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This Groundbreaking Female Athlete Deserves to Be a Fashion Icon Too

BY: Michelle Schuman |Mar 19, 2014
This Groundbreaking Female Athlete Deserves to Be a Fashion Icon TooEighty years ago this week, Mildred “Babe” Didrikson pitched a no-hit inning in the MLB. Honor her with a sporty winter-to-spring transitional outfit. As Mildred “Babe” Didrikson liked to tell it, she earned her nickname as a young girl who could outhit the boys on the baseball diamond. And as a grown woman, she again stood tall in an even more exclusive boys’ club: Major League Baseball. On March 20, 1934, dressed in a standard-issue Philadelphia Athletics uniform, she took the mound to pitch against the Brooklyn Dodgers. And like the superstar she shared a nickname with, she stunned the crowd with her talent, pitching a no-hit inning. Babe wasn’t the first woman to pitch a no-hitter, but her seemingly endless athletic accomplishments certainly helped secure a future for women in sports. She entered the 1932 Los Angeles games as the holder of four world records (javelin throw, 80-meter hurdles, high jump, and baseball throw) and left with three medals in track and field. She was also an All-American basketball player, and was the first by six decades to compete in a men’s PGA tournament, later becoming a founding member of the LPGA. Though Babe is best remembered for breaking ground in women’s golf, we thought we’d celebrate the 80th anniversary of her no-hitter with this baseball-inspired outfit that’s perfect for the transitioning seasons. this-groundbreaking-female-athlete-deserves-to-be-a-fashion-icon-too_600c490 The Look These pleated, relaxed trousers are reminiscent of the pants Babe wore during her storied no-hitter. The sweater will not only keep you warm as winter invariably goes into extra innings, but its stripes recall those encircling the top of Babe’s knee-high socks. A floral tank peeking out of the sweater’s deep V-neck adds a subtly feminine flourish, as do vintage-inspired cat’s-eye sunglasses. 1. V-neck tank; Tibi ($225) 2. Deep-V varsity sweater; Intermix ($395) 3. Relaxed trousers; House of Fraser ($131.36) 4. Perforated loafers; Penelope’s ($78) 5. Half-moon bag; Penelope’s ($425) 6. Circle necklace; Laura Lombardi ($40) 7. Cat’s-eye sunglasses; Francesca’s ($14) 8. Cotton baseball cap; Goorin Bros. ($35)