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Nov 18, 2023

Inside LSU Coach Kim Mulkey's closet

Kim Mulkey is a study in contrasts. So is her closet. Much like Mulkey herself,

Kim Mulkey is a study in contrasts.

So is her closet.

Much like Mulkey herself, her Baton Rouge closet has a larger-than-life feel to it. The clothes on the left are her casual and workout clothes. The clothes on the right are anything but casual. Generally speaking, they sparkle.

LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey shows off some of the sparkle in her closet, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at her home in Baton Rouge, La.

"I have always enjoyed dressing nice," she said standing in her closet, wearing a purple LSU long-sleeve zip-up pullover, black slacks and Nike slides.

The Tickfaw native led her Hammond High School basketball team to four state championships before heading to Louisiana Tech where, as point guard, she led the team to two national championships. She became an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech before heading to Waco, Texas, for 21 years as the women's basketball coach at Baylor. She moved back to Louisiana to accept the women's basketball coaching position at LSU in 2021.

"Growing up, I loved coming to Baton Rouge every August to buy new clothes at Goudchaux's," she said. "I've always liked wearing nice clothes."

She acknowledges that her style has changed through the years, particularly when she left Baylor to come home to Louisiana.

Some of the purple and gold sparkle inside LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey's closet, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at her home in Baton Rouge, La.

"I needed a little more flair here — it's Louisiana," she said, as she motioned to the rack of glittery, bold and sequined jackets and pantsuits she wears to her LSU Lady Tiger basketball games.

Though she still has an array of sparkly jackets decorated in butterflies, she donated the one she wore in the 2021-22 season to charity. It raised $5,000.

Take a look inside LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey's closet, seen Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at her home in Baton Rouge, La.

Mulkey's famed high-heeled shoes, all 105 pairs of them, have their own closet. The heels of the stilettos, pumps and ankle boots are between 3 and 4 inches. They run the gamut in styles and brands — from red-soled Christian Louboutin to Jessica Simpson, with Ralph Lauren, Steve Madden, Cole Haan, Ted Baker and Pembe Potin in between.

She says that she finds all of the heels comfortable, save one pair of gold stilettos.

Kim Mulkey, standing in her dress shoe closet, shows the one pair of high-heeled shoes she says are uncomfortable.

"They pinch my toes together," she said. "But I've still got them."

Her casual and tennis shoes are in her main closet. Mulkey had no idea how many pairs of shoes she has, but a quick count revealed the grand total to be 171 pairs.

One assistant coach in particular leads the effort on curating Mulkey's dress clothes. Mulkey isn't interested in that part of the sartorial experience. She doesn't shop and trusts the fashion expertise of others.

"Most of the time I wear what they recommend, but there are times when I say, 'No, I'm 60 years old. I'm not going to wear that," she said. "There are ones I really have to talk myself into wearing. I ask, 'Is it stylish or does it look like a clown?'"

As a case in point, she pointed to a multicolored sequined jumpsuit that she's yet to wear.

Mulkey's clothes are hung to the tippy-top of both sides of the closet's 12-foot ceilings. Three tiers of racks line both sides of the closet, with the top rods out of reach and on a lever that pulls down with a special hook.

Her Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame jacket hangs on the top row. Michael Jordan presented her with the jacket at a special ceremony in 2020. (If you're curious, the jacket's color is Naismith Orange.)

LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey reaches for her Hall of Famer jacket by The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at her home in Baton Rouge, La. Mulkey was received the honor in 2020.

Some of her clothes go way back.

"I'm still the same size. So, I can wear clothes from 20 and 30 years ago," she said.

Mulkey moved all of her dress clothes to Baton Rouge from her home in Waco, but she explained that she gave away 21 years of Baylor warmups. She said her closet and home in Waco, where her two children grew up, are much larger than her home in Baton Rouge.

She is not superstitious and there's only one article that she wears to every game — it's a Rolex watch fans from Baylor pitched in to give her. The clock face is surrounded by diamonds, with four emeralds, representing Baylor, at the 12, 3, 6 and 9.

Coach Kim Mulkey, standing in her dressing area of her home, explains the significance of the Rolex watch, given to her by Baylor fans. She wears the watch at every game she coaches.

The watch has a special place in her dressing area. Everything in her closet is organized and has its place and is in place.

A kaleidoscope of jewelry is displayed in glass cases at the back of the closet — necklaces on hooks and earrings of every color of the rainbow resting on a white counter. Mulkey's ears aren't pierced — so she only wears clip-on earrings.

"I don't apologize for the organization," she said.

She said her penchant for organization carries over into every aspect of her life.

"I'm a personal check, credit card person. I don't do PayPal or Venmo — nor do I care to learn," she said. "When my monthly statement comes in, I sit there at night until I balance it to the penny."

LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey shows off some of the sparkle in her closet, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at her home in Baton Rouge, La.

Cheryl Gaude says some of her favorite Mulkey's outfits are from long ago.

"She has this patent leather jacket I love," said Gaude, Mulkey's live-in housekeeper.

Gaude is basically a part of the Mulkey family. She kept the books when Mulkey played basketball at Hammond High School. Mulkey invited Gaude to come stay with her and her children in Waco shortly after Gaude's husband died. Mulkey was going through a divorce and says Gaude came to visit and never left, spoiling her children and grandchildren along the way.

Kim Mulkey's championship rings from high school, college and coaching at Louisiana Tech and through her time at Baylor are displayed in special case in the home office of LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, in Baton Rouge, La.

Did Gaude recognize that Mulkey was special long ago?

"Yes, when you're 5-foot, 4-inches and you score 4,085 points without a three-point line, you're special," Gaude said, taking a break from reading a cowboy romance to point out a small wooden and glass case with all 35 of Mulkey's championship rings in it — from high school to Final Four to NCAA national championships. Her Olympic gold medal rests on a shelf nearby, in front of a yellow Solo cup shaker her grandson made.

If you're wondering, there seems to be enough room for another ring or two in the special case.

The undefeated and No.-2 ranked Tigers will play No. 1-ranked South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina at 1 p.m. (Central) Sunday. The game will be televised on ESPN.

LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey did not disappoint with her ensemble for Friday's Sweet Sixteen battle against Utah in Greenville, South Carolina.

LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey is known for her colorful glitter blazers and precariously high heels on the sidelines.

LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey again showed up with a unique outfit for Sunday's Elite Eight contest with Miami in the NCAA Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.

After defeating Miami 54-42 on Sunday to earn a berth in the Final Four, the LSU women's basketball team headed home that night from Greenville, South Carolina.

The LSU women's basketball team make quite the arrival for Sunday's NCAA title game against Iowa on Sunday, walking the red carpet with coach Kim Mulkey wearing a shiny outfit that features tiger stripes.

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