shakira austin

Piano keys don the short belt, giving nod to the jazz clubs of U Street, and a reminder that in D.C. we move with a rhythm.

An elegant detailing featuring the team’s established year, city and team nickname. 

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Horn was a renowned Grammy-winning jazz vocalist and pianist. She was a staple at the “Black Broadway” jazz clubs and theaters, including legendary performances at Crystal Caverns and Howard Theatre.

Co-founder of Lee’s Flower Shop on U Street, the oldest Black-owned flower shop in Washington, D.C. Winifred Lee leaves a lasting legacy of social and economic impact. A third generation of Lee women is now at the helm, guiding a thriving business known for supporting the community and providing arrangements for local, national, and presidential events.

A celebrated American singer and actress who grew up in Washington, D.C. She famously coined the term “Black Broadway” to reference the historic U Street neighborhood. Bailey performed at legendary venues such as Howard Theatre and Crystal Caverns.

Co-founder of Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street. Virginia Ali is a pioneering Black businesswoman and pillar of the U Street community. Affectionately known as the “Matriarch of D.C.,” Ali is a respected cultural figure and matriarch who, alongside her sons, continues to maintain Ben’s as a cornerstone of D.C. culture and community.

Features an architectural ornamentation found throughout many buildings on historic U Street.

the d.c. logo

waistband

Shirley Horn

Winifred Lee

buckle

Pearl Bailey

Virginia Ali

back shoulder

blue gale

Ben’s Chili Bowl isn’t just a place to eat – it’s D.C. history. Since 1958, it’s been a place where the city shows up for itself. Virginia Ali set that tone. She held the rhythm. From the March on Washington to moments that shaped the nation, she made sure community always came first. That’s the energy behind the Mystics Nike Rebel Edition uniform. A tribute to women like Virginia—who didn’t wait for change, they made it. Who built something bigger than themselves so the rest of us could move forward together. 

College Navy

THE GRADIENT

Laser Fuchsia

Inspired by the electric marquees of the iconic theaters and jazz clubs of U Street’s Black Broadway.

Mystics signature navy blue color.

Mystics College Navy blends with Laser Fuchsia — capturing the movement of a city that has never stopped changing. 

Paying homage to the matriarchs who continue to move our communities forward. Laser Fuchsia represents vibrancy, self-expression, and sophistication. 

The Mystics secondary logo shines bright in Blue Gale 

The People’s Pattern

Women of incredible skill and integrity stayed. They kept showing up, in the same places, holding the same note, built in the pocket, until the whole city locked in around them.  

In music, the pocket is the moment when rhythm locks in so completely that effort disappears. It’s felt and not called. It’s shared and sustained. 

That’s how D.C. and the larger DMV have always moved. 

We stay; we build and cultivate a “place” that others find and move joyously within. 

The Washington Mystics Nike Rebel Edition Uniform reflects that staying power where the city, a team, and a legacy move together in sync. In D.C., rhythm isn’t background. This is where you find yours. 

U Street was one of the most culturally vibrant corridors in America. Then 1968 happened. Riots tore through the corridor following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Businesses closed. Residents left. Many artists had already moved on to Harlem, New York, to wherever opportunity called next. 

U Street lost its sound. But not everyone left. 

U Street building architecture and window pediment inspires the short blocking pattern. When worn with the jersey, an elegant silhouette is formed recalling building patterns from iconic building landmarks of U Street. 

Inscribed with the Mystics 'District of Change' anthem, the uniform’s wordmark and player numbers features a script that gives a nod to the iconic signage of U Street’s Ben’s Chili Bowl.

The Washington Mystics Nike Rebel Edition Uniform is dedicated to D.C.’s historic U Street neighborhood, one of the most culturally vibrant corridors in America from the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Jazz clubs, theaters, ballrooms & restaurants filled every block.   

Once known as Black Broadway, this thriving center of African-American culture and social change was a neighborhood that was electric, sophisticated, and wholly its own. Women were often at the center of the cultural and economic fabric of Black Broadway.  

Every detail on this uniform tells a story - a living canvas – paying homage to the women who keep showing up, keep holding the note, and unapologetically move their communities forward.