I’m practically still living on the high from this year’s Royal Rumble.  After the thrill of the incredible performances from the current crop of girls, there were the chills and shivers of all the returns: the Bellas! Beth! And the DoD reunion! The feeeeeeeels! Barbie! I caught my breath when Michelle ran in – I never thought I would see her wrestle again! I was back to the early days of my fandom in a heartbeat. It was 2010 and everything was flawless and filled with real talk and FIERCENESS. Omg. And Trish! And Lita slaying! And when Vickie “excuse me”d…I lost it. Like, gone. Brb. Annnddd. The Big Dub did not disappoint with this one. It took me some time to chill a smidge and savor it all. And then, there was the plethora if ring gear to examine and rave over :)…which I shall now do, in print. Are you ready to rrrrrrrruuuuuumble?
The Glamazon looked as if she last stepped out of a ring just yesterday in this black and white rendition of her trademark gear. While Beth went through a few variations of her gear (including a skirted version, several different side cutouts and an iteration or two with lace-up pants), this is the style that seems synonymous with her. I love this perfect recreation, right down to her trademark headpiece and the in-flight phoenix. The color scheme accents the cool, powerful an practical nature of the design. It has no intention of being sexy…and that’s sexy as h**l! You would be well within the boundary of smart logic to cower in fear at the entrance of the Glamazon…especially when it became apparent that her skill set was 100% intact…
Unless, of course, you are Natalya :). The Divas of Destruction sharing a hug in the center of the ring was a standout of the many special moments of this inaugural Rumble. Nattie wore a an iteration of the one-piece that has become her signature look. This one combined the striping and be-crystalled “shield” front we’ve seen previously with additional pink piping and crystals (of course ;)). Set on a latex backdrop, the look is sleek, but glamorous and , like Beth’s gear, practical, despite its fierceness and opulence. While I can’t help but have favorites among the many variations of this gear, there’s no doubt that this series represents Nattie at her absolute ring-fashion best, melding haute couture with performance wear in an unforgettable way.
Bayley really didn’t have to do much to get me to adore her gear beside wear it in yellow :) (#FavoriteColorSyndrome). That said, I’m in for her new addition of fringe on her pants. Surprising, no? True, it’s a bit crazy from a fashion standpoint, but the movement is creates is super cool and after the multitude of patterns and graphics on her previous looks, this feels cleaner and lets me appreciate the details and all that free-spirited color – which comes off effervescent and exciting now that it has chance to shine. I love the sprinkling of stars over her top and boots –it’s perfect pattern for her, on trend but also fitting for her taste and style. All of this in combination easily makes this set my current favorite of all her gear outfits!

Barbie kicked off November in this simple, classic pairing of a long-sleeved, heathered tee and denim shorts. The look has a completely all-American girl vibe to it…until you get to the footwear :). Barbie’s choice of burgundy velvet OTK boots not only adds a massive shot of fierce, it also give the fall flavor to an otherwise almost summer-y outfit. A burgundy lip shade carries the color upward in a pleasing way.
Alexa got a Maryse Makeover during Total Divas which gave me mixed feels. I loved the youthful vibe of the embroidered collar on the dress Maryse picked but, even with that, the piece has a maturity and sophistication which feel a little out of place on Blissy just yet. Ditto the gorgeous lace coat. The studded bag I think she could probably work with though ;). Even though the look isn’t ultimately one I can see Alexa keeping right now, I really enjoyed seeing her step out of her comfort zone. Sometimes the best way to figure out who you are (in fashion and otherwise) is to figure out who you’re not. Or, who you’re not right now – sometimes you find something you can come back to another point and realize that you’ve grown into it. The experience always has a lesson, which is why taking chances and trying things is important. It keeps you from getting stuck in a box and/or getting bored.
Brie gave us a sample of her trademark boho style on the show, as well. She paired a flowy peasant blouse in antique rose with medium wash blue jeans. This is a rendition of the fancy-meets-chill blouse and denim look that fashion has been loving the last few seasons.  It often gets served with distressed denim so I really love seeing Brie’s hole-less bottoms! The look works flawlessly, with her braided hairband cementing the bohemian vibe and acting as the exclamation point of the styling.

