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Nastia Liukin Praises U.S. Gymnastics Team for Getting ‘Creative’ With Uniforms at Olympics
The Team U.S.A. gymnastics women’s team had ‘creative’ uniforms and fashion displayed at the 2024 Olympics, just ask Nastia Liukin. The five-time Olympic medalist exclusively dishes to Life & Style about the fashion at the Paris Games and gushed about the eye-catching ensembles.
“I think the athletes this year are having so much fun expressing their personalities through their fashion and beauty choices. As athletes, we’re often wearing a uniform, so you have to get creative with accessories, makeup, nails, and personal touches,” Nastia, 34, explains. “The women’s gymnastics team wore the most incredible leotards I’ve ever seen. My 2008 pink leotard with a handful of rhinestones is shaking in its boots right now. I love how each woman made the look their own with unique nails, makeup, and hairstyles.”
After Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera, took home gold at the Women’s Team Final at the Paris Olympics – and Jordan made sure to make the moment was legendary. During the medal ceremony, the UCLA gymnast, 23, flashed a gold grill to match her new piece of jewelry.
Simone, 27, on the other hand, made sure her leotard shined as bright as her talent. During the Team USA women’s qualifying competition, the Texas native flipped across the mat in a semi-sheer ensemble that featured 6,359 Swarovski crystals.
Nastia also applauds Brazilian gold medal-winning gymnast Rebeca Andrade for her “graphic eyeliner” and Dutch basketball Olympian Worthy de Jong’s “floral buzz cut.”
“The skateboarders have the coolest fashion moments at the Games. They’re incredibly laid-back and effortless, but also super chic,” Nastia says. “It was technically before the Games began, but Vogue’s Prelude to the Olympic Games event at the Fondation Louis Vuitton was one of the most beautiful events I’ve ever attended, filled with incredible red carpet fashion.”
The biggest trend at the 2024 Olympics: Nails.
“I think the women across all nations were leaning into nail art to not only represent their countries, but also bring out their unique and individual personalities,” Nastia says. “From the U.S., we saw classic French tips on athletes like Suni Lee and Simone Biles, and more intricate designs on athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson and Jordan Chiles. I also loved the nail art Noah Lyles had!”
Nastia won five medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, becoming the highest-earning medalist at one Olympic Games.
These days, Natsia is a creator for LTK, a shopping app and influencer marketing platform that connects brands, creators, and shoppers.
The Texas native made sure she was organized when it came to packing for the Paris Olympics, she tells Life & Style.
“I had a pretty built-out day-to-day schedule in Paris, and I am a big planner, so I planned each day’s looks in advance,” she says. “To stay organized, I took a Polaroid photo with the outfit on, packed the outfit and the accessories that went with it in an individual bag, and put the photo along with the event name/date on the bag. It made it super easy to get dressed each day with one less thing to think about!”
