ARCHIVE | EST 2010

​There is always a fine line (for the sartorially inclined sports fan) between cute and clever ways to wear the colors of one’s team, and ending up in a XXL jersey with a completely painted face. Now personally, I love America. I returned home from my Independence Day celebrations wearing an American flag cape (which was created expressly to be a cape – there was Velcro – I most definitely wasn’t disrespecting the stars and stripes) and said cape is now one of my prized possessions. So thank you, by the way, to the anonymous visionary who bestowed it upon me, as I have a giant vintage American flag-cape hanging in my living room. I dig this country. But I digress. Olympic fan wear can be somewhat dubious, but I have been absolutely blown away by some super-chic looks created for the London 2012 athletes, and by Kate Middleton’s daily ensembles. The combination of the two (stylish athletes + Middleton) translates perfectly as a template for a spectator look that’s the perfect mix of patriotic and polished.









































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The Opening Ceremony ensembles worn by Team Netherlands have been widely regarded as best in show, and for good reason. Designed by Suitsupply, the orange and blue coordinated - but not matchy-matchy - outfits were totally on point. They looked like what Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass would wear to attend a prep school whose uniforms were orange and blue, which is the highest praise I can humanly give. If there’s a more chic way to sport your country’s colors, I haven’t seen it!



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Another Opening Ceremony look that would translate perfectly to the stylish spectator is the Sportscraft look for Team Australia. They looked so crisp; the green-and-white combination and the polished neck scarves on the ladies. But would I have taken the hemline up on the skirts a bit? Of course, because those women are the best athletes in the world… Let their quads meet the light of day! I think that a version of Team Australia’s Opening Ceremony outfit (maybe with jeans or navy cigarette pants) is basically the perfect thing to wear to any sporting event. It’s elegant, but not fussy.

So, how would Team Netherlands or Team Australia’s looks be perfectly translated for their fans? Enter Kate Middleton, the once and future Royal Highness of Getting it Right.  She’s displayed the perfect mix of “official” Olympic gear and stylish pieces in Team Great Britain colors, and has consistently looked completely event-appropriate and comfortable.

For the final weekend of the Olympic games, I took a page from HRH’s book and left my American flag cape at home. I paired a pair of bright-blue cigarette leg jeans, a basic white tee, a navy blazer, and a vintage red-and white anchor printed scarf with wooden wedges and my trusty saddle-colored leather tote. I like to think that Kate and the stylists from Team Netherlands and Team Australia would all have given me major snaps for showing some restraint and turning it out in a look that was not only patriotic, but polished as well.