Keopple Shines Among PWHL’s Most Stylish

A glimpse into the fashion world of Montreal defender Mariah Keopple as she prepares for a clash against Toronto.

After practice in early February, Mariah Keopple unwinds, seated on the top level of the Verdun Auditorium. In about a week’s time, she will exchange her flannel overshirt, black leggings, and white sneakers for another statement outfit as she enters Scotiabank Arena to face PWHL Toronto.

Game-day outfits hold lots of importance for the 23-year-old defender, as she has been spotted in everything from a bold suit to a floral corset this season. The common thread among them all is that she crafts each one herself.

“I’ve always been really creative, really like artsy,” Keopple said. “Other than dressing up for games, I never got a chance to do anything related to fashion in school, so I was like my thesis is the perfect opportunity to do something with that.”

In her senior thesis at Princeton University, Keopple studied how various personality groups expressed themselves through their clothing choices, exploring the connection between self-expression and apparel.

“I asked about 40-something questions in the survey,” Keopple said. “Anything related to how they think about how they dress, if they put together certain outfits or colours, things like that.”

Beyond her academics, Keopple designed clothing for Royalty Sports Performance, an athleisure brand based in Centerville, Minn. Together with owner Carson Fossum and Minnesota goalie Maddie Rooney, she played a part in helping them become the official apparel for the PWHL.

“When I first started working out there, we didn’t really have clothes,” Keopple said. “So it’s really incredible to see it go from nothing, in the sense of clothing, to now being representative of a professional league.”

Now playing in Montreal, Keopple finds herself on the team’s top pairing alongside Erin Ambrose. Together, they combined for a plus-five rating.

“She’s a joy to be around,” Ambrose said of Keopple. “She’s very open to anything that I say, so I should probably shut my mouth a bit sometimes. I could talk a lot about her as a hockey player, but for me, it’s just how much I enjoy being around her.”

Away from the rink, the dynamic changes as Keopple steps into the role of a big sister, offering style tips to Ambrose.

“The girl can maybe help me a little bit off the ice,” Ambrose jokes. “I do ask Keopps for a little bit of fashion advice here and there. I think if you get her approval on your game-day outfit, you’re in a good spot.”

When getting dressed for games, Keopple always bases her outfit around one piece – be it a flat-brim hat or an open-toe heel. She finishes the look off with accessories like a Marc Jacobs tote bag and gold jewellery, which include three rings and hoop earrings.

“I love to wear a bunch of different things,” Keopple said. “It’s so funny because my coach in college was like, ‘I never know what your style is.’”

Without a dress code in place, players like Keopple can flaunt their style, and they’ve certainly done so. Through 26 games, there have been some highlight-reel outfits, with players sporting anything from tinsel jackets to all-over printed skirts.

“Our league, I think, has taken it by storm,” Keopple said. “It’s so fresh and exciting, so I think a lot of girls are really putting in effort to do that. I think Toronto has been doing a great job with it too. A lot of those girls like Sarah Nurse, [Emma] Maltais, [Natalie] Spooner, have put together incredible outfits.”

With both Montreal and Toronto battling for crucial points in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,800, Friday’s game promises to be an intense one. Elevating the rivalry further, a style showdown will be in full swing and Keopple is ready for the challenge.