.

 

“I realize what it’s like to want regular clothing and not be able to find it. A lot of these guys don’t know where to start. You buy size XXL to get the length in the arms, but the body is too big. If you grow from 5’8” to 7’2,” you need a tailor to make sure your clothes are done properly,” he said. “I tell players to subscribe to magazines like GQ, Esquire, Ebony, Vibe…whatever magazine identifies with their style. This way, when it’s time to hook up with a tailor or stylist, they can show them the look they are going for.”

 

Johnson, who styles LeBron James, Chris Paul, OJ Mayo and Amare Stoudemire, shares similar sentiments.

 

“It’s important players utilize different sources to develop their style – it’s not just about hiring one tailor to make 30 suits. Check out Style.com, watch fashion shows online, do the research to see what’s out there…what’s hot and trendy. The amount of suits in your closet is not nearly as important as how you put it together.”

 

And, to the pleasant surprise of many rookies, their wardrobes can carry them much farther than they anticipated. While Boswell explained how to break a three-piece suit up into six outfits, Ten encourages investing in the “proper” luxuries, keeping custom bling to a minimum and purchasing items that appreciate in value and can passed on to the kids. Johnson says her goal is to make sure her clients have classy pieces in their closets that can be recycled.

 

“Guys need to start with the basics – navy, gray, black and brown suit, tuxedo, trench coat, a brown lace-up shoe…the basics a professional man should have in his closet. Then, go from there,” said Johnson.

 

And when it comes to individuality, all of the stylists concede that it is absolutely possible to dress appropriately, while simultaneously infusing their own personality and flavor into their look. Perhaps Ten put it best when she said, “Always be yourself, but in good taste.”

 

So, whose got the look and why, according to the stylist gurus?

 

Johnson had no hesitation. Aside from her own clients, her vote was for Charlotte Bobcat Tyson Chandler.

 

“I love Tyson’s look! He’s completely, utterly, consistently impressive!”

 

And Boswell did not have to think hard about this one either.

 

“Kevin Garnett looks good. LeBron looks good – his style says, ‘I know I’m good, life is good.’ Dr. J’s got a style…he can go into any corporate meeting and serve as a spokesperson. That’s what I was trying to impress upon them: create an international look for international opportunities. When you walk into the arena, your suit is fitting right, jeans are cut correctly…and no Air Force Ones with a suit!”

 

While superstars D-Wade, Kobe, J-Kidd, Paul Pierce and many others have clearly mastered the art of looking good both on and off the court, it won’t be long before the rookies are in the limelight and put to the fashion test too.

 

Fashion faux pas or fashion forward? Only time – and their tailors – will tell…

 

For more information about the stylists and their work, visit wb-collection.com, thomasfaison.com, missfitstyles.com and blynngroup.com. To learn more about Sean John, visit seanjohn.com.