We’re finishing up our series of sporty looks with a bit of 90’s inspiration from Brie. Her laidback ensemble walked a perfect line between ring gear and street wear, making it pretty much the ultimate example of athleisure. She paired a graphic baseball tee with distressed leggings. A red plaid shirt tied at her waist gave the look an extra shot of color and a trend-meets-grunge vibe. I love the way the shirt makes leggings out-of-the-house-appropriate, while maintaining the super-chill feel. Recreate the look with dark, neutral leggings (distressing optional) and a neutral  raglan-style top: baseball tees work, sweatshirts work, even  sweaters with this no-shoulder-seam silhouette. Grab your favorite flannel  or plaid shirt to accent your waist. Cement the 90’s vibe by completing the look with Converse. If you’re daring, add in a little throwback-Avril-Lavigne and accent the look with a coordinating tie, knotted loosely at your neck.  Optional: top the ensemble with a relaxed jacket: dark, boxy denim, classic black leather, a cotton moto piece.
Brie’s outfit is totally chill – perfect for weekends, shopping, morning coffee, a lowkey lunch date. But what if you’re feeling the skater vibe, but you need to head somewhere a smidge fancier?  I love the idea of pairing an easy, sporty top (think the same line-up as for Brie’s look) with suit pants. The polished styling on the bottom ups this game in a hurry! Like the blouse in Cathy's look, they provide the formal, contrasting element that gives the look edge and interest.  A straight or wide-leg style is chic, on-trend, and makes a clear distinction from a leggings silhouette. Dark neutrals nod to a grunge vibe, but you can def work this look in warm beige, blush, ivory or white tones as well. Add bold, minimalist earrings, a sleek ponytail and a bright lip for a shot of color. Round things off with coordinating sneakers – I love the old school vibe of these Vans! And voilà: a little tbt, a little now, a little sporty-gone-dressy.
I hope this series has inspired you to try out some athleisure looks! Happy sporty styling, Fiercenti!

This look from one of the Bellas' twinning photoshoots has a very fun, sporty vibe to it, despite being not so much of an "outfit" per se. That doesn't mean we can't turn it into one though :). The crux of the way these pieces work is the oversized, athletic-gear top, the bright colors and the way the ladies' super-high knee socks create the impression of OTK boots. This drab time of year is one of my favorite periods for playing with colors as therapy and the intense hues of workout pieces readily lend themselves to experimentation. Start with an oversize sweatshirt. The twins choose zip hoodies, but pullover hoodies and pullover non-hoodies work just as well. The boxy silhouette and slightly longer length are the important aspects here, as they help the balance of proportion. Next need: a pair of coordinating leggings. Go for a print, an ombré fabric, a pair with side-stripes or -if none of the above are handy - a neutral. Right now, this is look is total gym, but here comes the fun part: kick in the FASHION side of things by completing it with flat OTK boots that walk the perfect line between casual and fierce. Add a pair of statement earrings to reinforce the vibe. Throw your hair in a high or mid-height pony and add a touch more color and elevation by knotting a silk scarf over the elastic. Boom. Done. Need an alternative way to do the whole color thing? Np. Do leggings again; neutrals preferred this time, but colored pieces are def an option as well. Get the fashionality into the look via a collared tunic - go for something crisp and clean, like woven cotton or an oxford cloth. Avoid relaxed fabrics like linen or gauze. Top the look with a cropped, bright sweatshirt, leaving the longer layer showing through below. Feel free to pull the sweatshirt sleeves backward past the tunic's sleeve-ends and turn the cuffs back for a little extra polish. Complete the look with coordinating sneakers. I love this mix of mint, pale aqua and lavender, but this would be amazing done in blush tones, or popped with neon sherbet shades. Don't forget about red and black either! Round things off with coordinating sneakers and a nylon backpack. additional shot of color via baseball cap optional. :)

I love the crisp, clean vibe of this black and white winter look from Brandi! She gave the outfit sporty vibe by styling it with a sweatshirt on top – something else I love because blending the athletic attributes of a utilitarian training piece with the fanciness of a skirt feels totally current and fierce. To create Brandi’s look straight up, start with a pencil skirt. She went with a leather iteration, but wool will work just as well. You can also work with a knit, but lean towards polished variations over slinky bodycon ones to maintain the contrast in formality. Add a sweatshirt on top. Simple is stellar, stripes are awesome, graphics 100% fab. Leave it un-tucked a la Brandi or go for a central or side half-tuck.  Gibe it a try in black and white, explore an alternate combination of neutrals or spike the look with a vibrant color. Add black tights, or coordinate with the (or a) color in your sweatshirt. Brandi rounded off her ensemble with on-trend white ankle booties; def consider reaching for those if ya got ‘em! Alternatively, classic black is always your bff. While Brandi chose a streamlined, heeled silhouette, flat booties or a more relaxed heeled style (think combat, moto or hiking-influenced boots) work fabulously with this look! Add a backpack to amp up the athleisure vibe. Knit pom-pom beanie optional :). This styling lends itself to A-line and bell skirts* as well – think the pleated satin pieces that have been taken fashion by storm, a tulle midi or even denim. Same drill applies as above with color and embellishment on the sweatshirt and tights colors. Style your top with a half or full tuck to maintain the balance between relaxation and refinement.  Complete the look with breezily fierce pointy ankle booties in neutral leather or suede, or a coordinating color. Add statement earrings for an extra dash of va-voom. PS If the weather in your area is amenable, both of these looks would work brilliantly finished with sneakers instead of ankle booties. Happy sporty styling!
*This is an awesome example of the bell skirt silhouette.  Note that it curves around the hips, as opposed to flowing outward from them, as in an A-line, which forms a visual triangle.

