One of the most effective ways to align your energy is by simply paying closer attention to what you wear. After all, your personal style is a reflection of your inner self. By dressing to express who you are, you can elevate your mood, become more confident, and put more positive energy out into the world.
However, this can be easier said than done. Defining authenticity for yourself can be hard in a world where trends rule fashion and it’s easy to hop on the bandwagon. In any case, consider taking inspiration from women who break boundaries to more truthfully express who they are. There’s no better place to start than sports—a traditionally male-dominated field where women strive to simultaneously show off their strength and femininity.
Today, female athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson and Sunisa Lee are smashing stereotypes by doing their makeup, styling their hair, and even getting their nails done before competing, with others even donning more elaborate and even customized outfits both on and off the field. By widening the narrow beauty standards in women’s sports, they’re revolutionizing how female athletes present themselves—and they can inspire you to express yourself more authentically, too.
Here are a few powerful women sports stars you can look up to:
Katie Lindsay: embrace your femininity
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Credit: @katielindsss on Instagram
If femininity feels authentic to you, Katie Lindsay shows that you shouldn’t be afraid to show it off. One of the most skilled and stylish women on the professional poker circuit, she’s known for wearing particularly elaborate outfits at competitive events. Whether she accessorizes simple black tops with gold jewelry and faux fur bucket hats or goes all-out with powdery-pink tulle shawls wrapped around lacy white tops, she dresses to prove that fashionable women can be skilled poker players—and, more importantly, to be herself.
Combined with her prowess at both live and online poker, that authenticity attracted the attention of ACR Poker, America’s #1 biggest online cardroom. Nowadays, Lindsay serves as one of its ambassadors alongside other prominent women poker pros like Ana Marquez, who was previously ranked as Spain’s #1 player across genders. With ACR Poker, she’s shown off her skills at even more prestigious tournaments, including the Aruba stop of the Moneymaker Tour launched by fellow ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker. Here, Lindsay beat all other main event participants to win a career-best of $102,915—wearing an off-shoulder candy cane dress and flower crown to boot.
Megan Rapinoe: take pride in your identity
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Credit: @daniellelevitt on Instagram
Megan Rapinoe is yet another powerful sports star who’s broken multiple boundaries. Over the course of her 14-year career, she was a leading winger for the National Women’s Soccer League, where her playing style led her to be named one of the world’s best female players by both FIFA and the Ballon d’Or. Before that, she even became the first soccer player in history—regardless of gender—to score a goal directly from a corner at the 2012 Olympics. However, she’s also known for her advocacies off the field. Rapinoe was involved in pushing the United States Soccer Federation for equal pay, and she’s one of the first professional women soccer players to come out as a lesbian.
That authenticity makes her one of the best female athletes to look up to for style inspo. Rapinoe fully embraces her androgynous appearance, which is why she’s often spotted wearing sharp blazers, shorts, and slacks that enhance her more masculine features while still boasting feminine cuts. The way she dresses herself is a great reminder that women come in all shapes, sizes, and identities, so take pride in your own when dressing for self-expression.
Jennifer Shahade: flaunt your interests
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Credit: @jenshahade on Instagram
Jennifer Shahade is a jack of all trades. Beyond being a chemistry professor, she’s considered a top player and key advocate of mind sports like poker and is currently an ambassador for a leading poker site. More importantly, she’s a grandmaster who’s considered one of history’s strongest American-born female player in professional chess. Shahade is particularly dedicated to inspiring more women to play the sport, especially now that popular media—like the hit Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit—have encouraged the idea that female chess players can be glamorous.
Shahade makes sure to further establish that image both in and out of competitive tournaments by curating a wardrobe that flaunts her love of chess. Of key note here is a cropped denim jacket she wore in December 2024. Boasting a chess board artfully worked into its back panel, it perfectly complemented the other elegant pieces Shahade was wearing—including a silver sequin dress and gold-chained purse. If your own interests make up a significant part of who you are, consider similarly dressing up with them in mind.
Naomi Osaka: have fun with it!
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Credit: @t2telegraph on Instagram
With all the things you can do to align your energy using your clothes—such as by choosing colors, patterns, and fabrics that match your mood—and all the sources of inspiration you can turn to when crafting a more authentic wardrobe, fine-tuning self-expression through fashion can feel overwhelming and weighed down with a lot of “rules.” That’s why Naomi Osaka is here to remind you to have some fun in the process. With seven Women’s Tennis Association-level singles titles and a 25-week streak as the world’s #1 in women’s singles under her belt, she definitely competes under a lot of pressure.
That’s exactly why she makes sure to lighten things up with some custom outfits on the court. Last August, she showed up to the US Open in a seemingly Brat Summer-inspired lime green ruffled dress—complete with a giant bow at the back and matching ribbon details on her shoes. She designed the look herself, stating to Nike: “I have a lot of fun playing, so wanting everyone who sees the outfit to connect with that feeling is a really big motivation for me.” That said, don’t forget to enjoy dressing up. After all, the whole point is to do it for yourself!
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