LSU women’s basketball fans came out in force for Wednesday’s national championship parade, and Kim Mulkey dressed for the occasion.
The head coach turned heads with her style throughout her team’s NCAA Tournament run, and she continued her fashion show at the celebration. Sure, she donned the traditional championship T-shirt and hat, but she also wore a purple sequined blazer decorated with sequined tiger heads.
Still, Mulkey is clear: Her outfits may be attention-grabbing, but she wants the main focus to remain on the court, where her team claimed LSU’s first basketball title in just her second year at the helm of the program.
“Basketball is the most important part — much more important than what I wear,” Mulkey told The Advocate. “Yes, my outfits are a little bit more sparkly, but I want to talk about the product on the floor — basketball.”
Jennifer Roberts — LSU’s director of player personnel and influence, and the one who coordinates Mulkey’s looks — acknowledged the fun that fans have had following Mulkey’s fashion journey.
“The LSU fan base, they love it. It’s the culture here — big, loud, fun, happy, all the things,” Roberts said. “They do everything big. … I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, ‘We come to the games to see what Kim’s going to wear.'”
🐐 pic.twitter.com/9BOU0C3Ymd— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) April 6, 2023
🐐 pic.twitter.com/9BOU0C3Ymd
For the 102-85 title win Sunday against No. 2 seed Iowa, Mulkey wore a pink-and-gold sequined suit with purple stripes, an homage to her team’s mascot.
The Final Four brought a bright pink blazer bedecked with large fabric flowers — as well as a 79-72 win for No. 3 seed LSU over No. 1 seed Virginia Tech.
She wore a dazzling rainbow blazer for the 54-42 win over No. 9 seed Miami in the Elite Eight, from the aptly named Louisiana fashion company Queen of Sparkles.
A Neubyrne blazer with neon pink feathers running down each sleeve made Mulkey a presence on the sideline as LSU claimed a 66-63 win over No. 2 seed Utah, the team’s closest margin of victory throughout the title run.
The coach led the Tigers to a 66-42 win over No. 6 seed Michigan in a polka-dotted look some compared to Cruella de Vil.
She kicked off the tournament with a green-lettered “Kiss Me I’m a Queen” sweater in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. On the holiday, LSU claimed a dominant 73-50 win over No. 14 seed Hawaii.