From Front Rows to the Pitch, Jaedyn Shaw Is in a League of Her Own
The Gotham FC starlet talks fashion, ambition, inspiration and firsts ahead of the biggest year of her career.
Jaedyn Shaw is one-of-one. The 21-year-old NWSL phenom started her career at only 17 with the San Diego Wave, and quickly became one of the biggest names in both the league and the United States Women’s National Team. In the years since her debut, she has earned an Olympic gold medal, won two NWSL Shields, a Championship, the Women’s Gold Cup and countless other trophies and individual awards. Off the pitch, her star shines even brighter.
If you paid any attention to New York Fashion Week this past year, you’re likely to have seen Shaw at least once. Sitting front row at Jane Wade, KidSuper, PDF and more, the soccer star has been spreading her wings in the world of fashion, playing with her personal style and building a fanbase solely for her impeccable arrival outfits and fashion sense outside of the sport.
Players balancing sport and fashion is nothing new, but no one does it as well as Shaw. Still one of the youngest players on the USWNT and Gotham FC rosters, she’s at the top of her game, and her dress sense reflects that. With another NWSL Championship in her sights and the 2027 Women’s World Cup on the horizon, this is one of the biggest years of Shaw’s career and she’s one you’ll want to keep up with over the next few months.
We spoke to Shaw about her fashion inspirations, her trophy-laden career so far and her goals for the upcoming season. Keep scrolling to read the full conversation.
We’ve watched your personal style evolve over the years, and you’ve quickly become one of the best-dressed players in the NWSL. When did your interest in fashion begin?
I’ve always been into fashion to a certain extent. I always wanted to look good, put fits together and buy cool shoes. But for me, I’d say a couple of years ago is really when I started to be more intentional about it. Then working with my stylist now has really helped me figure out how I want to implement fashion into my life and into my career. I love fashion. I’m very passionate about it, and I think it’s a creative part of me and something that’s really fun for me. It was always there, but I definitely think that it evolved a lot more over the last few years.
Where does your fashion inspiration come from?
Honestly, all over. First and foremost, from my heritage — my Asian heritage and my African-American heritage. I feel both have really prominent styles in fashion culture, which I think is really cool to blend together, and to figure out what really makes my style and what makes me, me. I feel I get inspiration from all over the place. I like to see myself as versatile. I don’t want to be just streetwear or just something. I feel I can wear anything and I can make anything work. So I think that’s also a part of my style and my inspo as well.
We saw you at a few shows during New York Fashion Week this season. How does it feel for the industry to finally embrace women’s soccer players and athletes?
Fashion hasn’t really been a part of soccer culture for a long time. There have obviously been certain players throughout the years who have been really pushing those boundaries and kind of embraced fashion in that way. I think it’s really cool that we’re seeing those crossovers now and that we have more visibility in those industries and in those cultural moments.
Especially now, where social media is huge, and it is helpful for the visibility of our league as well, and for our sport and the growth of our sport. It is really cool to see more people going out and being a part of the different events and shows and whatnot. Obviously, it’s fun for me. I really enjoyed myself, even though I felt like I was living a double life, going from training to getting my hair and makeup done, to going to fashion shows at night. But yeah, I think it’s really cool to see the growth of our sport in that way.
Do you have any pregame rituals or routines that you stick to?
I try to stay away from full-on rituals, because I don’t like doing something that I can’t replicate every single game. Typically, I eat pasta before the game. I always have a Red Bull before the game in the locker room. I think people think I carry it just for visibility, but I literally drink it when I go into the locker room before the game. I always tape my left wrist. I’ve always done that since I was little. And I try to keep my socks above my knees, but they typically fall because the socks suck.
You won the Championship in your first season at Gotham. What made you want to join the team?
Gotham reached out at a lower point in my career. I wasn’t performing that well, I wasn’t playing that much, and they took a huge chance and invested a lot in me at a very low point in my career. So I was honestly really grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an amazing club and to grasp the opportunity that they handed me.
When I got there, I felt right at home. Being close to New York helps. It’s an amazing city, and New Jersey as well, where we are. The team, my teammates and my coaches all made me feel really welcome. The club standard is really high — wanting to be a world-class club, wanting to be a club that plays on an international stage. I think that was something that was really attractive to me as a player. It was a fairly easy decision to come out here and to be a part of this club. Honestly, I haven’t looked back. I feel we’ve just been winning trophies since, so it’s been really great.
