If you watch a women's soccer or volleyball player -- whether they are professional or amateur -- you will more often than not find her in shorts. Shorts are the norm for many female athletes, with the exception of ice skating and tennis. Women tennis players may occasionally wear dresses, but it the 21st century, you can expect to see tops and skirts on the court. That wasn't always the case as women actually played tennis in full-length dresses.
Dress
The introduction of the tennis skirt actually started with the shortening of the dress. As conservative as the dress code can be at Wimbledon, it's also been a place for fashion shockers. A 15-year-old Lottie Dodd surprised all when she wore a dress that only went to her calf in 1887. Susan Lenglen took it farther in 1919 when she first demonstrated bare legs at a 1919 event with a dress that only went to her knees.
First Skirts
Helen Wills Moody, who dominated women's tennis in the early 20th century, was the first to wear a pleated skirt with a white blouse on the court. Joan Lycett then showed the crowd that a woman could bare even more of her legs. Gertrude Moran began lifting the hemline farther in 1949, shocking a Wimbledon audience when her lace-trimmed panties showed underneath her short skirt. By the 1970s, tennis skirts were as mini as any other skirt on the market.
Underneath
The shortness of the tennis skirt has long led women to need special underpants that would be proper to be seen by everyone each time they bent for the ball. It wasn't until the end of the 20th century that manufacturers began creating skirts with built in panties in the same material. While they have become the must have for many players, some still prefer to have their skirts and undergarments separated.
Considerations
The tennis skirt will continue to evolve depending on the needs of the player on the court. Women tennis athletes are always interested in trying fabrics that keep away moisture, aren't too clinging, have convenient pockets and even provide extras, such as sun resistant materials. For professional players -- and even serious amateurs -- performance will be first priority, but fashion will still dictate minor changes in the evolution of the tennis skirt.
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