Ilona Maher Is Glamorous as Ever in Black Off-the-Shoulder Mini Dress for ‘Blurry’ Night Pics

Maher makes a case for a little black dress in her recent Instagram post.

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York. Swimsuit by Norma Kamali. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ilona Maher is flaunting her stuff on her Instagram after an elegant night out. The Olympic rugby player and SI Swimsuit model took to social media to let her fans know that she had a great evening—so much so that the photos came out blurry. But, as she alludes to in her caption, the shakier the picture, the better the night.

Of course, having a good time can’t be done without an outfit that makes one feel confident and ready to dance the night away, which is why, in her black off-the-shoulder thigh-length dress paired with transparent stockings, the athlete looked remarkably stunning. The Dancing With the Stars alum, who served as the SI Swimsuit digital cover star last September, wore her signature bright red lip for this look, bringing a pop of color to the all-black ensemble. As for her brunette locks, what’s more fun than letting your hair down?

Whether she’s wearing swimsuits on the cover of SI Swimsuit or a simple black dress for a night out, the Bristol Bears player is no stranger to creating fashion moments.

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For Maher, the good times continue to roll, especially with a decorated athlete of her caliber.

The Olympian was recently recognized as one of USA Today’s 2025 Women of the Year alongside other extraordinary women such as Angela F. Williams, Hoda Kotb, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Temple Grandin and Janet Alkire. For Maher, the outlet praises her relentless ambition to become one of the best rugby players in the world as well as for her commitment to serving as a role model for generations to come.

For her interview with the publication, Maher talked about her journey of self love and how she wants to ensure the women that came before her are left proud.

“Rugby celebrates so many body types,” she said. “It gets to show what your body is capable of on the field, which then gives you a different view of who you are.” Rugby changed not only Maher’s life but the lives of many other female athletes who have also fallen in love with the sport. It’s because of women like her that the sport lives by the High Woman Philosophy.

“High women are those players who came before us, who used to play on terrible fields … who had to shine their car headlights on the field to get some light at night,” Maher expressed. “They did all of that so that now we can do what we're doing.”

No matter where her talents lead her, she wants to ensure she continues to show up authentically so the younger version of herself remains proud.

“I’d wear a little mustache, sunglasses and a baseball cap, and I would just give her, like, one of [*a thumbs up and a wink*],” Maher replied when asked what she would tell her younger self. “And then I’d walk away, because I don’t want her to change anything she did. All the mistakes that she made, all the things she did, led to where I am now.”

And where she is now is a beloved athlete, role model and badass fashionista who rocks a little black dress effortlessly.