Match Health: King and her topics

What better place to start this round of match fitness than with the king. Tziarra King, who was just celebrating her 23rd birthday, strutted into Cheney Stadium on Aug. 7 in a fit that immediately sparked superhero comparisons. The completely black ensemble with a long lace vest that flows like a cape behind it feels powerful. I don’t know how to put it any other way. King exudes a sense of power and confidence all the time, and this look takes it to another level. The trousers with full legs and crisp crease provide strong C-suite energy, the strappy sandals for gladiator power and the cat-eye sunglasses round off the whole thing with old-school glamor. This look is exquisite and just another facet of King’s style. Happy belated birthday, Tziarra!

Cristian Roldan in a simple look, while Alex Roldan opts for a UNC color story. Sounders FC Digital

The Brothers Roldan rarely disappoint, but more and more as Alex Roldan grows into his role and is his strength, his style stands out. The younger Roldan doesn’t have to be particularly flashy to get your attention, but he’s clearly not afraid of a statement piece. Case in point: this baby blue housework coat. A bold coat (actually any type of coat or jacket) will add volume to any outfit, but what you do from there will determine how it sounds on your system. Reduced pieces like a white T-shirt and neutrally adjoining olive trousers keep the high notes from getting too high, while the jacket’s combination of blues with what appears to be a pair of Jordan 1 Low UNCs adds some bass to balance it all out. There would be no shame in repeating this.

Cristian Roldan’s look is more reserved. While Alex is the new hot figure on the scene, Cristian has been around for some time and at the top of his game. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone, but still delivers solid, if not breathtaking, performances. The details in this look, like in his game, make him stand out. It would have been easy to put on a white shirt, but he grabbed a stand-up collar shirt that was just enough different from what you’d expect to get you noticed. The shortened pant legs give the whole look an airy summer feeling, which goes perfectly with the sneakers, which have a boat shoe vibe.

Quinn in a Canadian tuxedo and trainers. Jane G. Photography // OL Reign

Another example of how to put together a solid look and then pair it with the perfect sneakers comes to us from gold medalist Quinn. You own your Canadian character with this double denim / Canadian tuxedo look. The washes of jeans and shirt are tight, but not all the same, which really works, with a cool T-shirt that hugs the casual look. The shirt is the Plants are for Everybody from the Portland Plant Shop, Arium Botanicals, and they expertly paired it with a pair of Nike Blazer Mid ’77 vintage sneakers. This look has some interesting parallels to Quinn’s local presence, where they are most known for their rate of work, but add a touch of fun and flair to add to their posts. The gold chain is a nice finish, but I would love to see them rock their gold medal too.

Grid view

• Cristian Roldan, Brad Smith, Alex Roldan and Kelyn Rowe are dating.
  
  

  Sounder FC Digital
  

• Kelyn Rowe and Brad Smith laugh.
  
  

  Sounder FC Digital
  

• Nico Lodeiro in a boxy t-shirt and ripped jeans.
  
  

  Sounder FC Digital
  

Granted, we’re currently working through the best of what’s available from the Sounders, so I’ll stick with this gallery for some highlights and observations. In the first picture, Brad Smith chose the length of his shorts here to be perfect – look at this guy’s thighs. The rest of its fit is fine, but the shorts are great. Alex Roldan clearly has an eye for a coat / utility jacket. This number of cream is a beauty and the rest of the look is perfect simplicity. It also shows that you don’t have to break the bank to get a good looking pair of trainers. These look like Vans Old Skools, which you can buy yourself for $ 60. Kelyn Rowe looks like he’s on his way to a tech bros yoga retreat. The loafers are great though.

In the second picture, Rowe continues his trend as a vibey-est dresser (in a way) in the roster. This time he looks like the funniest person at your cousin’s wedding. The look is simple and straight forward, obviously paying attention to the finest points. The whole outfit is a black and gray color story, right down to a black and silver belt and a silver watch. Brad Smith, for his part, is on the brand. The moto jeans are kind of cool if that’s what you like. The trend cycle in menswear / style is not as short as elsewhere and individual items usually don’t go out of style if you want to keep wearing them. However, the life cycle of moto jeans seems to be coming to an end.

The last picture in this set is Nico Lodeiro, who is the last to get into the box-shaped T-shirt and the not-so-thin jeans train. I think it’s a good layer for Lodeiro, but I’m a big believer in loosening up your wardrobe. The jeans are still slim and straight, but in this one he has a lot more space to feel good than in the skin-tight jeans that he had previously preferred. If you like the Pet Shop Boys t-shirt, you can get your own from Zara.

Grid view

• Jess Fishlock flanked by Lauren Barnes and Dani Weatherholt.
  
  

  Jane G. Photography // OL Reign
  

• Jess Fishlock in the broadcast booth with Marcus Hahnemann and Keith Costigan.
  
  

  Sounder FC Digital
  

For me, discovering Jess Fishlock’s immense style was a great pleasure when OL Reign came up with the fit pictures. She can rock a lot of different looks, and she pulls them all off because she’s so confident. Her self-confidence and charisma really come through with every look. She’s just so cool which is why she could pull herself off with this shearling / teddy jacket on a summer day. The white layered T-shirt and white sneakers are great accents, as are the incredibly ripped jeans. Fishlock also added a bit of class to the look with their pearl necklace, an almost ubiquitous accessory.

Lauren Barnes does a really fun game of proportions with this look. The black tank top forms such a strong contrast to the light khaki pants. Somewhat similar to Tziarra King’s pants, these have a full leg and crease, but Barnes’ pair is not nearly as structured and has a heaving quality in its fullness. The chunky sneakers offer a certain weight that grounds the entire look. The bag she’s carrying is apparently no longer available, but it is from a vegan and cruelty-free brand called Sans Beast.

Dani Weatherholt’s outfit is solid; I dig the jacket and the boots. My biggest takeaway is that it looks really big, which is especially impressive because it is listed at 5’8 ”.

The second picture here is of Jess Fishlock’s appearance on the broadcast team when the Sounders hosted FC Dallas on August 4th. Marcus Hahnemann’s mustache and eyebrows do their best to steal the limelight, but nothing here can outshine Fishlock. It’s immaculately coiffed, expertly outfitted, and there’s something incredible about the way the black t-shirt, unbuttoned shirt, and tattoos work together to create a look that is cool and casual, but also upscale and glamorous. The Welsh dragon feels weird like Jack Sparrow at dinner in a black tie, and I don’t know how else to explain.

There have been TONS of other great looks from the reign over the past month, but there’s just no place to address them all here. However, I highly recommend you enjoy some of the club’s Instagram content from their win over Gotham FC. Special greetings to Tziarra King’s 70s denim jumpsuit, Ally Watts Jordan look and Alana Cook’s embodiment of the term “badass” for him.

I’ll get back to you after the double header!