All eyes are on Vogue’s August digital cover star, Sha’Carri Richardson, as she takes on the 2024 Olympic Games. The American sprinting sensation is a favorite for Olympic gold in the women’s 100, based on her extraordinary performance in the opening weekend of trials. She’s also a favorite in my group chat, where we love to see her competition-day glam. In the story, she told writer Maya Singer that brainstorming her hair, nail, and makeup looks for meets is one of her favorite ways to decompress—but for any beauty lover, it’s exhilarating to see her style in a world arena. Richardson’s commitment to ever-changing hair color, dazzling acrylic nail designs, and lush lashes has become a visual calling card for the star, reminding us of trailblazing athlete Florence “Flo-Jo” Griffith Joyner.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
One of the most decorated Olympic female sprinters in American history, the late Florence Joyner won three gold and two silver medals across two Olympic Games. In 1988, she set the women’s world record for the 100m and 200m sprint—and she still holds the crown as the fastest woman of all time. “Florence transcended our sport,” Jackie Joyner-Kersee, her teammate (and, later, sister-in-law) told PBS last year. “She took track and field off of the sports page and onto the front page. She brought in more people wanting to know more not just about her but also our sport.” Griffith Joyner’s style and speed brought her international fame, but her focus on beauty in sports revolutionized the game forever.
Often seen on the track sporting long, brightly colored, bedazzled designed nails, Flo-Jo was renowned for her striking and innovative nail art, which became one of her trademarks. Her most iconic set—displayed on her medals from the Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea—was her four-inch, star-spangled set representing Team USA, with two gold nails symbolizing her hope of bringing home the highest metal. Spoiler alert: She did.
Read the full article here