You’ve played on a number of winning teams over the years. In your experience, what do you think makes a team successful?
I’ve literally never been on a team that has had so much turnover, whether that’s players coming in and out, whether that’s staff coming in and out, or injuries. Just this year alone, there’s been so much turnover. But I think the thing that stays consistent is the way the team can come together. Every single day, every single weekend, we all come together. We lean on each other in the tougher moments. We welcome the new players with open arms and help them adapt to the environment as quickly as possible, because that’s what happened to me.
This team has a very special ability to come together. Of course, having such elite, veteran players on our team who have played at the highest level for so long and have so much experience helps in those moments to attack adversity, but also in staying at the top when things are going well. There are so many things that are special about this team, but I think those are the two things that stand out to me most.
Who were your biggest sporting inspirations growing up?
Tobin Heath was one of my favorite athletes and players growing up. Neymar was probably my favorite player growing up. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but my teammates, my parents and all my friends used to call me “Jae-Mar” when I was younger because I just loved Neymar so much. Obviously, Serena Williams.
I feel any African-American athlete growing up looked up to Serena Williams in some way, especially with there not being that many to look up to as a kid. Trying to think who else. I feel I’m missing so many, but oh — Gabby Douglas randomly! I didn’t do gymnastics at all, but Gabby Douglas!
You’re the first player of Vietnamese descent and part of a small cohort of Asian players to represent the US Women’s National Team. How does it feel to carry that weight and legacy going forward?
There weren’t many players to look up to who either looked like me or had a similar background to me. Having the opportunity to be that for someone else is a dream for me. I obviously want to do a good job with that, and I want to be a good role model for the next generation of players who have the same background as me.
For me, it kind of made me more aware of it once I became that person. I didn’t really realize that there wasn’t another Vietnamese-American player to play for the US Women’s National Team until they were like, “Oh yeah, you’re the first.” And I was like, “What? What do you mean I’m the first?” For me, it’s really cool to be the first in anything, and I feel really blessed to be that person for the next generation.
You started your professional career as a teenager and have achieved so much in the four years since your debut. How did you know you were ready to take that step up?
I was given the opportunity to train with the Washington Spirit back in 2022. I just got there, and I was like, “Oh my gosh, I love it. It’s so fun, and I can handle this environment.” I just felt like I was ready. It was obviously a difficult decision to forego college, but I felt I was ready. It was the right time, and I had enough interest in myself to make it feel like it was a good decision in my life in general.
I have always felt at peace making that decision, and honestly I haven’t really looked back on it at all. I think skipping college, you miss the social aspect, but for me, I just wanted to play soccer at the highest level for as long as possible. It was a great decision and obviously a decision that we prayed on a lot — my family and I. It was pretty apparent from the beginning that I wanted to do that.
With playoffs starting and the Women’s World Cup around the corner, what are your biggest goals for the next year?
Just staying present is what’s going to help me achieve my goals. Obviously, being a part of the roster for the World Cup is up there as probably the biggest thing on my mind. But of course, I want to win the Championship this year. We’ve had such an incredible year, winning the Shield for the first time in club history, and now being the first seed playing on Sunday. That’s obviously really exciting for us and at the forefront of my brain right now: just one game at a time, win the Championship and then look forward to camps, making rosters and just putting myself in the best position for the World Cup as well.
What advice do you have for young players that are looking to follow in your footsteps?
I would say honestly, just enjoy the process. Work extremely hard. I know everybody says that, but all of my coaches thought I was training too much, and here we are. My family motto — with my brother, sister, parents — we always said: “Train until they can’t deny you.” Obviously, being a minority, you have to work 10 times harder than the person next to you, so I think that was also instilled in me from a very young age. Just in any environment, working as hard as you can, harder than anyone, will get you to your dreams.
For me, it wasn’t an “if” I will achieve my dreams; it was a “when.” Anytime a door was closed, it wasn’t a “never”; it was just a “not right now.” Believing in yourself and knowing that you will achieve your dreams at some point, it just might not come at the time that you think. If it does, great. If it doesn’t, then it’s okay. Just have fun and enjoy the process. I love this game so much, so I hope that players can see that in the way that I play, that I play with joy, passion and love for the game.
