Vogue Etiquette: Martha Stewart, Cazzie David, and Jordyn Woods on Stopping the Manspread and Other Courtside Courtesies

For this month’s installment of Oh, Behave!, Vogue turned to three women who know Madison Square Garden from very different vantage points. Martha Stewart, whose courtside seat has become nearly as recognizable as the players on the floor, weighed in as the grande dame of Knicks fandom, offering practical advice drawn from personal experience—including the cautionary tale of a broken toe courtesy of Jalen Brunson.

Jordyn Woods, meanwhile, has emerged as an unlikely postseason lucky charm thanks to the bright orange handbag she carries to games—a bag so closely associated with the team’s success that fans now track its appearances with near-superstitious devotion.

And then there’s Cazzie David, whose New York basketball credentials run deep despite her insistence that she’s hardly a sports fan at all. Named after Knicks legend Cazzie Russell and daughter of Larry David—whose infamous Curb Your Enthusiasm courtside collision with Shaquille O’Neal got many of us thinking about basketball etiquette long before this year’s playoffs—David, who published a collection of essays earlier this year, brought the perspective of a reluctant but highly observant participant.

Here, read all their tips on how to enjoy a Knicks game while maintaining a little decorum.

Vogue: Is there a proper dress code for courtside seats?

Martha Stewart: Well, closed-toed shoes are pretty important, and covered legs are good. Closed-toed shoes to prevent getting the Jalen Brunson fracture, which I suffered last year.
He stepped on my toe and broke it. I was wearing beautiful, Clergerie open-toe, gold sandals. Very stupid. But if I had worn iron-toed shoes, I don’t know if that would’ve prevented him from crushing my toe because he came down with a tremendous amount of force.

Cazzie David: I was actually named after a Knicks player. Couldn’t be less of a sports fan. Truly. But I could be much more annoying than I am about it. I don’t want to tell anyone what they should wear, but I do think that one Knicks piece feels good. I don’t know if it should be, like, a Halloween party.

Jordyn Woods: In New York City, I feel like everyone’s way more casual than I expect them to be. It’s more like a T-shirt, jeans, tank top, and a fun jacket. You can get away with doing whatever you want in New York, but people are really there for the game. Not as much to be seen. When you go to a Lakers game, people are wearing short dresses and skirts.