Swimsuit

Suni Lee’s End-of-Summer Look Proves Polka Dots Are Still Going Strong

The Olympic gymnast and SI Swimsuit model kicked off New York Fashion Week with a gorgeous dress.

Ananya Panchal

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton at The Boca Raton.
Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton at The Boca Raton. / Ben Horton/Sports Illustrated

Olympic gold medalist turned fashion “it” girl Suni Lee is making major moves in New York—and her latest Instagram carousel is a love letter to classic glam with a modern twist. The 22-year-old is officially in her fashion week era, and if this polka dot moment is any indication, we’d better get ready for a month of slays.

Styling

Minute Media may earn a small commission from your purchase at the following links.

In the first photo, the Minnesota native posed in a luxe lounge filled with white curtain walls, black wood-paneled accents and cozy velvet seating. She wore a stunning white midi dress adorned with evenly spaced black polka dots, featuring a plunging neckline, halter silhouette and voluminous structured skirt. The frock—The Ultimate Muse Volume Skirt Midi Dress ($160)—strikes the perfect balance between playful and refined, proving the vintage-inspired print still has serious staying power for fall.

Her signature long, dark locks were styled smooth and straight, tucked neatly behind her shoulders to show off her soft, glowing glam: rosy, sculpted cheeks, a hint of highlighter and a glossy pinky-nude lip. The ESPY award winner accessorized with a dainty tennis necklace, stacks of diamond bracelets and rings and a crisp white Saint Laurent Manhattan Box Bag—a sleek statement piece that added polish to the ’fit.

And, of course, her Audemars Piguet wristwatch peeking through in other photos was hard to miss (and ignore the price of). A high-fashion flex if we’ve ever seen one.

Fans react

Lee kept her caption simple with a sassy martini emoji.

“Beyond beautiful,” Symone Ryley Witkop commented.

“goddess,” Ming Lee Simmons added. She and Lee connected earlier this year at the SI Swimsuit Launch Week events in New York City, as both women celebrated their rookie debuts with the franchise.

“You look sooo good omg,” Xaria Wiggins chimed.

From the mat to Manhattan, Lee’s evolution has been nothing short of inspiring, and this polka dot dress is an instant add to cart.

Shop similar polka dot midi dresses

A style star

Lee’s personal style has taken a more experimental, expressive turn since she moved to New York last year. “It’s always just been gymnastics, gymnastics, gymnastics,” she told Glamour last fall. “Whereas right now it’s like, Who is Suni outside gymnastics?”

She’s figuring it out—and doing it in style. “She’s fun, she’s energetic, outgoing, very brave,” she said of herself and who this new version of Lee is. “But not a lot of people see that, and it’s something that I want to expand on more. I think fashion can be a really good way to express yourself.”

More Suni Lee:

feed

Published
Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.

Home/Fashion