Tennis and Fashion- Inseparable Partners

When it comes to fashion influence and flare, there is perhaps no sport which rivals the game of tennis.  In its earliest years, the royals’ obsession with this sport played a large role in its couture connection.  Regal attire, after all, was considered the standard of high fashion and was modeled by all courtiers, including those of the tennis-playing variety.

King Henry VIII was possibly the most renowned among the royal tennis players, and his passion for the game was matched only by his passion for fashion.  Short breeches and long stockings, coupled with plumed hats and fur-lined jackets, were the standard uniform, flaunted on royal jeu de paume courts, during the mid-16^th to early 17^th centuries.

By the mid- 19^th century, tennis (as we know it today) had become wildly popular, and the affinity of the aristocracy for this sport made a significant impact on tennis’ fashion-forward reputation.  This was due in large part to the very nature of the sport.   The outdoor setting of lawn tennis offered the perfect backdrop for Victorian social gatherings.  Women wore full-length dresses with large bustles, restrictive corsets, and floppy hats, as they tapped the ball back and forth across the net in proper ladylike fashion.  Men, dressed in full-length trousers and long-sleeved shirts, took to the courts to flaunt their “athletic prowess”.  Doubtful there was any need for sweatbands at this time, as matches were often more about looking good than playing good.

In the late 19^th century, women began dictating practical changes to their tennis apparel.  Pocketed tennis aprons were worn over elaborate dresses to protect their finery and to save them from having to bend over to pick up balls.  Bustles were removed, lightweight fabrics were introduced and white garments (designed to hide perspiration) became the standard.  This “tennis white” tradition continues today at Wimbledon.

It took a few young renegades to nudge tennis fashion out of its formal funk.  In 1887, the 15-year old tennis wunderkind, Lottie Dod, pulled off her Wimbledon Champion wearing a calf-length dress.  In 1905, young May Sutton claimed the Wimbledon trophy while sporting the rolled-back cuffs of her father’s shirt.  The exposed ankles and wrists of these young female players were liberating moments which drove the fashion-forward reputation of tennis attire.

Tennis champions- both male and female- became the fashion trend setters of the day.  The hemlines on women’s tennis dresses continued to rise, male players popularized the straw boat hat, and rubber-soled tennis shoes became the world’s fashionable new footwear.

It was a flamboyant young Frenchwoman who pushed the boundaries of tennis fashion yet further.  In 1919, Suzanne Lenglen strode on to the courts of Wimbledon in a gauzy, short-sleeved, knee-length dress, unhampered by petticoats.  She strolled off the courts with the championship trophy in hand, news reporters at her feet, and French couturiers begging to design her tennis frocks.  Her trademark chiffon headbands soon became all the rage in women’s head wear.

American “Big” Bill Tilden, the most notable tennis player of the ‘20s, led the fashion revolution in men’s wear.  His dapper V-necked, cable-knit sweaters gave birth to the preppy look in men’s leisure fashions for years to come.

Also making his mark on and off the courts was Tilden’s rival, Frenchman Rene Lacoste.  Nicknamed “The Crocodile”, following a bet made with the Captain of the French Davis Cup Team (he was promised a crocodile-skin suitcase if he won a critical match for the team), Lacoste promoted his reptilian branding by embroidering a crocodile emblem on his tennis shirts.  This now-infamous logo followed Lacoste off the courts as well when he began his own popular (and enduring) line of men’s sportswear.

By 1933, tennis fashion had taken yet another large stride.   Henry “Bunny” Austin debuted his tailored shorts at Wimbledon, while Helen Jacobs introduced a similar fashion style in the Bermuda shorts she modeled at Forest Hills.  Helen Wills Moody, one of the most dominant tennis players of the 20^th century, was a big promoter of sensible fashions on the courts and is attributed with the introduction of the pleated skirt and sun visors.  The styles introduced by these fashion pioneers spurred the popularity of shorter skirts and culottes for women players and brought about the extinction of long pants for men, both trends being similarly adopted by the off-court fashion-conscious of the day.

By the mid 1900’s, tennis players continued to tinker with their apparel.  Women daringly replaced stockings with shorts under their skirts; most notable in this trend was American Gertrude “Gussie” Moran, who drew the attention of the press when she embellished her knickers with lace.

Arthur Ashe further revolutionized men’s wear in the 60’s with his introduction of short-shorts; Wimbledon champion, Björn Borg popularized the head band during his 1970’s reign; Chris Evert  repainted the canvas of tennis fashion with her preference for bold colors over the more-traditional white and pastel palette of tennis garments.

Perhaps of greatest influence on the fashion side of the court in the late 20^th century was Andre Agassi. To the delight of his loyal fans, Agassi capitalized on his athletic achievements by pushing the boundaries of tennis fashion at every opportunity.  His confidence on court was reflected in his brash attire: layered cycling-shorts, stretch fabrics, vivid colors, even his long tresses, became his trademark.  Branding himself as a trend-setter catapulted Agassi’s success well beyond the courts and continues even today.

The celebrity status attained by many of today’s top tennis players continues to drive fashion trends throughout the world.  Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, have influenced fashion on and off the court and from the ground up, accessorizing the sport with chic jewelry, hair ornamentation, cat suits and even designer boots.  They, along with a host of other tennis beauties (including 2010’s Ana Ivanovic), have graced the pages of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit issue nearly every year since 1997.   The men have received equal billing as fashion tennis celebrities, including Rafael Nadal, whose recent style statement of plaid shorts, coupled with bright shirts, has created a veritable fashion frenzy.

Tennis and fashion have been historically inseparable and the union has been of mutual benefit.   Spectators at this year’s French Open will be the benefactors of this stylized doubles powerhouse.  Courtside seats guarantee them not only an exhilarating glimpse of the world’s top tennis players, but an equally entertaining preview of what lies ahead in the world of fashion.

- Alyce Vilines, GEM Tennis