Women’s Golf Fashion Trends Ahead of the U.S. Women’s Open | Entertainment

There was a time when the words “golf” and “fashion” seemed like contradictions. Let’s be honest, ill-fitting khaki pants are just not fashionable.

Now, let’s think about it again.

Golf fashion is on the rise, and players aren’t the only ones taking notice. In April, The Wall Street Journal ran a story on the trend titled, “Women’s Golf Wear is Finally So Good Even Non-Golfers Want It.” Fashion site Fashionista.com has also taken notice, writing about the “Fashionable Future of Golf Wear — for All Genders” in 2023.

This week, the U.S. Women’s Open returns to Lancaster, drawing nearly 2,000 golfers and thousands more spectators to Lancaster Country Club. While the competition takes center stage, fashion is a means of self-expression for players and spectators alike.

And thankfully, the options are expanding in this modern age, a trend that The Wall Street Journal attributes to a record number of female golfers starting in 2020.

Here we’ll take a look at the latest women’s golf fashion you might see on the course, plus a guide to help you update your wardrobe if you’re planning on taking part too.

Dresses and skorts

Historically, golfwear has its roots in Victorian fashion. Luckily, modern players are more mobile, so you’re unlikely to see petticoats and crinolines on the course.

But dresses and skorts, or skirts with shorts in one, are especially popular in golf fashion right now, says Mary Parker, designer at Kalia Golf, a fashion-forward line of Dick’s Sporting Goods. And the trend isn’t just limited to golf.

“Dresses and skorts are hot right now,” Parker said in an email. “These are silhouettes traditionally seen in golf, but with the growing popularity of golf, tennis, and pickleball, non-golf brands are starting to get in on the country club sports trend.”

Kalia was founded as an activewear brand by Carrie Underwood in 2015. She left the brand in 2021. In 2022, the brand released its first golf collection and introduced the “Kalia Collective,” or brand ambassadors, which includes golf correspondent Alexandra O’Loughlin.

Bright colors and patterns

Bold, bright colours have been a hallmark of golf clothing for decades and have been a way for players to express their individuality.

“Many golfers use color to stand out on the course and express themselves,” Parker said. “One color we’ll be seeing a lot this season is green, which is so fitting for the sport.”

Thomas Mataini, owner of Pull-a-Pin in the Golden Triangle Shopping Center on Lititz Pike, agreed. The store is known primarily for its club-fitting services but also sells apparel and other equipment.

“My biggest focus with women’s clothing is to offer as many color options as men’s,” Mataini says, “so that women feel like they have more options to express themselves than just blue, purple and pink.”

Pull the Pin’s roots date back to 2008, when the business was called Golf Et cetera. Mataini, who worked at the store under the previous owner, took over the business in 2020 and changed the name in March 2021.

At Pull the Pin, Mataini carries clothing from FootJoy (a unit of Acushnet, which also owns industry giant Titleist) and Bad Birdie, a brand known for its flashy, fun options.

Mataini chooses from the brand’s “specialty drops,” or colors and variations that go beyond the basics. Recent shoppers may have seen FootJoy’s orange-centric line, which hit stores in April. Mataini also says he’s seeing more red, white and blue options in the warmer months for Memorial Day and Fourth of July golf.

Patterns, as well as colors, are one way golfers can express their individuality on the course. And we’re not just talking about the madras shorts seen in those old Old Navy ads: Calia’s current products include a lavender watercolor-inspired pullover with UV protection that evokes cotton candy clouds, and a white, pink, and blue golf skort with a pattern worthy of abstract art.

Bad Birdie’s website features a variety of fun prints, from blue and white checkered to cats and snakes.

For those who can’t fully go for loud patterns, Mataini says he’s noticed an increase in patterns that he describes as an “embossed look,” which appear solid color from a distance but reveal more subtle pattern details upon closer inspection.

“It’s very popular with people who prefer solids,” Mataini says.

Fun Details

In some cases, details found in golf wear are directly borrowed from mainstream women’s fashion.

Pleated skirts, for example, are making a huge comeback, with stars like Taylor Swift rocking them with casual oversized shirts for cool daytime looks, or paired with a black bodysuit and knee-high boots for a night out on the town.

This trend has continued into the world of golf apparel, aimed at both players and spectators.

“You’re going to see a lot of pleated skorts in the spectators at the tournament,” Parker said. “You saw that at the boys’ tournament this spring, and I expect you’ll see that at the girls’ tournament, too.”

In October, French player Céline Boutier, whose style Parker describes as “classic and timeless,” wore a wine-red Lacoste pleated skirt to the LPGA’s Maya Bank Championship.

Pleats also make an appearance on tops, like Kalia’s pleated back full zip jacket.

And there’s a whole host of styles to consider, from the “coquette” trend, which incorporates ultra-feminine elements like florals and bows, to clothing brand Golftini’s pink-and-black ruffled skort, which comes in two lengths and would look perfect in green or at Regina George’s luncheon on Wednesday in “Mean Girls.”

Another example of golfwear with a feminine touch is the Calia flutter sleeve polo.

“We’re taking silhouettes and details that haven’t traditionally been seen in golf and doing it in a way that’s very functional for women on the course,” Parker says.

Boost your self-confidence

Mataini, the golf pro, is looking forward to the U.S. Open returning to Lancaster, and although his store won’t officially be part of the event, he said he and other store employees will likely be there to watch the matches.

“I think this tournament will shine a light on how great women’s golf is right now,” Mataini said.

He’s built his business on award-winning golf fitting, but apparel is also a big part of it.

“Everything in my business comes back to our core mission of helping players, whether they’re male or female, become more confident in their game,” Mataini said. “Whether it’s a new driver or a new polo, I want them to feel more confident off the tee.”