Why Do Tennis Players Usually Dress in White? What is the Secret to Wearing White in Tennis?

Immaculate, vigorous and pure white; Tennis clothing has stood out with its whiteness tradition for many years. This distinctive look not only symbolized the sport of tennis, but also appeared as a symbol of quality in clothing.

Although many major tournaments such as Wimbledon have moved to liberal use of colours, Wimbledon remains true to its own traditions, leading it to act like many private clubs around the world. That tournament further tightened its rules by banning colorful accents, a year after Roger Federer’s orange-soled sneakers were banned from competition in 2013.

While the rules used to mandate “mostly white” attire, they also allowed contestants to play with colorful elements; for example, Serena Williams had strawberries and cream presentations at the 2010 Wimbledon. However, over time these phrases were changed to “almost entirely white”; This reflected the organizers’ strict stance: off-white, colored panels or different color options on the shoes were prohibited. The latest relaxation came in 2023, when female players were allowed to wear dark-coloured shorts after criticism that the rules were unfriendly to menstrual leaks.

So why did white tennis attire become the standard?

Frequently cited reasons include practical reasons such as reflecting temperature and hiding sweat. However, Kevin Jones, senior curator of the “Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800 – 1960” exhibition held at the Fashion Institute of Design and Retailing (FIDM) Museum in Los Angeles, stated that this situation actually stems from the practices of clubs with a long history. The fact that lawn tennis quickly became a popular leisure activity in Victorian England and was one of the few sports open to women was associated with social status.

“This is completely elitist because white clothes are very difficult to maintain,” Jones said in a statement. “And because these clothes are often made of materials that wear out easily, like cotton and linen, keeping them clean and tidy is part of the maintenance.”

The style of tennis has changed greatly over the more than a century since it began with croquet and became popular as the first form of entertainment for the upper class, who used the same carefully manicured lawns. The first tennis clothes resembled the casual clothes of the 19th century; women wore striped and patterned clothes, long skirts, corsets and wide-brimmed hats; It was a time when men preferred wool trousers and buttoned sweaters.

Ben Rothenberg, sports journalist and author of “The Stylish Life of Sports: Tennis,” stated that tennis and fashion have interacted over time, and various tennis trends have infiltrated the broader culture. For example, this has been made clear in recent months by Zendaya’s high-fashion tennis-inspired red carpet looks in “Challengers” and Roger Federer’s aerial tennis match for sportswear brand On. Additionally, the success of brands with classic tennis roots, such as Lacoste and Fred Perry, and radical fashion innovations, such as Elsa Schiaparelli dressing Spanish player Lilí de Álvarez in trousers for Wimbledon in 1931, were also evident on the court.

Tennis dress codes changed frequently, often following the initial scandals. French player Suzanne Lenglen became one of tennis’ first fashion icons when she abandoned the old tiered, long dresses for more comfortable below-the-knee skirts and shorter-sleeved blouses at Wimbledon in 1919. Lenglen, who was the inspiration for Jean Patou, attracted attention with her original headscarf and bold short legs of the period.

At the US, French and Australian Opens, players operated with looser rules, defying definitions of what tennis attire could be, depending on the umpires’ opinion. The Williams sisters were some of the names who challenged the dress codes, with Venus’s lacy black-red suit that resembled underwear and Serena’s denim mini, tutu and cape-like silhouettes.