In Defense of Tiger Woods's Fashion Sense
Woods’s outfits have been the butt of many jokes throughout his career, but he’s far more stylish than he has received credit for
In this day and age, (mostly) self-proclaimed style experts default to catwalk strutters like Hailey Bieber and Bella Hadid for the latest threads. Pictured in their paparazzi strolls, these are the same people who brought back cargo pants. Yes, the cargo pants that are taking up space in the back of your closet refuse to die. But severe oversight has led the new generation to neglect one style icon in particular.
Tiger Woods, who these days embodies full-dad outfits, was once a steward of ’90s and early 2000s trends. The cyclical nature of fashion follows the 20-year cycle, so the re-emergence of Y2K and other styles seen in the early 2000s returned to the fashion scene just in time.
Buckle up, Gen Z. As he tees it up this weekend with son Charlie (you have heard they’re teeing it up this weekend, haven’t you?), here is how Tiger’s timeless style serves as underrated inspiration for the world’s most popular supermodels.
A dizzying sense of style
Look, I’m a little upset I didn’t receive an invite to Tiger Jam, mostly because the dress code called for optical illusory button-up shirts. I could see Tiger in a moment of panic, undecided between the neutral button-down long sleeves in his closet to pair with his notorious wide-leg pants (more on that later). He closes his eyes and reaches for…this?
I’ve found plenty of unwarranted criticism directed at this show-stopping top. Supermodel Emily Ratajowski (famously known as EmRata) knows what’s up; she has incorporated hypnotic patterns into her rotation. It’s in her own fashion line! Take that, haters.
Keeping up with Tiger Woods
I have a hard time believing Kendall Jenner didn’t see this photo of Tiger at the 2002 Genuity Championship and say, “Mock necks are back.” The look is simple, sleek and sophisticated. Timeless is a common buzzword, but it’s hard to deny the practicality of a simple mock-neck sweater.
Although sitting in a basketball arena is certainly warmer than spending a chilly day on the course, the Kardashian curse is real, and the Suns probably should have won a title by now. Oh, Kendall and Devin Booker broke up AGAIN? Well, that won’t stop her from making a fashion statement, so cheers to this courtside outfit inspired by a…course-side outfit.
In the words of Bella Hadid
Thought backward caps were ancient history? Wrong. Midway through Serena Williams’s second-round match at the 2022 U.S. Open, pensive Tiger spun his cap around a la Ash Ketchum from Pokemon.
There’s no occasion too glam for a backward cap; and though Bella Hadid (below) is pictured in a forward-facing cap (shoutout to copyright, but just use Google), she's favored the look quite a few times. Whether the greatest tennis player of all time is riding off into the sunset or you’re watching F1, both Tiger and Hadid show their versatility. Both opted for basic tops to let the cap steal the show. And meme culture knows how Bella feels about good style.
Wide-leg jeans that WOW!
Wherever Tiger's wide-leg jeans have landed, I hope they’re doing OK (probably in someone’s thrift haul, but I’m an eternal optimist). They made a cameo in the first style we discussed, but it’s among the best of Tiger’s trademark pieces so its spotlight was reserved for last.
Perhaps Haley Bieber is far more inspired by Tiger than Justin. I’ve yet to see Selena Gomez influenced by Tiger style, so no need to keep an eye out for “Selener.” Bieber does, however, do a great job of keeping things original. Her contemporary spin on the wide-leg style still maintains the light wash of the denim paired with the tan blazer. And Bieber has been known to pair a blazer with some classic white sneakers -- just like Tiger! Truthfully, I would wear both outfits. And really, I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t wear all of these.