Fashion and sports: Women athletes more empowered than ever to express themselves

As the business of women's sports continues to grow, the ability for players to express themselves on and off the field of play has closely followed.

In addition to gaining long-overdue respect for their athletic abilities, women athletes are establishing themselves in the fashion space more than ever before through avenues like magazine covers and lucrative brand deals — and even tunnel walks.

"In fashion and sports, the men used to have all of the fun. From the '90s until now, tunnel walks [were] very male dominated," Andrea Rose, a sports stylist in Toronto, told CBC Sports.

"But it's really exciting, where we have the launch of WNBA, Toronto Tempo, all of these spaces where women are being encouraged, and if not that, then empowered to show the duality of themselves."  

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PWHL star Sarah Nurse is one the athletes shifting the narrative by doing just this.

The Toronto Sceptres forward unapologetically wears makeup during games and often arrives at the arena wearing fur-collared coats and carefully selected matching sets.

"Even as an athlete, I think it's important to have interests beyond hockey, and for me, fashion is one way that I can be creative. I take a ton of pride in putting together new outfits and showing my style on a day to day," Nurse told CBC Sports.

"I have always taken an interest in fashion, specifically using outfits as a way of expressing myself. I think that my fashion choices reflect my confidence and my desire to be bold."

Expression, however, wasn't always encouraged for women in sports, according to Nurse. 

"I would say that for a long time, people thought that