What It's Like to Style WNBA It Girls

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      Being a top athlete goes beyond performance on the field; it also involves how you present yourself online, the sponsorships you secure, and yes, even what you wear during games. That’s where stylists Manny Jay and Brittany Hampton come into play.

      Manny Jay started his journey as an editorial stylist, collaborating with actresses and musicians, and had the privilege of assisting the iconic costume designer and stylist Patricia Field. Through the process of manifestation, Jay mentions that he was able to transition to working with prominent athletes, specifically WNBA star Skylar Diggins. "Just last year, I began telling myself, 'I’m going to start doing tunnel walks at the start of the year,'" Jay shared. "By the end of the year, I had met Skylar [Diggins], so I kind of manifested that too."

      Brittany Hampton launched her fashion career by designing prom dresses while still in high school. "Girls in my class would ask, 'Could you design my prom dress?'" Hampton recalled. "MySpace was significant for discovering new artists, and I used that platform to showcase that I was a designer, which led to me creating several girls' prom dresses that went viral." Eventually, Hampton shifted from designing to styling after relocating to Los Angeles.

      In the most recent episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, Jay and Hampton chat with Who What Wear's senior fashion editor Eliza Huber about their beginnings in the fashion industry, their decision to work with athletes, and more. For highlights from their discussion, scroll down.

      Do you remember when you first decided you wanted to become a stylist? How did you pursue it as a career and build your client portfolio?

      Manny Jay: When I started shopping independently, my parents allowed me to choose my outfits when I was around 8 or 9. They were like, "Pick out whatever you want. We’ll buy it." That led to me selecting my outfits, and soon my sister asked me to style her as well. Eventually, my mom requested the same. It was something I naturally gravitated towards.

      Shortly after graduating, I was diagnosed with cancer at 19. At that point, I was uncertain about my future—college wasn’t appealing to me—but I thought, "If I overcome this—when I overcome this—I want to pursue something that feels like a dream." I went into remission by the age of 20.

      I connected with friends on MySpace, Coco and Breezy, who pointed out that what I was doing with my friends back home was styling and that I could make a career out of it. They encouraged me to move to New York where many of their friends thrived in this field. I thought, "That makes sense; I'm going to go for it."

      Coming from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, moving to New York was a big step; not many people from my hometown ventured out. Once there, I began assisting wherever I could, laying the groundwork for my career and making connections. I was essentially manifesting my dream, claiming I was a big-time stylist even before I fully understood what that meant.

      Brittany, you started with designing. When did you decide to make that shift?

      Brittany Hampton: I've been designing since childhood. My chores often involved picking needles out of the carpet instead of traditional tasks. My grandmother taught me that if I sketched a design, I had to sew it, which made me hesitant to sketch. Eventually, I thought, "If I can’t sketch without sewing, I’ll just stop."

      Nevertheless, I found myself sketching in high school, sometimes doodling in class. Some girls asked me to design their prom dresses. During that time, MySpace helped me showcase my designs, and I ended up making dresses for girls in Houston and L.A.

      As I transitioned to styling, I decided to move past my brand, Dolls Couture. After relocating to L.A., I worked behind the scenes at fashion and runway shows, which naturally led to styling.

      Manny, you primarily styled musicians until you started working with Skylar Diggins. Was that a deliberate choice? Now that you're involved in the WNBA, do you plan to focus more on sports?

      MJ: I'm a firm believer in manifestation. Initially, I aimed to work with Disney kids and rising talent, which I achieved. Then I shifted focus to actresses and eventually to musicians, which I particularly enjoy for the creative freedom it offers. That's been my primary focus in recent years.

      Last year, I began stating my intent to start doing tunnel walks at the year’s start. By year’s end, I met Skylar, which I feel was also a manifestation. I