By Eileen Klink
Lady golfers have a lot of fashion styles to choose from these days. What will be your look in 2024? Sporty, classy, flirty, eccentric, artsy or fun loving perhaps? The golf outfits we choose say a lot about our personality and maybe even our playing style. Even those of us with multiple personality traits are covered. Bold colors and unique patterns often exude confidence. Artsy and unconventional apparel demonstrates creativity. I generally perceive those in well-coordinated outfits as being detail oriented and probably more organized than myself. If she’s outfitted in subdued or neutral tones, you may find her to be reserved. When I see a golfer in a wild cocktail print, well I immediately assume she’s fun.
As the owner of a retail golf apparel business, I run across lots of different brands, and I stock what I think will appeal to most of my customers. Although I like most of what I buy, occasionally I will merchandise an item that I would never choose for myself. When that choice flies off the rack, I realize how much tastes vary. In this article, I will align some favorite brands with style types. This is based solely on my experience in the industry and please, please note, is totally subjective. Hopefully my brand-to-style matchmaking will help you discover your personal look!
Classy
Lohla Sport tops my “classy” list with designs that combine European flair with well-coordinated luxury fabrics. When I see a player in Lohla Sport, I get a sense of “posh” on a player with a confident attitude. The company was founded by Lisa O’Hurley, who had a 10-year career with the Golf Channel before bringing the European company, Golfino, to the US. She has taken her strength in the game (she’s a low single digit handicapper) and fashion experience to create a premium line for serious golfers and country clubbers.
If your look is first class, you will also want to peruse Daily Sport, a Swedish company offering classic lines, patterns, and colors (and even a 20” long skort). You can wear these timeless pieces for several seasons and always look current. RLX (by Ralph Lauren) has sophisticated styles dating back to traditional polo, but with a modern touch. They are crafted with top quality fabrics and construction. G-Fore is a classy line based out of Los Angeles and has some disruptive styles, but still honors the traditions of golf with beautiful fabrications and designs. A player wearing any of these lines will certainly look first class!
Flirty
Tzu Tzu sport started the flirty golf revolution. This brand gets the credit for offering up the first golf racerback top. Their colorful and clever prints adorn their fitted tops. Partnered with their ruffled shorter skorts, you are sure to turn heads.
If you have the body and want to show it (within clubhouse rules, that is) then also look at FlirTee Golf. Their name speaks for itself. These are bold colors, tighter cuts, and ruffles in the right places. If you are fit, you will rock this line.
I also recommend Calliope Golf in my “Flirty” category. While a bit more tempered with color, they are fitted with deep racerbacks and shorter skorts. They even offered a black leather line this year.
Sporty
I’m thinking of athletic kind of brands in this section. I like Dunning Golf for their technical fabrics and active styling. They design with performance and playability for golfers in mind. To drive the point home, Dunning was selected as this year’s (and next) Solheim Cup uniforms designer in charge of dressing the best women golfers in the country.
Taylor Jordan also comes to mind when seeking a sporty look. They aren’t too funky or crazy, but they do have an athletic edge. Their apparel is made for breathability and comfort. I especially like their camo prints and TJ Tour skorts.
I am also seeing more Lulu Lemon appear on the golf course. This company is all about meeting performance needs. They say that everything they make is rooted in the science of “feel.” I used to think of Lulu Lemon as a yoga apparel company, but they have evolved to offer skorts, pants and tops that are all suitable for the golf course. They even have a search category on their website for golf.
Eccentric
Loudmouth apparel had been leading my eccentric category for years now. If you want some crazy, then look no further than this brand. They consistently offer the loudest and boldest prints on the course, and they’re fun! Current prints include the Dirty Martini, Mosaic Skulls, and Jungle Bogey. You won’t get lost on the course or in the crowd wearing this line.
I’m going to put Bad Birdie Golf in this category because they work hard to design standout golf apparel. As they say on their site, “we didn’t come here to lay up!” While they offer some classic polos, check out the “Cotton Candy Skies” print on their Exec Skort if you like to play on the wild side.
Artsy
Famara Golf is performance wear inspired by original European artwork. Uniqueness is blended into every garment. Their fabrics and designs push creative boundaries. This is a fairly new company, founded in 2019. If you enjoy a one-of-a-kind, lux look, then you MUST check them out.
It’s not the first time that Amy Sport has been mentioned in my articles. No, I don’t own stock, I just love the brand for their unique prints and fabulous fabrics. It’s a personal fav. Amy sport defines “artsy” with bold patterns designed by (you guessed it) artists.
Fun
If you are all about styles that make you smile (and especially if you are obsessed with skorts), and you haven’t discovered Skort Obsession, then I have saved the day. You cannot wear these skorts and not feel happy. Every skort has a twist…just check out the undershorts to find a clever coordinating print. There are handy pockets in the undershorts, and you can wear them high on your waist for a shorter look or lower for a longer look (without the skort riding).
Dona Jo was created by a husband-and-wife team (Ashley from the US and Rapha from Brazil). Ashley is inspired by her husband’s culture of vibrant colors, bold patterns and the fun and free-spirited nature of the Brazilian culture and it is demonstrated in the Dona Jo collections. The brand carries apparel for several athletic endeavors but I suggest the “Birdie” and “Par” skorts (17” long) for a fun and fresh look that’s perfect for golf.
Like going into the final hole of an exceptional round, I’m finishing this article strong with one of my favorite brands. Kinona Sport offers collections that are easy to put in several categories. They could have landed in my “Classy” section with their lux Italian Fabrics and classic designs, but their clever use of applique, stripes, color blocks and unique patterns lands them here. They are fun in a classy way.
While wearing an outfit that matches your personality on the course may not be a critical factor in a great round, it can certainly boost your confidence and mood. I for one, will take every advantage I can get. I hope this article has helped you bring out more personal style to your game in 2024!
