10 of the most memorable Olympics looks through the years
With the Olympic Games Paris 2024 kicking off, there's sure to be some memorable fashion moments – whether they be on the track or at the Opening Ceremony.
To get in the Olympic spirit, we've taken a look back over the years at some of the most iconic looks worn by athletes around the world on the global sporting stage.
Read on to see all the memorable style moments at the Olympic Games, going decades back through time.
Watch every moment, every medal of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now. Plus, every event ad-free and in 4K on Stan Sport.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
Cathy Freeman: Sydney 2000
Cathy Freeman's victory during Sydney 2000 was one for the history books.
While sprinting to gold in the 400m event, the Aussie athlete wore one of the most iconic sporting kits to date.
The 'Swift Suit' made by Nike features Australia's signature green and gold colours with a hood design.
"Ultimately, I simply enjoyed the way it made me feel when I ran, even though I had a reservation about the way it made me look," Freeman told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2020.
German gymnastics team: Tokyo 2020
At first glance the German gymnastics team uniform at Tokyo 2020 appears to be a standard national kit. But this was more than just a leotard – it was a statement.
Throughout history, gymnasts have tended to wear V-cut leotards exposing the legs.
However for the 2020 summer games in Tokyo, the German team showed up sporting ankle-length leotards to stand up against the sexualisation of female athletes.
In a translated tweet by the German Gymnastics Federation, the decision to lengthen the uniforms was to "present themselves aesthetically - without feeling uncomfortable".
The uniform was changed in time for the first Olympic Games since former USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to 176 years for sexual harassment.
Florence Griffith-Joyner: Seoul 1988
Florence Griffith-Joyner – or Flo-Jo –brought fashion to the Olympic track with her stylish kits and statement manicures.
Over the years the athlete combined speed and fashion, rocking asymmetrical, one-legged designs and tracksuits made with lace.
One of her most memorable looks was from the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea in the 100m event, where she broke the record.
For the sprint, Flo-Jo wore an iconic hooded suit while blending sport with beauty through her full face of makeup and red lipstick, as well as her long acrylic nails.
"Watching her fashion, just always changing. Her outfits were always amazing," tennis icon Serena Williams said of Flo-Jo in a post match interview at the 2021 Australian Open.
Ato Boldon: Sydney 2000
When Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago ran the men's 4x100m relay semi-finals at Sydney 2000, it wasn't just his speed that captured the attention of onlookers.
Boldon has gone down in history for having one of the most memorable accessories worn by an athlete at the Olympic Games, thanks to a futuristic pair of Oakley glasses he rocked during the race.
According to Bolden, to pull off the talked about look requires confidence.
"It's not like someone is going to put them on to go to soccer practice. They command attention," he said of the glasses years later per Vogue.
Nayara Figueira and Lara Teixeira of Brazil: London 2012
If you're staring perplexed at this photo and thinking that looks an awful lot like a brain on the outside of the swimmer's head, you wouldn't be wrong.
During London 2012, synchronised swimmers Nayara Figueira and Lara Teixeira of Brazil stole the show with their lifelike swimsuits that resembled human anatomy.
The front of the suit was cleverly embroidered to look like the inside of a human body's nervous system and heart.
Meanwhile, the back of the suit features a green coloured spine.
But perhaps the most eye-catching detail was of course the very realistic-looking brain worn as a swimming cap.
Katarina Witt: Calgary Winter Olympics 1988
In 1988, German figure skater Katarina Witt performed her routine wearing a gorgeous blue leotard adorned with feathers. But there was one thing missing – a skirt.
The outfit bared the skater's backside and led to the revision of the sport's dress code, dubbed the Katarina rule.
In these new costume guidelines, the skirt had to cover the skater's body from the midriff to the backside.
In this photograph, Witt is wearing another outfit at the 1988 Olympics that was within the rule guide.
The backlash didn't stop Witt from taking home the gold, however.
Less than two decades later the rule was removed from the sport in 2003.
Ian Thorpe: Sydney 2000
Ian Thorpe is one of the greatest names of all time in Australian sporting history.
At the Olympic Games in Sydney, the swimming legend took home three gold and a silver medal.
But Thorpe's name also gained attention for another reason – his unique full-length swimsuit.
The trademark Adidas suit covered the Aussie's entire body neck down to his ankles and wrists.
Years later, Thorpe opened up about having a bit of difficulty getting the iconic suit on before the 4x100 metres freestyle relay race at the Sydney Olympics.
"There was a time where it was incredibly stressful, I'd broken a swimsuit and I had the choice between my training swimwear, or putting on a wet suit, bearing in mind they're cut so tight it's difficult to get them on," he told Wide World of Sports.
Australian Olympic team: Sydney 2000
2000 was a particularly special Olympic Games year for Australia, as the worldwide event famously took place in our very own city of Sydney.
It was quite the moment when the Australian athletes all walked out at the opening ceremony in Homebush, led by flag bearer Andrew Gaze.
The team wore these iconic green bands and midi skirts with a unisex dusty orange blazer and gold blouses.
HRH Princess Anne: Montreal 1976
Princess Anne made royal history when she became the first member of the British royal family to compete in the Olympic Games.
The athletically-inclined royal partook in the equestrian event at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games riding none other than her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II's horse Goodwill.
Here she is pictured in her iconic riding suit from the history-making moment.
View more galleries
Most viewed in Lifestyle
Prince William and Kate back return to official duties with subtle nod to Prince Harry
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet start school in the UK: reports
Australia’s favourite fast food chain revealed in surprise result as giants score surprisingly low
Prince Harry source says country’s withdrawal from Invictus Games was a ‘consequence’ of King’s letter