Are you ready for more? There are always more shoes I’d love to see the ladies get to try :). So, here goes…
In addition to her insanely cool, in-ring glow, Naomi has a fantastic sense of fancy style. These Monili-beaded-strap Velvet sandals from Bruno Cuccinelli would fit in perfectly with her sophisticated-with-a-twist sensibilities. They have a wonderful play on materials, with a textural combination of glimmering micro-beads and opulent velvet that makes them quite formal. However, that’s tempered by the mountaineering-gear vibe of the strap that supports the beads, giving a very athletic and functional-looking spin to the formality of these heels. These are just made to be the crave-worthy finish to an LBD or minimalist gown.  Equally in her wheelhouse, but on the less formal side are these celestial-feeling peeptoe booties from Alexandre Birman (the Ziggy).  They get an extra touch of modernity from the tie at the top which creates a paper-bag tie look at the ankle I can totally see Naynay fiercing up acid-wash skinny jeans and a tee with these! Like Maryse, Natalya’s shoe game already sends us into ecstasies! But that doesn’t mean we can’t come up for a few fun things for her to try ;). The classic foundation of her style lends itself to pairings we don’t often see from Divas, like these gingham flats (the Side Bow Mule from No. 21). I love this brand’s modern-classic aesthetic in general and the lighthearted feminine chic of these flats in particular. The jewels at the heel add a delightful dose of extra dimension – don’t you just adore them? I can see these with a floaty summer dress or a sleek pencil skirt. In a more daring genre are these Maureen Double Band mules from Malone Souliers. Nattie is always a fan of pink and this sensual coral-tinged shade would look amazing on her! The moiré (pron: “mwah-ray”) fabric gives them a luxurious vibe that’s contrasted by the sleek silver leather bands. These heels would be provide a fabulous pop to almost any of the clean, classic looks that are Nattie’s trademark. Lastly, I couldn’t resist including a more traditional (but hardly sedate) selection – these pointed Mira Pearl pumps from Nicholas Kirkwood feature glittering textural fabric and a single pearl hung from the sole. About the only thing I can see them not working with is Natalya’s ring gear. Then again, maybe…:).

One of the key elements of distinguishing an athleisure look from straight up gym style is adding an elevated piece of fashion that signals that these were considered choices. In Alicia's look, earrings served that role. Cathy did it a bit differently with this streetwear Instagram snap, using a semi-formal blouse to elevate the casual pieces and it looked amazing! The formality is unexpected and gives the styling zest and excitement.  She counter-balanced the fanciness by keeping the other elements of the look laidback: leggings, sneakers and a cropped, sherpa-lined jacket. Her blouse featured a cutout and tiny studs, but a whole variety of styles and embellishments can work for creating this look:  an embroidered blouse makes for a sweet and femme play on the sporty concept. Ruffled, bowed, sheer-accented and lace tops will serve a similar function. Or, give it a cool and polished turn with a striped piece or silk button-down (the material is crucial here - you want something with a sheen to get that crucial contrasting fancy vibe). On the pants front, a number of styles can work: track pants, cuffed sweats, straight up leggings. Keep the color scheme primarily to neutrals to tie the look together and keep it elevated. All black is fab, but if you're feeling the need for something lighter, consider beige, ivory or gray tones. Top the look with a chill jacket - a bomber is the current automatic go-to, but for cooler temps, a down piece will do nicely and create similar relaxed vibes.  Neutrals def work, but also feel free to spice the look up here with a bright color, as Cathy as, if the spirit so moves you. Complete the look with simple sneakers.  Cathy's choice of bright white brings a real pop to the look and plays on the white shoe trend, but a neutral or coordinating color will work perfectly as well. Happy sporty styling, loves!