Hailey Van Lith Serves School Girl Chic With the Most Surprising Pants Choice

The Chicago Sky rookie mixed preppy, utilitarian and high fashion for a newsworthy tunnel look this week.

Hailey Van Lith was photographed by Taylor Ballantyne in Fort Worth, Texas. / Taylor Ballantyne/Sports Illustrated

Hailey Van Lith is proving that her pregame fashion is just as headline-worthy as her on-court performance.

The Chicago Sky guard served up a bold, experimental twist on school girl chic ahead of the team’s July 9 matchup against the Dallas Wings at Wintrust Arena. She wore a short-sleeve navy knit Adidas jersey with a crisp white collar and subtle piping along the sleeves and neckline. The fitted piece was neatly tucked into her sports bra for a cropped, sporty finish, putting her personal spin on the athletic yet preppy vibe.

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But the real star of her tunnel walk was a daring pair of hybrid bottoms by Collina Strada.

The brand’s Tan Lawn Skirt Cargo Pants offered a fun, polarizing silhouette: oversized khaki cargos with a pleated skirt overlay sewn right onto the waistband. The Washington native served a structured street-style moment that balanced masculine edge with flirty femininity, and certainly has fashion fanatics and WNBA style analysts talking.

The $345 piece—which was crafted from 100% cotton twill—featured belt loops, oversized pockets, paneled construction and silver hardware, and it was finished with a bold D-ring detail. Leave it to Van Lith to make such a polarizing design look completely natural.

Hailey Van Lith / Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images

Van Lith styled the statement pants with burgundy pointed-toe heels and a coordinating Bottega Veneta handbag, adding a luxe pop of color that tied the look together. Her brown tortoise rectangular eyeglasses enhanced the scholarly vibe, while also nodding to the growing “corpcore” and “coquette” trends dominating summer street style.

Altogether, the outfit felt cool, unexpected and editorial, which was perfectly on-brand for the 23-year-old baller, who made her SI Swimsuit debut on the cover of the April digital issue earlier this year before returning for the 2025 magazine.

Hailey Van Lith was photographed by Taylor Ballantyne in Fort Worth, Texas. / Taylor Ballantyne/Sports Illustrated

Van Lith, who was selected as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, has wasted no time making an impression both on and off the hardwood. Her tunnel fits—ranging from laid-back crop tops to custom Coach ensembles—have solidified her as one of the league’s fashion darlings. Much like rookie teammate Maddy Westbeld and second-year star and fellow SI Swimsuit model Angel Reese, Van Lith is helping usher in a new era of WNBA fashion where style is just as celebrated as stats.

On the court, she logged two points, two rebounds and one assist in just eight minutes of play during the Sky’s 87–76 win over the Wings. While her impact on the scoreboard was limited, Van Lith’s pregame presence once again proved victorious.

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