Cookie banner

This site uses cookies. Select "Block all non-essential cookies" to only allow cookies necessary to display content and enable core site features. Select "Accept all cookies" to also personalize your experience on the site with ads and partner content tailored to your interests, and to allow us to measure the effectiveness of our service.

To learn more, review our Cookie Policy, Privacy Notice and Terms of Use.

or
clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

The B-e-s-t Outfits from the Scripps National Spelling Bee

Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

The 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee crowned its (two!) champions last night, and though the tournament may have ended in a two-way tie, the fashion was pretty much equally on-point across the board.

This year's contestants ranged from first grade (meet this year's youngest contestant over at Vox) to eighth grade, with 11-year-old Nihar Janga the youngest winner of the Bee in history. He tied with 13-year-old Jairam Hathwar, the younger brother of the 2014 winner Sriram Hathwar.

More important than the words? The fashion, obviously. This year, every single one of the 285 contestants went in a different style direction, from baller Nikes to fancy earrings to very fash-un Commes des Garcons T-shirts. The one thing they all had in common? All of them were equally perfect and amazing. Consider the following:

Rosie's hair bow

C-u-t-e.

Zachary's "Achievement Unlocked" T-shirt

Y-e-s.

Syaal's plaid

S-o g-r-o-w-n u-p.

Camden's stripes

B-o-l-d.

Kyra's ballet flats

W-h-e-r-e-'-d y-o-u g-e-t t-h-o-s-e-?

Julian's white oxford

C-r-i-s-p.

Amy's Commes des Garcons T-shirt

S-o f-a-s-h-i-o-n.

Alette's scarf

F-a-n-c-y.

Ananya's pearl earrings

F-a-n-c-i-e-r.

Akash's white polo

F-r-e-s-h.

Mitchell's striped polo

M-e-s-m-e-r-i-z-i-n-g.

Will's orange polo

O-r-a-n-g-e-y.

Nina's braids

P-r-e-t-t-y.

Snehaa's cardigan

F-u-n-c-t-i-o-n-a-l.

William's printed button-down

I-s t-h-a-t S-a-i-n-t L-a-u-r-e-n-t-?

Jairam's Nikes

B-a-l-l-e-r.

Nihar's track pants

T-h-e p-a-n-t-s o-f c-h-a-m-p-i-o-n-s.