Obviously not if you ask professional women’s tennis player Serena Williams, who earned herself both 39 Grand Slam titles and a thriving fashion company by 42 years old.
Trained with her sister Venus by her father at the ripe age of 4 years old, Williams was a natural on the court from the start. By 14 she was playing professionally alongside 16 year old Venus.
Williams gained immense publicity and promptly climbed her way up to the top. To this day she has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, a number higher than anyone else in the open era.
Around the year 2000, Williams decided to go above and beyond, improving not only her skill but also the way she dresses. The average tennis player generally wears a tank top with shorts, with the required tennis shoes.
In her Lycra Catsuit she won her second US open, firing back at reporters who challenged her for these absurd and unusual outfits. She debuted a flashy pink two piece outfit in Paris and entered her match against Venus in a stunning white trench coat. The most viewed ESPN tennis match occurred when she presented herself in a layered skirt, representing 6 of her well deserved titles. Many of her fashion choices were sponsored by the beloved brand Nike, earning a whopping $55 million.
Williams claimed that she has loved unique fashion choices since she was little, thriving to incorporate it in her tennis passion. Not only do these outfits display her personality, but they also allow for fans to feel as confident as she does. Another goal of Williams’ was to incorporate the sexy-confident look to promote positive body image and self respect. This goal was achieved when it was recognised and admired by women worldwide. She believed that the common lesson of being told to “blend in” as a person of color was unfavorable, so she took the lead to stand out in every mesmerizing way possible.
Additionally, one of Williams’ best qualities is connecting with her peers. She stumbled across a civilized tennis match and joined the players, despite her poor footwear choice of high boots. This did not stop Williams from participating with joy and excitement. It also didn’t stop fans from praising her upon this action.
With all of the support and recognition that Serena Williams received, she decided to open her very own clothing brand. Despite this seeming like a simple task due to her popularity in sports media, many had originally disapproved of her fashion passion and believed that she should “stick to sports”. Her brand S by Serea was initially launched in 2019 and accomplishes her lifelong goal; blending her two passions. Williams went on to win the 2023 Fashion Icon Award; a start to her passion for fashion towards the end of a stellar career.
If anyone could do it all, it would be Serena Williams.
