Calyann Barnett is an All-Star fashion guru—and she’s teaming up with DSW to help you upgrade your outfits for 2021.
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Let’s face it: No amount of coaching can get you playing like the pros, but the right style coach will get you dressing like one. Just ask All-Star stylist Calyann Barnett, who has more than a decade of experience helping elite athletes look their best from the arena to the awards ceremony and everywhere in between.
“I didn't watch basketball before, but I started looking and I was like, these guys are terribly dressed!” she says with a laugh. “They obviously have these big, major contracts, and no one's paying attention to the way they dress.”
Barnett began her career in the music industry, working with recording artists, rappers, and pop stars on their style and appearance, before moving into the sports world. She may have been a rookie, but her first client was a certified legend: Dwyane Wade. Barnett took his style game to the MVP level, building up trust and familiarity and that allowed the three-time champion to explore his fashion sense to the fullest. At that time, basketball players had to follow a strict dress code at the arena and on the bench, but Barnett helped Wade push beyond the idea of “business casual” and into high fashion—good thing championship rings go with any outfit!
The trend toward outfits built on personal expression and bold choices has taken hold throughout the pros, which has created some very fashion-forward power forwards. But Barnett knows it’s not just about making a style statement. “The way you dress reflects the way you feel and determines how your day goes,” she says. “If you’re feeling sloppy and just throw on your greasy sweats, that’s going to be your energy. But when you look in the mirror and are like, ‘I look good,’ you exude that, and it spreads to your whole day.”
Now, Barnett’s client list reads like an All-Star roster. She dresses rookie sensations for their first year in pro ball; helps established stars turn the pre-game arena arrival into a catwalk; and blows past Defensive Player of the Year winners to overhaul their closets. You know those ridiculous suits that players used to don for Draft Day? A lot of those outfits are still taking up space in baller closets across the country.
“It almost became a mission, like full-time, I just need to get into your closet and get all of these terrible, outdated, tacky suits,” she says, “You’re wearing these massive windowpane suits— you're already massive!”
Once Barnett penetrates a client’s defense, she becomes the perfect pick-and-roll partner for her players: She helps them pick an outfit, and they roll up to red carpets ready to dunk on anyone’s drip. The key is confidence.
“With entertainers, there are a lot of insecurities,” she says. “Whereas with athletes, you get these guys who have accolades that no one can take away from them. They are the elite of the elite. They don't really care about other people's opinions, so you're dealing with just them.”
Don’t take that as permission to not care about your clothes; it’s the exact opposite. In fact, consider this the first lesson on your way to Hall of Fame fashion status. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, there’s an MVP outfit you can create—and some crispy kicks from DSW to help make you a more complete player. The best ballers of all time know it’s all about the shoes, so if you want to get off the bench and into the style game, start with your shoe game, and soon enough DSW and Calyann Barnett will help you take over the whole game.
The Morning Workout: Train Like A Champion
Calyann’s Pick: ON Cloud Lightweight Running Shoe
Whether you’re a gym rat, a weekend warrior, or just looking to start your day off on the right foot, it’s important to have workout gear that actually gets you excited to work out. These ON running shoes are ultra-lightweight, slip on and off your foot easily, and are designed for performance while still being comfortable enough for regular wear. Barnett loves the black/white/gray colorway, because you can match them with monochromatic outfit or have fun with bright, neon colors that won’t compete with your shoes.
As for the rest out your outfit, Barnett offers a warning: “You never want to be that guy who shows up at the basketball court dressed in full uniform, and then he’s out there shooting airballs.” Instead, toss out your stinky old t-shirts and shorts and make sure you have great quality workout clothes that can evolve as you get more confident in your training. Start off by pairing these ON runners with joggers, and once you’re not shooting airballs, start wearing tighter, more fitted apparel that shows off your newly toned arms. You can even rock slick compression sleeves or leggings under your gear to add layers to your outfits. “It’s the evolution of your workout and your style: As you get more fit, your outfits get more fit.”
