If statement-making dressing was an organised sport, then Tyler, the Creator would be racking up trophies like he has music industry hardware. Here, punchy and playfully adorned outerwear does the heavy lifting. But the key piece here? A jacket-complementing fitted baseball cap that underscores a top-of-mind dedication to realising a cohesive, unified aesthetic down to the details. Basketball is a game bubbling over with kineticism – and Tyler matches that energy with a cheerful get-up that’s not at all out of step from the ebullient attire that we’ve come to love from the rapper.

To the casual detractor, the very notion of lapels at a sporting event might sound a little bit stiff. But take a look here at Mr Steven Spielberg throwing on a professorial-looking number over a sweater and dialling it down with jeans and a cap. It lends his look an air of approachable style while also providing a tutorial in textured layering. Small surprise, though: the director – like another notable gentleman you’ll find on this list – has proven over the years that his ability to orchestrate a singular vision spills off the silver screen and into his wardrobe.

Venerated actor Mr Jack Nicholson has certainly shown how to leave a sartorial mark – and his fellow courtsider, Mr Lou Adler, the music figure with whom he’s taken in ample NBA action, certainly has his own personal style bona fides. Here, sprucing up the informality of typical game-day wear, the duo flexed the hallmarks of a well-rounded wardrobe: imaginative patterns. Frames with subdued flash. Adler’s hat. Nicholson’s watch. It’s enduring while feeling au courant. The price to sit in a rarefied row? A pretty penny. The pair’s lesson on looking sharp? More than worth the cost of a ticket.

Much is made in sports about the nailing the basics as a means to achieving success. As Mr Trevor Noah demonstrates here, the same ethos can be applied to a sound front-row fit. No single piece is over-the-top splashy. Yet, viewed in sum, this look packs serious staying power thanks to items such as the understated outerwear and slim-fitting pants. Everything nicely builds off the foundational flourish: a pair of Nike sneakers. Subtle, but nevertheless standout, Noah illustrates that power of embracing the fundamentals (a lesson that he has channelled on the red carpet, as well).

Like the aforementioned Jack Nicholson, filmmaking icon Mr Spike Lee’s passion for the game is well-documented. In 2021, Lee – who, like Spielberg, is in the pantheon of modish movie mavericks – eschewed New York Knicks-saluting threads and raised the stakes with this memorable suit (and footwear). Extra points for a splashy cross-body bag that scores one inimitable, stylish swish. Appropriately, one word comes to mind here when taking everything in: cinematic.

With a profile as large as Mr Brad Pitt’s, it doesn’t take much to announce your presence. Yet, the takeaway from this throw-formality-to-the-wind look from 2002 is that the most laid-back look can make the biggest impression. This outfit – from the bucket hat to the eyewear and slightly flared denim – doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is a far cry from the buttoned-up ensembles certain occasions ask of movie stars. Just like acting demands a certain permutability – the ability to shift into different roles – forging a distinct personal style also requires versatility and adaptability to the scene at hand.

If you’re going to take in the action from a prized perspective, why not go big and bold? Mr Ansel Elgort did just that with an outfit that seemed appropriately maximalist for being courtside at one of the game’s most high-profile stages, Madison Square Garden. Blue velour trousers provide a colourful launching pad for a Nirvana graphic T-shirt to stamp its mark under a gleaming necklace. A home team-touting cap fits the (literal) bill, too. All in all, the outfit evoked flair and panache, much like the very sport bringing fans to their seats.