Game Day Style
Just when I thought this topic was maybe fizzing out, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift made surprise cameos on SNL over the weekend. The buzz continues, but this post is not about Taylor. It’s a study on Kelce’s sartorial statements, which are less flash-in-the-pan news when you look closely at his style over the past few years.
For the record, I wasn’t paying much attention to him until Taylor showed up at a Chiefs game (not being a member of the Swifties, I couldn’t help but know this happened, like the rest of us). The only thing I really knew about him was that he and his brother Jason came head to head in the Super Bowl, and their darling mom seemed to embrace this first-time face-off on a national level in all the best ways possible… donning some spirited wear herself. I couldn’t help but do some research.
His style bona fides (asserted by the Chiefs posting some of his most fashionable statments) aren’t anything new. There are just more eyes on him and what he is wearing. Whether you’re into his aesthetic or not, and regardless of who you root for or not, there’s no doubt Travis Kelce knows the power of style and is repeatedly scoring in this arena.
So, what can you take away from Kelce’s style statements?
1. It’s as much for him as it is for others —
It’s clearly authentic when he rocks a tie-dye cable knit matching set with a pumpkin orange puffer. He pulls it off with palpable optimism, and part of him is doing it to engage those who are looking. In his recent WSJ interview, he shared that he uses fashion to make people smile. On his clothing brand, Tru Kolors, website, he shares, “I think colors are a unique way to connect people and an amazing way to express yourself.” I’ve seen a few interviews and watched clips of him and Jason on his IG (pulled from their podcast). There’s a lighthearted, jovial nature to him — this translates to his attire. He clearly has a big personality, doesn’t take himself too seriously, and uses clothing to communicate that in a way that’s obviously high-end (most of his clothing that we see in photos lately is luxury labeled) but makes it playful and joyful for himself and others. He understands that style can connect him with the many parts of himself and uses it to connect with others.
Earlier this week, a woman in the grocery store wore a fantastic pair of super high denim-laden heels, and I couldn’t help but smile when she walked past me — would I ever wear them? Definitely, no. But I can delight in them just from a stroll by. The same goes for some of Travis’ fit posts. Even he knows his style isn’t for all.
2. He sets a standard for himself and those in his sphere —
Kelce knows how to read the room and even set the temperature. It’s the power of influencxe at its finest. You start to dial it up in how you dress and present yourself through your own individualistic tone (that could mean a properly hemmed pair of pants, a well-fitting blazer, or even wearing more of your color), and inevitably, those around you start to pay attention. And it even rubs off on them. But maybe not your exact style (like in the case with Kelce and teammate Patrick Mahomes).
When looking at clothing from a workplace or cultural aspect, you can interpret Travis Kelce as enabling the social influence theory. Sometimes it’s suiting, sometimes it’s designer or branded joggers. By continuously elevating his style-first game, he may inevitably nudge his teammates to pause and examine their own style, therefore setting a new normative behavior and a desire to fit into the group, in this case, the Chiefs, collective identity. Again, not to say they are all sporting the same looks (though there are a ton of LV Keepall 55 bags being carried off planes when you look close enough), but there is a shared appreciation and respect around visual expression.
Now granted, some of his clothing choices are looser (however intentional and still cut to fit) than most menswear we see out there and what men are actually comfortable wearing. That is, what most of the men that I dress are comfortable wearing. I did post last year about getting rid of pleated trousers… I still mean it, gentlemen. Nonetheless, elevating yourself can elevate those around you and inspire their choice to investigate how they are showing up without sometimes explicitly needing to tell someone to make a change. This isn’t a bad self-reflection exercise to do from time to time.
3. He uses clothing to delineate different aspects of his life —
Kelce shared in his WSJ feature that he wears sweatsuits and tracksuits most days, but when he arrives on game day, walks off the tarmac, or is out and about in NYC, he knows how to turn it up. Many of his teammates and fellow NFL players show up to work in their sweats and hoodies (albeit some are wearing $500 sweatshirts), but he understands the force of fashion in these hype moments.
You see these elevated ensembles in athletes across many sports, most notably in the NBA’s tunnel looks and increasingly MLS walk-on fits. They also have their headsets on or AirPods tucked into their ears—they’re in the zone. This is athletes choosing tangible means to feed their confidence in preparation for game day. It’s a part of their “winners mindset.” Everything matters. A way to channel their deep focus into a routine of preparation for peek performance. Clothing and style are a big part of the equation. This can be applied to aspects of your life.
For more chill occasions, Kelce returns to his off-duty, relaxed, comfortable attire elements, like he did this past Sunday when he attended the Jets-Eagles game to cheer on his brother. A matching green sweatsuit, sneakers, and sunglasses. After all, he did have the day off, and we know he was up late the night before.
Not everyone is going to dress just like Travis Kelce, understandably. Regardless, his style ultimately conveys that non-verbal self-expression is a powerful tool, and he knows how to use it.
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