Fashion and sports have collided in the 21st century. What you wear on the court has become as much a topic of conversation and the racket you use. There are many stores on and offline that sell clothing for tennis. Just as models and actors influence what their viewers wear, what tennis players sport on the court will often sellout in stores.
Brands
The major sporting goods manufacturers—Nike, Adidas, Reebok and K-Swiss, for example—are brands that sell clothing for tennis. Over the years, designers have gotten into the market, bringing in more choices for players. Lacoste, Polo by Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney are a few of the clothing designers that have made tennis apparel for men, women and children.
Men’s Styles
On the tennis court, men’s clothing has not changed very much over the years. The outfit usually consists of shorts and tops. Pants aren’t worn often—except during warm-ups. The things that has changed in men’s clothing for tennis is the styles. The length of shorts seems to vary each year and has ranged from the short-short to knee length. Tennis shirts can also vary from the sleeveless styles Rafael Nadal brought into popularity to the conservative collared shirts.
Women’s Options
Women’s options for tennis clothing have grown over the centuries the game has been played. Women’s tennis apparel includes dresses, shirts and skirts. Tops for tennis come in sleeveless, short sleeve and tank styles. Skirts vary in lengths and some have built-in shorts. Warm-up suits are also available for colder days when you don’t want to expose your arms and legs before play.
Sponsorship
Athletes are often paid to wear clothing in certain brands and tennis is well-known for following this practice. It isn’t unusual when clothing for tennis becomes popular because of the player who wears it: the unique outfits of Serena Williams has led people to Nike; Andy Roddick’s trademark collared shirts that he tugs on endlessly made Lacoste popular; and the Bryan Brothers showed how you can bump chests and pick up Grand Slam titles wearing Adidas.
Accessories
It’s not just about the tops and bottoms; accessories count as part of tennis apparel. In tennis, the outfit includes items like the hat or visor, wristbands, sports bras and shoes. Roger Federer has brought headbands back in fashion. Socks have also become a fashion statement as players try to avoid “sock tan,” making various styles with a lower rise more popular.
Tradition
Despite the variation in brands and styles of tennis clothes, there are some places that still hold tradition as important. Private Country clubs often have dress codes that require shirts with collars or skirts at certain length. Wimbledon, the third of four Grand Slam events, has one of the strictest policies. The major at the All England Lawn Tennis Club insists that players where “almost entirely white.” In 2006, The Times reported a the tournament referee warned that players could be defaulted for not complying.
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