Best Dressed Athletes
With Sean Avery at the helm of Mensvogue.com this week, I started to think about athletes who have sartorial inclinations. Sure there are some guys that, thanks to endorsements and convenient relationships with the right fashion houses, don a good looking suit from time to time, but I was interested to research and find those sports heroes who actually have their own, real style. I'm sure by now you've seen enough pictures of Sean Avery -- with and without his clothes on -- so I went out looking for fresh blood. My findings? Soccer surely takes the cake for the most stylish men all around, probably because most players are European. And tennis players aren't bad either -- Roger Federer was on my best dressed list of 2007. But I was probably most surprised to see Tom Brady looking so smashing in his tux at the Met Ball this spring -- in my mind he gets his own credit for being stylish and a football player -- two things I definitely thought were mutually exclusive. Also, it doesn't hurt to have Gisele on your arm.
Thierry Henry, soccer player, Barcelona
Attending a charity event for cystic fibrosis, in Barcelona, 2008.
In Barcelona to be unveiled as a new player for the city's team, 2007.
Leaving Cipriani's in London, 2006.
While captain of Arsenal (an English soccer team), Thierry attends the opening of their new Emirates Stadium, London, 2006.
Tom Brady, football player, New England Patriots
Leaving the Met Ball with his girlfriend, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, NYC, 2008.
Spotted with Jay-Z, NYC, 2008.
In the West Village, NYC, 2008.
With Gisele Bündchen at the opening of the Ermenegildo Zegna store, Fifth Avenue, NYC, 2008.
David Beckham, soccer player, L.A. Galaxy
In San Francisco, 2008.
Arriving for his match against the Kansas City Wizards, Carson, CA, 2008.
With his wife, Victoria Beckham, at a Mel C concert at the Mint, Hollywood, 2007.
In Paris with his English teammates, 2008.
Arriving at the American Film Institute's opening night fest, Los Angeles, 2007.
(Photos: Getty)
Thierry Henry is great, probably one of the most stylish guys around. I like that he always seems to get the Jeans right, they're never over designed, bleached, etc. Always just good simple dark denim which puts the focus more on the rest of the look.
Not so sure about Beckham though, he gets it right a lot, but he also gets it wrong and looks over preened, like he's tried too hard.
You forgot Roger Federer... or any reference to Wimbledon, that's old school style to me
I agree with you about Roger Federer - and I didn't him. I just didn't include him in this one because I had put him on my best dressed list of 2007. I mentioned it in the intro with a link. Check it out.
It's true, football (soccer - sorry, I'm European) and tennis players make for good clothes models. They're athletic without being too big (NFL) or freakishly tall (NBA). Becks gets a lot of attention for the way he dresses, but my favourite is Milan's Paolo Maldini. Milanese through and through, He co-runs his own clothing line with fellow calciatore Christian Vieri, and was even plastered on billboards around Manhattan last year in an ad campaign for H&M. Not bad for a man who's just reached 40 and still playing at the highest level.
http://magnificentobsession.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/maldini-hits-40/
Another hockey player with great style is Edmonton Oilers Sheldon Souray. He is by far one of the sexiest, most stylish players off the ice and he was kind enough to do a shoot for MOM Magazine in our newest feature "Eye Candy." Check out some of the pics at http://MOMmagazine.ca