Being the most stylish dude in the NFL doesn’t just happen overnight. DeVonta Smith, the Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receiver, understands that. Fashion has been a lifelong endeavor, even when he was ballin’ on a budget and getting dressed up for church in his tight-knit hometown of Amite, Louisiana. Those pews were his first runways, and the dapper gameday policies at his alma mater—the University of Alabama, guided by the no-nonsense hand of coach Nick Saban—gave him opportunities to show off his first tunnel fits.
Now three years into his NFL career, Smith has a reputation for being one of the slipperiest receivers on the field and one of its most consistent head-turners off of it. His closet stays stocked with elaborate, detailed suits, each one meticulously made for his liking. With the Birds on a bye last week, Smith (keeping it casual in a loose-fitting hoodie) had time to explain all of this to us, from his suit strategy, to some favorite looks from his sprouting career, and the fashion choices from others in the Eagles’ organization that make him laugh.
Yeah, it was required! We had to wear a suit and tie on game days. That’s something that Coach Saban has been doing for a minute. Even back in high school we had to wear a tie. And growing up in the church, we always had to dress up, Sunday best.
Oh yeah, for sure!
Uhh, I’ve always been like that. It’ll either be a suit or a sweatsuit—that’s pretty much all I wear. I don’t really wear jeans or stuff like that too much. Suit or sweatsuit.
I got that from a guy—not the guy that I use now—and it was kind of last minute, all over the place. I was scrambling trying to find something. The guy’s name is Tom, he came through for me! He sent me some ideas and I just had to pick from what he had. He had something ready for me, got it shipped to me, and we went from there.
My receiver coach at Alabama [Holmon Wiggins] and him are both from D.C. Coach introduced me to him—in college, I got my suits from him—we’ve just been locked in ever since! We have similar body types, so he knew exactly how I wanted the suits to fit and stuff like that. He just made it easy for me. I trusted him from the beginning. If Coach is rocking with you then I know I’m good!
I feel like that’s my way of expressing myself. I’m kind of a quiet guy, but one way I do express myself is in the way I dress.
For sure! I used to go to the K&G to get my suits, but yeah, them days are over with. For prom, that was still K&G, so I was a little limited in what I had! That was kind of laid back.
Well, I didn’t wear a suit last week. Sometimes I feel like wearing it, sometimes I don’t. It depends on how it’s going. My best friend has his own little clothing line, so usually he’ll send me a sweatsuit that he dropped and I’ll wear that. It’s called Spirich Clothing.
Yeah, definitely for primetime I’mma dress up!
I would say either the last suit I wore—the green with the gold stripes—or the brown one with the hat. But I do got one in the closet that’s probably going to top all those. I ain’t gonna tell you what it is. You just gotta wait and see!
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Brian had been trying to get me to wear the [collar] bar for a minute. He’d usually give it to me and I wouldn’t wear it. But I said “I’mma go ahead and rock with it this time!” That was the first time. You gotta have something on the lapels, whether it’s that or a flower.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Every year I pick one trench coat that I gotta wear. I liked how it had the gray with the red on there. The details, they’re subtle.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Brian made me one hat, but usually I’m just on Google looking around. The green is a nice little vest.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
People are waiting to see what I’m gonna wear! It’s funny, [Eagles’ cornerback Darius] Slay and I talk about this all the time. He’ll be wanting to wear his suits, but he’s like “I refuse to wear a suit when you’re wearing a suit. So you might have to let me know when you’re not wearing one so I can wear mine!” The guys are always excited to see what I’m wearing for the day.
I’m pretty flexible. I ain’t scared to step outside the box. But it has to fit right. If it doesn’t fit right, I send it back and say we need to do this or we need to do that. I want to look like someone painted it on me!
Nah, you won’t see that from me.
I feel like a lot of guys try to put on their best, whether it is suits or streetwear. A lot of guys try to look good! I have a couple guys ask me about who I get my suits from, and some of those are guys on other teams.
Who do you think are some of the other best-dressed players in the league?
I like the way that [teammate James] Bradberry dresses. Travis Kelce, Stefon Diggs…those are probably my top three.
I think we’re going to see a lot more people working with stylists now, too.
Nothing wrong with a stylist!
Who are some Eagles that could use a little work, fashion-wise?
I don’t think we have anybody that’s just terrible. When they dress you’re like, Okay, that’s alright. Maybe I’ll say [Jason] Kelce, just because he don’t dress up! Our offensive linemen all dress real country. I think Kelce is probably the only one that refuses to put something on. Everyone else, real country, boots and overalls or something like that.
What about your coach, Nick Sirianni?
He always got a shirt with somebody on it! That’s the only thing I ever see him wear, a shirt with a player on it. Every time I see him!
We hear, “Look good, feel good, play good” all the time. Can you describe that feeling of walking into the stadium in an outfit you love, knowing you play for one of the best teams in the league?
It’s just kind of like—getting ready makes me feel like I’m finna go do something productive, instead of just getting out of bed. On game day, okay, I’m getting ready for something. The rush of getting up, picking an outfit, things like that, it’s not necessarily just to look good.
Me? I would say yes. But I feel like you have to do more. You have to be able to switch it up. If it’s not a suit or a sweatsuit, I’m not going to wear it. My problem is my clothes don’t ever fit right, because I'm so skinny. So, it’s kind of like, I have to do more to be that best dressed. But, I would say myself, yeah.
Nah.