The Best Fashion Moments From The Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics started off with a bang, despite the limited crowd size. The opening ceremony was as impressive as past Olympics, with the Parade of Nations being one of the usual highlights of the night. Athletes from around the world came together to celebrate every culture. Many see the Parade of Nations as a way to get a peek at fashion around the globe. So what were some of the best fashion moments from the Olympics opening ceremony?
Known for its preppy looks, the U.S. delivered with their unisex uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren, per USA Today. The team wore navy tops with white stripes, navy blue blazers with the white Ralph Lauren emblem, U.S. flag scarves, and cuffed skinny jeans.
Several European countries leaned into trendy styles, like the Netherlands, with some of the women sporting rust-colored belted jumpsuits. There were several countries attempting the pleated midi skirt trend, but Greece wore it the best (via People). Being the country to open the festivities, the women's white pleated midi skirt with a blue tie-dye ombre print provided a strong start to the parade.
Puerto Rico's women sported A-line polo dresses with a blue-and-white striped belt, per USA Today. The Puerto Rican men's look complemented the women with royal blue blazers and red-and-white vertical striped button-down shirts. Haiti was one of the best-dressed, with the women wearing steel-blue and white off-the-shoulder, tiered maxi dresses that sported patches of multicolored fabric and tassels.
Countries from Asia and Oceania displayed pride in their culture
Tonga stole the show with Pita Taufatofua (aka the "hot flag-bearer") wearing a traditional outfit and baring a well-oiled chest (via People). Taufatofua wore a ta'ovala, or a woven mat that is worn as a skirt (via The Cut and Pacific Arts Association). Malia Paseka, the other flag-bearer, wore a beige high-low, cold-shoulder dress with traditional detailing.
Vanuatu's flag-bearer, Rillio Rii, gave Taufatofua some competition by baring his chest and wearing a beautifully colored traditional grass skirt (per Today). The women of Laos looked stylish in silk wearing neutral-colored sinhs, a traditional outfit that is composed of a long tube skirt, blouse, and a draping across the chest (via Go Laos Tours).
Nepal's men and women both wore traditional outfits, with the men wearing white kurta pajamas (long knee-length tops with slits and baggy pants) and traditional hats, while the women wore white sarees with traditional Nepali border-detailing. Both the men and women finished their looks with burgundy blazers.
Inspired by legendary warrior Hang Tuah, Malaysia's outfits were designed by the Art and Design faculty at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (via The Star). According to a statement the faculty provided, the chevron pattern in the colorful outfit "reflects the clear mission of the Malaysian team to achieve the country's medal target." The statement added, "The styling -– complete with tanjak (traditional Malay headgear), baju sikap (outer coat), and sampin -– reflects the love and pride for Malaysia and her national costume."
African countries showcased beautiful fabrics and prints
Sierra Leone and Somalia proved to have a command over the tracksuit trend with the best ones of the night. Sierra Leone went with a light blue tracksuit, with the jacket having a green leaf print on it. Somalia also wore light blue tracksuits, but paired the pants with a t-shirt and jacket with a traditional white print.
If "best-dressed couple" could win a medal at the Olympics, the gold would go to Lesotho. Lesotho sent two athletes, who are a married couple (via Insider). The power couple wore Basotho blankets and mokorotlo, or traditional hats, per Business Insider South Africa and the Review of Southern African Studies.
Kenya went with a red-and-blue gingham print. The women wore gingham sheath dresses with red capes, while the men color-coordinated with short-sleeved, gingham button-down shirts. Cameroon wore beautiful toghus, a traditional dress made up of black velvet fabric and multicolored embroidery, per Insider and Afroculture.
Angola walked down in style, with the women wearing black faux-wrap dresses with red and yellow striping at the borders and flutter sleeves, per People. Flag-bearer Natalia Bernardo looked regal in her outfit that consisted of a bronze jacquard brocade maxi skirt and a matching traditional hat that looked fit for a queen (via Insider). Honorable mentions go to Botswana, Guyana, New Zealand, Cook Islands, and Palestine.