Professional sports have surely evolved. Athletes are jumping higher, running faster, and consistently breaking the perceived barriers of human performance. All aspects of their game are fluid, including their style off the field. So who’s behind this evolution? The looks are orchestrated by professional stylists, of course. Just like coaches and trainers help stars work on their sports game, these stylists help the big shots hone their personal style.

Megan Ann Wilson: Sneakers and Suits

In the world of athletic fashion, there’s nowhere sneakers can’t go, even formal events. According to pro stylist Megan Ann Wilson, casual shoes can add to dressy looks. The suit-and-sneaker trend is spreading quickly. Athletes like Dwayne Wade and Lebron James are often seen heading into their locker rooms sporting suits and fancy kicks before big games. Who knew that Armani and Nike paired so well?

In order to pull it off, though, it has to be done correctly. Wilson says the trick is to pair the right shoe with the right suit. Some sneakers are a little bit too flashy for casual attire, as they provide more of a distraction rather than a complement to the outfit as a whole. In other words, your sneakers should be the exclamation point, not the entire sentence. Wilson is a big fan of classic or retro sneakers with a more toned-down look as opposed to some of the more flashy styles we see on the court today.

Chandra Ferrer: Emphasizing Confidence

The day that the fashion game is regarded as an official competition in professional sports, Chandra Ferrer will be awarded MVP. Chandra Ferrer works with at least one athlete on every team in the NFL, and also styles MLB and NBA athletes. She gives her athletes a bit of freedom in the creative process; generally, they will pick an item they are interested in and then she will work to build an outfit around that piece.

Not only does she work with the athletes, but she consults many coaches and general managers within the NFL. Ferrer notes that they are all highly competitive, and they like to encourage competition on both the field and the red carpet.

Ferrer is known to visit professional training camps before every season and meet with all of her clients to plan out their outfits for the entire season. Much like their coaches prepare them with a sense of urgency for rival games, Ferrer ramps up the fashion for big off the field events.

While Ferrer may lay the foundation for her clients, she also believes in celebrating and playing to their personalities. She even revealed that some of the outfits her clients propose look hideous, but that a confident wearer can pull anything off. Anything a guy can do to up his confidence, whether it be hiring a stylist or using quality skin care for men, will help tie a look together.

Rachel Johnson: Wear it with a Smile

Stylist Rachel Johnson has a diverse clientele, from actors to entertainers and musicians, but she is most well-known for working with professional ballers. She’s been known to orchestrate styles for Lebron James, Amare Stoudemire, and Victor Cruz. Johnson takes her craft very seriously — she not only strives to make her clients “fashionably fit,” but she also serves to educate them at the same time. Johnson focuses on the clothes her clients wear and where they’re going. In addition to tips on fit and sizing, she helps facilitate social events for her clients. Johnson takes a holistic approach to fashion and improves her client’s image as a whole.

Johnson believes that one of the most important pieces of your outfit is a smile, which exudes confidence and helps tie everything together. One of her main priorities is to have her client’s outfits look authentic; they have to be comfortable with their look. That’s why she encourages them to take an active role in the decision-making process. Johnson really focuses on providing her clients with a look that can become their own. To start her process, she reviews their closet to get a feel for their preferences and then works off of that. She will then go on to educate them about fashion and allow them to make decisions on their own.

What We Can Learn from Sports Star Stylists

Athletes’ stylists have undoubtedly revolutionized the fashion game, helping to usher in a new era of style. They can teach us a whole lot about fashion, networking, and the appropriate time to wear a certain accessory to a certain event. Having style is not really about wearing the right clothing…it’s about making the right choices for you and feeling confident about yourself.