18 Athletes Who Are Millennial Fashion Icons

Professional athletes embracing fashion isn't a new concept. Time has shown that style always finds its place in sports.

The difference is these days social media has given athletes a chance to showcase their style in ways we never thought possible before. And considering millennials' use of social media is prevalent, as MediaInsight.org reports, athletes have a chance to inspire a generation.

So, who are these fashion icons? In this slideshow we break down 18 active athletes that are currently inspiring the masses. From athletic leisurewear to streetwear and all the way up to couture, the following names represent the cream of the crop.

Honorable Mentions

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

The beauty of fashion is that it's expansive. Athletes across the world have a chance to inspire millions of millennials with their style choices. Knowing that, we felt it was right to include an honorable mentions slide. Here are the names that barely missed the final cut. 

• Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
• Skylar Diggins, Tulsa Shock
• DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
• Lindsay Vonn, Skier
• Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
• Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns

Victor Cruz

Between Victor Cruz's signature sneaker line with Nike and his friendship with menswear designer Ronnie Fieg, the New York Giants wide receiver has made quite a name for himself in the fashion world.

Any conversation that brings up millennial fashion icons should be directed toward Cruz. He's not only used Instagram to elevate the taste level of consumers, but he's also leveraged his following on social media to give away kicks to his fans.

Fashion pioneers in sports come and go. Cruz is a rare exception. He's been doing this for years, and as we march on, his personal brand continuously finds ways to grow.

Maggie Vessey

If you don't know her name by now, you should. At 34 years of age, Maggie Vessey has been productive in the world of track and field.

When she's not running, she's out there creating waves as a fashion hero. Vessey's sense is style is daring. Her Instagram account displays so many different looks that sometimes it's hard to keep up.

Vessey may not be a household name, but her exploratory style is changing that notion. Between clean, floral patterns and creative running gear, she's managed to broadcast her message out there to 17,000 followers.

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton's talent has pushed the envelope in the world of competitive racing. He's become a two-time Formula One world champion since he entered the sport in 2007, and he's done it all with a chip of style on his shoulder.

The 31-year-old hasn't just crushed his profession. To his credit, Hamilton has become a true pioneer in terms of fashion as well. His Instagram account is filled with jaw-dropping imagery, showing off a wardrobe loaded with pricey headwear choices, fitting shirts and countless cuts of crisp denim.

What allows Hamilton to reach millennials is that he stays away from trends, instead choosing to wear what he wants. Bravado like that always is appreciated.

J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith's style is a blend between streetwear and couture fashion. The way he effortlessly goes back and forth between those looks—often mixing them together—is proof he knows what he's doing.

Even with his love for couture menswear, Smith's taste is relatable. Not many athletes are able to inspire people like Smith. He has a knack for making outfits stand out without going overboard—as you can often see on his Instagram account.

Smith's love for fashion isn't a secret either. Recently Devin Friedman of GQ did a profile on the Cleveland Cavaliers guard—some of the language in the article may be deemed NSFW. In it, you'll notice grand imagery of Smith's unique fashion sense.

Put it all together and what you get is a fashion icon everyone can appreciate.

Alex Morgan

Athletic leisurewear has become a big part of most millennials' closets. Understanding the trend, Natalie DiBlasio of USA Today wrote back in 2014 about the market and how brands were pushing to get it recognized on a larger scale.

That particular style hasn't gone away since '14, and people like Alex Morgan—quite possibly the most recognized soccer player in the United States—have been a proponent of that.

Her latest campaign with Nike was used to push the company's athletic leisure effort forward with stuff like the Nike Tech Knit collection. Considering she has 3.1 million followers on Instagram, that was a smart choice by the folks over at Swoosh headquarters.

Morgan's fashionable ways don't stop with athletic leisurewear. To be fair, she's done it all. Still, her impact in that field is a big reason why we can crown her a fashion paragon for millennials.

Russell Westbrook

All it takes is a minuscule amount of words to sum up Russell Westbrook’s fashion sense: he always finds a way to push the envelope.

You might not always agree or appreciate his digs. That's understandable. Some of the outfits he puts together are tough to relate to. But it's his bold approach and lack of fear that's so refreshing.

Westbrook has achieved a lot in fashion. He already has his own lifestyle sneaker with Jordan Brand—the Westbrook 0—has collaborated with Barneys New York, per ESPN.com, and best of all, his fashion sense keeps on moving forward.

All of that is enough to secure him a spot on this list.

Neymar

Neymar's fashion sense reverberates on more of a global scale. Where the Barcelona star differs from his peers is that he carries a heavy European influence with him.

That sense of style led Neymar to Jordan Brand. Together this partnership will help push the Jumpman way of life further into the world of soccer. It starts by releasing a custom Neymar edition of an Air Jordan model, according to Gavin Yeuing of HypeBeast.com.

When you can infiltrate the world of Jordan, you know millennials will be watching. Neymar is, and continues to be a heavy-hitter in this fashion realm in which we live.

