The History of Tennis Clothing

Tennis has a long history dating back to the Roman ages. For modern tennis developed on the lawns of Wimbledon, the clothing worn on a tennis court has changed with cultural changes over the decades. Tennis clothing remains a fashion statement while being functional and practical.

  1. Early Tennis

    • Men wore tennis clothing that was very similar to their daily wardrobe with balloon-like shorts tucked into stockings. Rubber soled shoes were introduced in 1867.

    Early 1900s

    • Men wore white flannel trousers and shirts while women wore full length skirts and dresses with bonnet-like hats. White was customary to deal with sweat.

    Women's Dramatic Changes

    • May Sutton and Suzanne Lenglen were instrumental in changing women's clothing. Sutton wore her father's shirt and Lenglen rolled her sleeves up to gain more movement.

    1932

    • Henry "Bunny" Austin wore shorts at Wimbledon, starting a fashion revolution in tennis. Tennis apparel remained white while short lengths changed over the years based on style, while women's skirts got shorter and more daring.

    1970s

    • Color was introduced into tennis apparel by the way of stripes getting bolder as the decades moved on. Wimbledon still predominantly maintains a white wardrobe to retain its classic history, with a splash of color being accepted in the 1990s.