Trends come and go the same way weather patterns change in most places. Pickleball was the sport to plat last year. However, the tides appear to be turning in 2024. People around the world are discovering the joys of playing badminton. Like pickleball, badminton is a sport anyone can play at any age. The ball is small and has wings attached to the back of it. The goal of the game is to hit the ball over the net without allowing your opponents to hit it back.
Each different sport brings new fashion trends to your closet. The badminton aesthetic is taking over the internet with a swiftness lately. Social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are full of hash-tagged badminton aesthetic content. The easiest way to describe the look is a preppy outfit with sporty flair. Badminton was first introduced in Europe, which means the aesthetics of this particular style stem from that part of the world.
To successfully cultivate the look, there are plenty of fashion-forward factors to keep in mind. For starters, the badminton aesthetic is all about choosing form-fitting pieces in the right colors. Make sure the pieces you purchase stand out athletically. Bright colors like pink, yellow, orange, blue, green, or red are fabulous to incorporate. Keep in mind that buying brand-name clothing can be pretty costly from luxury activewear brands. If you’re looking to save money, there are plenty of ways to go about doing that.
The main pieces you’ll need are sporty tops, athletic skirts, and comfortable shoes. When pros play badminton games, these are the pieces they never neglect. Since the game of badminton is often played outdoors, snagging trendy visors or sunglasses makes sense. Wearing your hair in a ponytail or bun and having clean, natural nails is a must as well. When the outfit is complete, you’ll feel like a stunning badminton professional. For more fashion content, click here to read about the most iconic clothing moments from the 80s.
To compile this list of how to create the perfect badminton aesthetic, 24/7 Tempo consulted fashion-centered websites. These include Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Who What Wear.
Trendy visors
A trendy visor is a great way to get started with the badminton aesthetic. Visors are equally useful and visually appealing. There are plenty of different colors to pick from when deciding which visor to wear. As far as brands go, visors can be purchased from just about anywhere. As long as you find one in a pleasant color that blocks the sun, it’s doing exactly what it’s meant to. A few of the best places to get trendy visors from are from Amazon, L2 Brands, and Headsweats.
UV-blocking sunglasses
While competitive badminton is typically played indoors, causal games often take place outdoors. Another important part of this sporty aesthetic revolves around a nice pair of UV-blocking sunglasses. Unlike driving sunglasses, it’s important to find a pair that’s designed to workout in.
If you don’t wear a pair that’s made for recreational use, odds are they’re going to break quickly. That’ll add up to more sunglass purchases, which is a waste of money. Keeping your eyes protected from the sun while looking fabulous is totally doable.
Sporty tops
The badminton aesthetic is trending right now for a handful of reasons. One reason hones in on the comfort that comes along with wearing sporty tops. It’s easy to get cozy in sporty tops that you can stay in all day long. Most people don’t love wearing button-ups or intricate blouses for hours on end.
Cute-looking sporty tops can range from $20 to $100 depending on where you purchase them from. The material of these tops is usually sweat-resistant to avoid visible sweat stains from showing. The material should be breathable as well.
Athletic skirts
What’s a cute top without the perfect athletic skirt to match? Over the years, skirts have become a wonderful option to wear when playing sports like badminton. In the old days, skirts were only worn for the purposes of simple femininity. Today, clothing trends have advanced to make skirts part of any athletes aesthetic.
They’re designed to be fitted enough that they won’t ride up during the middle of play. Hidden shorts are often secretly sewn into them as well. Like tops, athletic skirts have a wide range of pricing. It’s best to go with the skirt you find most comfortable and visually appealing.
Classic shorts
Some people wholeheartedly prefer shorts over skirts, and that’s perfectly okay. Everyone is entitled to their preferences. That said, it’s acceptable to wear shorts that add to the popular badminton aesthetic everyone’s aiming for. The best thing about shorts is that they come in all shapes and sizes.
More often than not, short shorts are the way to go to achieve the badminton look. Longer shorts usually don’t fit the preppy vibe for people aiming to achieve the badminton aesthetic, but they can still occasionally get the green light.
Comfortable shoes
Few things in this world are as important as a comfortable pair of shoes. This is especially important when you’re doing something athletic. Thankfully, the divide between picking comfort or style is shrinking quickly. Companies like Nike and Under Armour have realized that people are more likely to purchase their shoes if they’re also stylish.
These companies are quick to jump on trends and market them as heavily as they can. Be on the lookout for your favorite brand to start pushing badminton shoes. To stay in line the badminton aesthetic, your shoes should be color coordinated with another piece of clothing you’re wearing.
High ponytails and buns
Tons of movement takes place during typical badminton games. That said, wearing your hair in a high ponytail or bun is somewhat of a necessity. The last thing any badminton player wants is their hair constantly flopping in their face. It’s simple enough to achieve the badminton look with a clean0cut ponytail or bun. Use a color-coordinated scrunchie or rubber band to make it happen. You can also add a headband if you’re feeling inclined to do so.
Natural fresh-faced makeup looks
Since badminton is intense enough to make you sweat while playing, natural looking makeup are the best route to take. The natural look provides coverup wherever is necessary without being too overwhelming to everyone around you or online. A full face of makeup is perfectly fine for the badminton aesthetic, but it isn’t exactly believable. Most people don’t love the idea of sweating it out in a full face of makeup as it seemingly melts off. A fresh-faced makeup look includes some moisturizer, concealer, a light bit of mascara, filled in eyebrows, and some nude-colored lipstick or lipgloss.
Short, natural-looking nails
There are plenty of times in life when rocking long nails is the thing to do. That isn’t the case for the badminton aesthetic, though. Less is more when it comes to the length of your nails for this trend. While bright nail colors can be fun and exciting, you might want to keep your nails a little more simple for the badminton aesthetic. Athletes who play badminton often have natural-looking nails because they’re gripping racquets during matches.
Emulate Carolina Marin’s badminton style
One of the best female badminton players in the world happens to be Carolina Marin. The Spanish athlete is known for her hard hits and willingness to get the job done. She’s also known for her style and fashion sense. During matches, she frequently matches her tops, skirts, and shoes. Because she plays her matches indoors, Marin doesn’t need to wear a visor or sunglasses. She’s a great person to look to for inspiration when coming up with your badminton aesthetic.
Copy Zendaya’s similar tennis style
Zendaya is a Hollywood actress who knows how to dress the part for her roles. One of her upcoming movies is called “Challengers.” The sports-themed film follows her as she navigates a love triangle as a talented tennis player. The style she showcases during the movie is another great source of inspiration.
Tennis and badminton are two different sports, but the style inspiration for both are similar in many ways. For the aesthetic, Zendaya matches blue and purple with her top and skirt in “Challengers.” She’s a top-notch star to reflect on when honing in on badminton aesthetic. For more fashion content, click here to read about the most iconic trends of the 90s.