Bringing a little bling to the green
Golf fashionista Seema Sadekar pits swing against style during this year’s tournament
At the Joe Carter Classic, the fairway will double as a runway.
While celebrities square off with golf clubs, the real contest may be in the fashion department. Canadian “Golf Fashionista” Seema Sadekar predicts this year’s battle will come down to her, stylish actor Chris Tucker and the tournament’s namesake.
The former Canadian LPGA player turned golf style maven is confident in her abilities on both fronts: “I can take Joe . . . on the golf course and I’ve got Joe at fashion as well,” she says playfully. “Even if he beats me, I’m cuter than Joe.”
It’s also part of the 31-year-old’s job to look good, serving as the self-appointed ambassador for golf as a “women’s lifestyle.”
Five years of experience on the pro circuit, coupled with her recent success as a golf stylist, give Toronto native Sadekar, a unique perspective. Charity golf tournaments attract superstars from every sport, so Sadekar offers an educated opinion on which athletes are more style, and which are more swing.
“I am impressed with basketball players,” says the fashionista, who styles both NBA legend Julius Erving and coach Michael Woodson — both appearing at Carter’s event — at their own respective charity golf tournament. “Even off the course . . . when you see them getting off that bus or walking into their games, they are always dressed the best. They’ve got a lot of class, and they’re super stylish!”
That said, according to Sadekar, NBA greats aren’t No.1when it comes to their actual golf game. “When it comes to which sport is better at golf, I would have to go hockey,” she says. “Hockey players are so good at the hitting the ball, they don’t even need to dress up. Hockey . . . and then baseball.”
Sadekar says the fundamentals of both team sports are similar in terms of hip rotations and swing speed. That explains why Sadekar has consistently seen Toronto Blue Jays legend Joe Carter drive the ball 290320 yards down the fairway.
Making her third appearance at the Joe Carter Classic on June 22 and 23, Sadekar is more than familiar with the Carter’s skills — at golf and fashion. “Joe’s contact is just incredible to watch.”
On the fashion front, Carter regularly sports one of Sadekar’s crystal golf ball markers, part of her sports line. “He has Catch Me, the baseball one. And he tells me he makes a lot of birdies.”
Birdies aside, Sadekar has hit a hole-in-one in her fashion enterprise.
“My mission has always been to grow the game for women and I’ve done it through fashion,” she says. “It’s about the lifestyle, the food, the wine, the people you meet in this game. It’s very much a women’s lifestyle. Fashion is something I’m able to embrace to show off my personality on the golf course.”
Fashion has also opened up many doors for Sadekar: She recently became the face of Monster headphones.
As for trendsetters at this year’s Classic, Sadekar pegs Tucker — a movie-star regular on the charity golf circuit — as the one to watch. “He is such a stylish man … he is always blinged out with his shoes or his shirt . . . big fan of his style.”
Sadekar will also be dressing to impress for the event. In fact, she has four outfits already picked out — a jumpsuit, two jumpers and a summer dress — and will make a game day decision depending on her mood. But she makes one guarantee. “I will always have bling on me, I will always have on something sparkly.”
Her biggest tip for the average female golfer looking to turn heads on the green? Wear what you feel comfortable in.
“I stay away from khaki shorts and collared golf shirts,” she says. “Try things that are athletic and stretchy that you can take on to the golf course . . . or a skirt with bike shorts underneath. Just enjoy it. Have fun with it. You don’t need to be traditional anymore. Think outside of the box . . . You can be beautiful, be feminine and enjoy the game of golf.”
She also believes a strong fashion statement can bring out a strong golf game. “If you feel good and look good, you’ll play well. I am a big advocate of that.”