The Step Out: Shoot Your Shot
Calyann’s Pick: Doc Martens OR Timberland Boots
Pro basketball players start balling before they even hit the court, because the pre-game arena arrival has become one of the most important moments for athletes to express their personal style before putting on the team uniform. Even if there are no cameras flashing when you arrive on scene, dress like the paparazzi are watching.
How do you turn heads wherever you go? First off: Give your old boots the boot. And if you don’t own a pair of versatile, iconic Dr. Martens 1460 or Timberland six-inch boots, stop reading now and head to DSW.com immediately. From there, says Barnett, it’s all about you. “What are you feeling? With the Doc Martens, are you feeling a little more tailored and classic? Or for the Timberlands, are you feeling a little more edgy and rugged?”
Advanced players can actually style their suits with dope boots, but for beginner ballers, Barnett says both the Docs and Timbs pair best with darker denim. If you’re still stuck in Dad Jeans, Barnett’s advice is to focus on fit—the better your clothes fit your body, the better you look. “Denim should be tailored to your skin, but there should be enough room to move around. They shouldn’t be tight enough that we can count the change in your pocket, but you also shouldn’t be able to stuff your keys, your wallet, and your phone all in one pocket!
The Work-From-Home Grind: Home Court Advantage
Calyann’s Pick: Nike Court Royale
Your office may be in your living room, but that doesn’t mean dress down. Your favorite team busts out their best and brightest uniforms for home games, and teams always play better at home than on the road—see the connection? Find an outfit that makes you look and feel professional for every video call and remember that even if your coworkers can’t see your kicks, you can; and DSW carries a great selection of Nike footwear to help you find the perfect balance between style and comfort.
“You don’t want to buy something that you’re just going to wear at home, because then you’ll just have to buy another pair once we’ve returned to the office,” says Barnett. “The Nike Court Royale is a timeless shoe. You can wear it with joggers or sweatpants, but you can also wear them with a suit or really nice tailored pants, and it just makes you look more stylish.”
Once you’re back in the office, don’t just drift back to your boring old work shoes. “I say, ‘Guys. The 1960s called, and they want their dress shoes back.”
The Postgame: Team Bonding
Calyann’s Pick: Columbia SH/FT Trail Shoe
The best antidote for the home office is the outdoor adventure, so find yourself some rugged but stylish outdoor boots that can handle the elements and seamlessly switch to outdoor distanced drinks with friends. Athleisure apparel blends functionality with fashion, so you can dress up or dress down for any occasion or activity. Barnett loves this Columbia Trail Shoe from DSW because the performance-based design and monochromatic colorway gives you endless options to build and layer an outfit—just like your workout gear.
“With the black and gray, you can put on joggers, a thermal shirt, and a puffer vest that pull from some of the other colors on the shoe, like the blue,” she explains. “You can build up different colors and it’s still super, super stylish.”
Barnett says the winter months are a great time to accessorize and add layers on top of layers—like a hoodie or sweater under your puffer vest, and a scarf or cool beanie that can add a pop of color to a basic black-and-gray outfit. A must-have for any man is a classic navy peacoat jacket (“You cannot go wrong with that!”) that will dress up these Columbia Trail Shoes or go great with the classic camel Timberland boots and a complementary tan sweater underneath.
Family Time: The Real Home Team
Calyann’s Pick: Ugg Leisure Scuff Slipper
After a grueling basketball game (or a tough day of emails), players settle into an ice bath for their physical recovery and then head home to their families for emotional recovery. Start with your feet and grab these Ugg slippers from DSW that Calyann says “feel like putting your feet into a cloud.” From pros to Joes, everyone loves to get cozy and comfortable on the couch, but if your go-to t-shirt is older than your kids and has torn another arm hole…
“Don't do that!” exclaims Barnett. “There are great Pima cotton sets, like loungewear. It feels great against your skin and you look good. You don't want to turn into that dad—like at all, like seriously. Are you going to be all slouchy at home? If it's how you look, how you feel, that’s what you’ll want to do. It snowballs.”
Speaking of snowballs, these Ugg slippers will keep your feet plenty warm, but Barnett suggests having fun with colorful, patterned socks that add another layer to your loungewear. For the ultimate indulgence, just think of where athletes go when they’re on the road: To their hotel room and a big, luxurious robe.