Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion

by Mitchell Jackson

Equal parts stunning, photo-rich lookbook, and cultural commentary, Fly is the story of the extraordinary intersection of high fashion and basketball. Each chapter explores the style of an era and the cultural influences that shaped it: The league’s inception in 1949, pre-Civil Rights Movement, when the NBA was mostly comprised of white players who wore suits and skinny ties. The years following the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the birth of funk and R&B when basketball fashion got flashier (think Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Wilt Chamberlain wearing fur coats and big hats). The Michael Jordan era of the 1980s and 1990s, with its oversize suits. The epic Iverson/Hip-Hop years of the late 1990s and early 2000s. And now to today, a time defined not only by social media and high fashion’s birthing of the tunnel walk (think LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook), but one in which athletes are idealized as style icons and activists, figures who inspire conversations beyond how they play and what they wear. 

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Fashion, Design

224 pages, Hardcover

Published September 5, 2023

Reviews

[Traci Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great photos and insights. Wanted more writing from Jackson because he’s so gifted and his opinion in fashion is so welcome.

[Amy Prosenjak · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect Turkey day coffee table book read. What fun, Mitchell! 🏀🕺🏾

[Anna Bowser · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had gone to highschool with this book I would have been too intimidated to talk to them because they were so cool. If I ever have a coffee table this will be the first book on it.

[Leonard · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is subtitled "The Big Book of Basketball Fashion" and that's what it is. Large format with lots of color photos, and not many shots of basketball action. Of course some are bizarre, like Dennis Rodman in a white custom wedding dress, claiming that he was bisexual and getting married to himself, Chris Anderson's mohawk, and Ja Morant's diamond crusted grill ( his teeth, not his car). There is a section on The Top Ten Sneakers of all Time, which is a bit more interesting. I'm a big basketball fan of high school, college, and the NBA, but this book could be subtitled "What Happens when Athletes are Overpaid." A few are handsomely dressed, but this book is more embarrassing than interesting.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book to look through, which is all I did. I often checked the captions to see if I was accurately recognizing the basketball player. The historical perspective is interesting as the culture and the NBA and the player’s sense of personal style and expression and bling changed. The sections about the “Top Ten” shoes and hairstyles and accoutrements were my favorites. Overall though, I don’t much care what these guys wear but they have the money to spend to be outlandish and noticeable and unique and attempt to say something about themselves. (Maybe more interesting to think about which star players do not choose to draw this much attention to themselves and let their playing speak for itself.)

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos are great. I would have liked a bit more narrative/analysis. Like, there were a few references to Devin Booker’s distinctive minimalist style, but I would have loved a fuller discussion of this, or the rise and disappearance of “geek chic” looks in the 2010s. The lone reference to the WNBA in the final chapter made me realize that the women’s league, now in its 26th season, had not been addressed at all. Maybe a sequel can take on Caitlin Clark’s Prada look for the draft and Angel Reese’s whole Bayou Barbie thing?

[Heather O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looked into the fashion of basketball through the years. I'm not a huge sports fan, so I wasn't sure how much I would like this book, but I ended up really liking it. It was interesting to see the fashion of basketball and how it has evolved with the times and how it has been such a huge part of basketball culture. I liked Jackson's commentary on it. I really wish that there would've been more photos.

I give it 4.25 stars

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting book chronicling basketball players and basketball fashion through the years. I really enjoyed the trip through memory lane re basketball players and the prominent teams of each era. Really interesting but would have appreciated more analysis of the fashion and its relationship to the game at the time.

[Emily Rigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative book about NBA fashion and all the moving parts that impact clothing decisions. Pictures are fantastic, commentary is in-depth. I learned a lot!

[Stephanie Dargusch Borders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous book full of stunning pics with a spotlight on NBA fashion influencing and style over the years. So well crafted and well edited. Would make a great gift.

[Joseph Stieb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun coffee-table type book that is also worth reading to absorb how basketball fashions have evolved over time. Great photo spreads in here too. A cool idea!

[Sidik Fofana · Rating 5 out of 5]

SIX WORD REVIEW: That man PJ Tucker can dress...