Fashion at the 2024 Super Bowl
As an American expat in Leeds, some may say it’s my duty to write an article on the Super Bowl. As a practicing Swiftie, I consider myself qualified for the job. It’s in virtue of Taylor Swift that I can’t keep my eyes off the Kansas City Chiefs, playing in the same colours that I wore to The Red Tour in 2013: landline tattooed on my hand and the number thirteen crudely written on my forehead. It was a time where the ‘pop-of-cherry-red-trend’ was accentuated through red rubber bands around tweens’ braces instead of an Eli Jay claw clip. Admittedly, the colour of Kelce’s jersey evoked a stronger emotion in me than him singing ‘VIVA LAS VEGAS‘ with the Vince Lombardi trophy. Considering ESPN’s numerous shots of Swift in the stands, I posit that I’m not the only [American] football fan in my twenties with that thought. I’m not claiming to be Bucky Brooks, but both of us, along with 123 million others, did indeed watch the Kansas City Chiefs victoriously beat the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 Super Bowl. The main difference being, I paid more attention to the stands than the steals. What did I find?
The Biebers.
Missing the soft-launch of her new hair colour on Instagram, I was pleasantly surprised when I opened my laptop to see brown waves falling onto the shoulders of Hailey’s black jacket at the Fantastics’ Super Bowl 2024 Party in British Vogue. Her longer-than-usual ‘do’ in dark chocolate gained a lot of media attention, but it didn’t steal the spotlight away from her oversized animal-print Saint Laurent jacket that she wore to the game. Quite the contrary, in my personal opinion, as I found the warmth of the chocolate emphasised the amber hints in the Saint Laurent: a clever touch that tied seamlessly with husband Justin Bieber’s silky Marine Serre button-down. The mob wife aesthetic isn’t typically associated with tailgating, but the Biebers showed us otherwise by manifesting the NFL dress code through their designer ensembles, with Justin wearing a backward cap and Hailey opting for light-wash jeans—effortlessly pulled together with a pair of timeless red kitten heels.
Kendall, Kim, and Hailey at Fantastics’ Super Bowl 2024 Party / Photo credits: @britishvogue via Instagram
Justin and Hailey Bieber entering Allegiant stadium / Photo credits: Gettyimages.com
The ‘squad’ – Ice Spice and Blake Lively.
Taylor Swift attended the Super Bowl with her mother, Andrea Swift, and two important members of her star-studded ‘squad’: Blake Lively and Ice Spice.
Lively chose a sporty look, donning a red Adidas tracksuit over a cropped white tank top. Certainly not the only one in joggers, she indeed managed to turn heads as she cheered for Kelce, adorned with chunky Tiffany & Co. earrings, bracelets, and a necklace. More often than not, the actress is seen in flowy, ‘feminine’ items described by the media as ‘feminine chic.’ That’s why, in the wider context, Lively’s ‘off-brand’ tracksuit is personally my favourite. Her hair, styled in child-like locks, mimicked her exuberant energy in the stands—an ensemble embodying her aura; Blake Lively was having fun! A look on par with her matching scarlet stilettos.
Starting with the Fantastics’ party, Ice Spice went monochromatic, wearing a sheer, black Marine Serre set, emphasized by simple undergarments and a pair of chunky boots. In contrast to her delicate set, she was seen at the game in a Sporty-B long sleeve dress from the Balenciaga Spring 2024 collection: accentuating feminine energy with its high neck and open back, allowing the brand’s logo to pop. Often embracing Y2K fashion, it only made sense for Spice to pair the dress with a matching buckle bag—also Balenciaga.
Photo credits to Christopher Polk for Billboard
TAYLOR SWIFT.
As a Swifty, slightly terrified of other Swifties, I’m the last to admit that she’s not my ‘go-to’ woman for fashion inspiration. Respectfully, Joseph Cassell Falconer, Swift’s red-carpet and editorial stylist, demonstrates superb skill in utilising his twelve years in the music industry to synthesise her Nashville roots and poised personality with record-industry expectations. While it aligns with Swift’s consistent ability to surprise her fans, I struggle to identify a tangible common thread in her ensembles that I can incorporate into my own style.
With that said, I adored her Super Bowl look and found that it did justice to Swift, emphasising her character. Simultaneously, it seamlessly tied together with Kelce, allowing him a respectable amount of attention. Swift is interchangeably seen in both vintage-inspired and edgier wardrobes, and this aesthetic aligned with her apparel at Allegiant Stadium.
She wore a black Dion Lee crochet corset, reflecting her graceful femininity, paired with crystal-slit jeans that added just the right amount of edge we’ve come to expect from Swift. Kelce’s jersey number, 87, was stitched onto her black-heeled boots in red and gold—an admirable touch, showing her support for Kelce, while bringing life to a classic heel and preserving an otherwise polished look. To complete the outfit, Swift carried a Wear by Erin Andrews bomber jacket with the Chiefs’ logo and the number 60, symbolising the year the team was created.
Kansas City Chiefs’ running back, tight end, and quarterback.
The star running back, Christian McCaffrey, arrived at the Super Bowl in a pinstriped Ralph Lauren suit, a black tie, and with a firm grip around his Hermés bag, taking fans by storm. Tastefully, his outfit was coordinated with his fiancée, Olivia Culpo, who clutched a mini Hermés Kelly handbag with gold hardware. The bag accentuated the butter-coloured stitching around McCaffrey’s last name and jersey number, which was sewn onto Culpo’s customised coat.
Bearing the pressure of 123 million viewers can’t be easy for any player, but the stakes were especially high for Travis Kelce as he appeared on screens with his arm wrapped around Times’ ‘Person of the Year.’ Not only did he win Chiefs fans’ hearts by finishing the game with nine catches for 93 yards and securing victory, but he also had viewers head over heels for the sequins that smoothly trickled down his all-black Amiri suit, complementing his lucky charm—none other than Taylor Swift, Times’ ‘Person of the Year’ herself. Fans weren’t the only ones charmed by the sparkle; Kylie, Kelce’s brother, described Travis’ look as a “snazzed up Johnny Cash”, on their podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis. In agreement, Travis responds, ” It fit like a glove baby and it worked. It was comfortable, too. He [Amiri, Travis’ Los-Angeles born fashion designer] had me looking like a black disco ball walking into the disco. Vegas baby“.
Kelce did quite a number in his Amiri, sharing the spotlight with Mahomes as he led the way to the Cheifs’ fourth Super Bowl triumph. His entrance into Allegiant stadium featured a strut as clean as his handoffs and hit the jack-pot in his clean-cut ensemble: a black suit and silver tie, paired with Oakley sunglasses and Louis Vuitton back-pack.
Observing the players in their arrival outfits evokes a sense of tenderness in me. Behind all of football’s ‘toxic masculinity’, viewers are allowed a glimpse into their personalities—a playfulness shown through creative self-expression. Perhaps they’ll deny it, but in their designer specs, we see a reflection of their pride and joy, extending from glossy shoes that aren’t low cleats.
Christian McCaffrey, Travis Kelsey, and Patrick Mahomes entering Allegiant Stadium: Photo from @databutmakeitfashion via Instagram.com / Olivia Culpo on field with mini Hermés Kelly handbag: Photo from @oliviaculpo via Instagram.com / Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift holding hands: Photo from Gettyimages.com
