So TRAPATES: Black Women in Sports Who Made the Arena a Runway
- Sadie Meeks
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
As a young girl, navigating being both girly and sporty, I was drawn to fashion and competitive sports with equal hunger. I grew up playing many sports, but track and tennis were my bread and butter. Spikes and pleats. Baselines and finish lines. Sunscreen and lane assignments. Occurrences I miss so much.
Naturally, I gravitated towards Venus and Serena Williams, because they looked like family. They were an example. They were a dream. And then there was Florence Griffith Joyner, the fastest woman in history. In high school I would watch her races before every track meet for motivation. They all dominated in their sport and did so in style.
At my summer tennis camp, I remember when we would go inside for a break from the heat and watch the grand slams. Yes, I was pressed to see Venus dominate with her breathtaking 120 mph serve. But I was also awaiting a 360 of her outfit. I needed to see every angle and every coordinate because the girl was so detailed. Lace tennis dresses with striking hued trims, cutouts, sparkles, hair beads and intricate braids. To be a fly on a tennis ball, just to hear the "percussionistic" sound of her hair beads swinging and colliding, making a toast to excellence. With each stride towards the baseline, and each leap toward an ace, not only were we spectating a match, we were witnessing a high energy fashion show disguised as a sporting event .
And then there was Serena. Serena was a fashion and tennis powerhouse. She didn't just wear clothes, she made statements. Serena's pleated denim tennis skirt injected so much flavor into the sport. I will never forget when the late Virgil Abloh designed her iconic one shoulder tutu dress, making the tennis court an Alvin Ailey stage. In 2021 Serena paid an homage to the late Flo Jo, wearing a one legged catsuit on the court. That is personally one of my favorite moments. It was a full-circle fashion moment that braided legacy and memory into performance wear. It wasn't just an outfit. It was archival brilliance. A nod to the lineage of black women who dared to be fierce, fast, and feminine. Serena is not only a tennis icon. She is a fashion architect of the modern athletic woman.
My dad introduced me to the greatness of Florence Griffith Joyner in middle school, right when I started to take track more seriously. I was instantly drawn to her nails and her beauty. Flo Jo just flowed; it was effortless. Floating across the finish line fluidly in athleisure-couture. Flo Jo was a true innovator with her exponentially long , sculptural nails. She mastered the art of asymmetry, with her one legged track outfits. The exposed leg showcasing the speed factory machinery. She gave us a masterclass on maximalism within a realm that prized uniformity. She was often critiqued for being "too much."
Too glamorous.
Too decorated.
Too polished.
But that "too much" is what made her unforgettable.
I saw myself in the Williams' sisters because they weren't afraid to be themselves in the midst of scrutiny, and both understated and blatant discrimination in the sport. And I saw myself in Flo Jo, who gave us a masterclass on refusing to shrink. Unappreciated yet unapologetic, the ultimate feminine black girl super power and juxtaposition. I could rhapsodize about the grace of these 3 women for days. Flo Jo, Venus and Serena executed a masterful merger of fashion and athletics. When it came to fashion and beauty in sports, these women brought the spark and the sauce. They made the track and the court their runway. They showed that you can serve face and serve aces. You can lengthen your lashes and lengthen your stride. For little girls like me-girly and sporty, soft and competitive- they made room. They put the "T" in "TRAPATES". T is for Timeless, Trailblazing, Taste-making and Trendsetting. As Flo Jo would say, "Dress good to look good. Look good to feel good. And feel good to run fast."
Here are some of my favorite TRAPATES moments from Flo Jo, Venus, and Serena..
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