Blair O'Neal

LPGA golfer Blair O'Neal enters this list as the lone ranger whose influence is considered more "prep" than couture.

But that's the beauty of fashion. It's not all about one or two styles. O'Neal has worn a lot of amazing outfits on the course, and just because you won't read about it on fashion blogs and magazines doesn't mean it holds any less weight.

Peep what's going down on her Instagram. There you can get a visual taste for all of the colorful and extravagant digs she breaks out on the links—among other riveting wardrobe choices.

Jermaine Jones

U.S. men's soccer standout Jermaine Jones isn't someone you'd assume is a fashion lord off the pitch.

Because of the lack of mainstream media coverage the men's soccer team receives—outside of the World Cup—Jones' fashionable ways have been limited to his presence on social media. That's the distinguished avenue he's chosen to broadcast his stylistic ventures.

Jones' particular fashion sense derives from ultra-fancy garbs and athletic leisurewear. His best quality for impressionable connoisseurs of clothing is showing the world you can go between both worlds without compromising your identity.

Stefan Janoski

Skate culture and fashion has been ingrained in our lives for years now. What once could be looked at as "taboo" has now found its way into our daily lives thanks to guys like Tony Hawk, Paul Rodriguez and Stefan Janoski.

Janoski deserves a lot of the credit for pushing that wave forward. The long-time skater's deal with Nike has helped the company turn traditional skate shoes into lifestyle staples.

Various Janoski models have embraced optimism when it comes to design. That mantra works with his personal style as well. Unlike most of the names you're going to stumble across on this list, Janoski's biggest effect on millennials has to be the fact he's successfully captured the essence of skate culture within the walls of Nike.

Sydney Leroux

The U.S. women's soccer club is full of trendsetters; Sydney Leroux is one of them.

Like so many others, Leroux has taken on the world of fashion through her social media channels. She's displayed countless outfits, touching all aspects of the fashion world. Along with that, Leroux has used her love for tattoos—as you can see in the image above—to further her agenda.

A combination of ink and dress is tough to match. By utilizing that, Leroux proves great style goes beyond wardrobe choices.

Amar'e Stoudemire

Amar'e Stoudemire could very well be the best-dressed athlete in the NBA. His propensity for matching designer wear with intelligent, urban-inspired choices has created a look that's been hard to replicate.

People of all ages have to appreciate the artistic vision and direction in which Stoudemire has gone over the course of his career. He's used fashion and art as a launching point to help people get inspired—the latest example of that took place in New York City, via AmareStoudemire.com.

His fashion sense has transcended postgame pressers. Publications like Vogue have done pieces on the veteran NBA star, showing he's a real influence in this bustling galaxy of men's fashion.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams may very well be the world's greatest tennis player. You could make that assumption off of the fact she's won 21 Grand Slam titles.

Besides taking over her sport one serve at a time, Williams also has become synonymous with great fashion. She's already ventured into the world of design with great ambition, as Kerry Howley of New York Magazine discussed. "Serena wanted not just to design clothes but to design wedding dresses."

That sense of ambition and drive has turned Williams into a fashion icon.

Nick Young

Nick Young falls into the J.R. Smith category of fashion. He's in that same streetwear, couture mix.

The main difference between the two is that Young's palate isn't afraid of colors and vibrant patterns, whereas Smith keeps his style choices subdued—in a good way.

Young is also a sneaker aficionado. A lot of his influence starts from there. Consider this article by Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins as a guide to his footwear kingdom. Writing about his vast array of kicks, Jenkins mentioned Young has two people who actually get paid to watch over his collection.

When your footwear choices are that far-reaching, you tend to influence people—especially millennial sneakerheads.

Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor is brash, aggressive and full of emotion. The current UFC featherweight champion is on top of the world in all facets of life.

McGregor's ferocious climb to the top of mixed martial arts has allowed him to showcase his love for fashion. Italian-cut shirts, neatly pressed jackets and other classic staples of menswear get broken out during his public appearances, and of course, through visual channels like Instagram.

Millennials will get a kick—no pun intended—out of McGregor and his perplexing collection of garments.

Maria Sharapova

There aren't many athletes in the world today who have mastered the art of dress like Maria Sharapova.

Sharapova's aptness for dressing up and down with equal amounts of success is a staggering accomplishment. What she shows the world—not just those representing the millennial brand—is that you don't ever have to overdo it.

These days, simple, clean and refreshing style choices work. And no one pulls off that look better than Sharapova.

Cam Newton

As he made his way to Super Bowl 50, Cam Newton's fashion sense finally started to gain national attention. The sophisticated suits and polished kicks he wears have given the Carolina Panthers quarterback a leg up on the rest of the NFL.

Newton's style evolution has become a blueprint for millennials. He's blended suits with performance wear to create a vortex of influence that's found a way to travel past the field.

All stats and information provided by Sports-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.