Style Points: How the tennis skirt became iconic

Who wore what? Style Points breaks down the latest collabs, kits and fashion statements from around the tennis world.

When it was first introduced during the Victorian Era, the modern tennis skirt was both groundbreaking and emancipating: a uniquely smart choice for function and performance over the corsets, full-length dresses and multi-layered gowns that were the societal norm for lawn tennis players more than a century ago.

Now, the tennis skirt is unique for another reason: other than figure skating, tennis is the only major professional sport where women regularly compete in skirts and dresses. Unlike in figure skating, where a judging panel awards skaters points for aesthetics as well as skill, there’s no competitive reason for a WTA pro to still wear skirts.

So why do so many tennis players still wear them? And how did the venerable tennis skirt become so synonymous with the sport itself? While the top pros are increasingly opting for compression leggings and functional shorts, the tennis skirt endures as a fashion staple—both on and off the court.

Tennis fashion has always followed the trends of the era, dating back to its roots in the late 1800s. Back then, lawn tennis stood out as one of the few mixed sports of its day, which made looking good on court and dressing well just as important for players as the game itself.

As a result, style has been baked into the sport since its inception. But the tennis' explosion in popularity meant that it also began to inform popular fashion in return, an interesting wrinkle for a game that prides itself on traditions and strict dress codes.

In 1919, the iconic Suzanne Lenglen was called “indecent” by the press when she arrived at Wimbledon in a scandalous outfit: a calf-length skirt and floppy hat. Despite the outcry, her opponents quickly observed her increased agility and freedom of movement, and soon higher hemlines, pleated skirts and sleeveless blouses began to dominate the amateur circuit.

By the 1970s and 1980s, another fashion revolution hit women’s tennis—which was facing a pivotal moment after declaring its ‘independence’ to form what would become the WTA Tour in 1973. Ted Tinling, who had been banned from Wimbledon for outfitting Gussie Moran in lace shorts underneath a daringly short dress in 1949, was the most prominent tennis designer at a time when the women’s game was stepping into the spotlight.

Tinling, who outfitted everyone from Billie Jean King and Chris Evert to Martina Navratilova and Evonne Goolagong, favored a streamlined silhouette, short hemlines and eye-catching necklines. King’s famous white and blue Battle of the Sexes dress, designed by Tinling, became an instant icon after her victory—and solidified the tennis dress as the look of the tour.

The style was so synonymous with women’s tennis that the WTA even featured the silhouette in its official logo for decades, until its major rebrand in 2010:

According to the 2022 WTA Rulebook, there are no requirements that a player has to wear skirts or dresses on the court, and in fact many opt for shorts and leggings during matches and practices. If a player chooses to wear compression shorts or leggings without a skirt or dress over them, the only rule is that they must “reach mid-thigh at minimum”.

But anyone that follows tennis understands that although the official rules may say one thing, it’s the unspoken rules of the game that speak the loudest. The WTA Rules say “a player must present herself in a professional manner and wear appropriate tennis attire,” although it arbitrarily leaves the definition of what is acceptable up to each referee or supervisor.

Fines for wearing “unacceptable attire” can reach up to $500, while violating rules around sponsor logos can cost a player up to $25,000. Both infractions can also result in being defaulted from the tournament.

Breaking the unspoken rules comes with a heavy price—although usually not in the form of a fine but in public censure, as Serena Williams experienced at the 2018 French Open when she famously wore a ‘catsuit’ compression garment to the court.

The French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli said it went “too far”, but his criticism wasn’t because the outfit gave Serena an unfair advantage over her opponents, violated any logo rules or could cause potential harm to herself or her opponents. It was banned simply because he didn’t like the aesthetics.

At Wimbledon 33 years earlier, Anne White was also asked not to wear her all-white long-sleeved unitard again after her opponents found the look distracting. But while White’s unitard was simply a daring fashion choice, Serena’s outfit was specially designed to prevent blood clots due to her history of pulmonary embolisms, furthering the backlash against the FFT’s decision.

As the current fashion trends favor comfort, versatility and self-expression, could the tennis skirt eventually pass into the realm of outdated relics, like the Victorian gowns and corsets that came before it?

Let’s make one thing clear: tennis skirts aren’t going away any time soon. The most important reason? Tennis players love them. Traditionalists enjoy the classic look that allows for a full range of movement, while others appreciate the added coverage over shorts. Away from the court, the tennis skirt, whose crisp pleats evoke a quintessentially preppy look, is a favorite for off-duty fashionistas too.

Tennis and popular fashion remain tightly intertwined, and on-court looks continue to evolve, giving players more options than ever—although the big tennis apparel companies like Nike and adidas typically set the tone.

It used to be that any deviation from the norm was met with raised eyebrows: from Serena’s first 'catsuit' at the 2002 US Open, to Maria Sharapova’s tuxedo top and shorts at 2008 Wimbledon, to Victoria Azarenka’s practical white shorts at the 2012 Australian Open. 

Now, shorts and compression leggings have their place alongside dresses, crop tops and tanks. When Naomi Osaka won the 2020 US Open, she lifted her third Grand Slam trophy in brightly-colored Andre Agassi-inspired shorts. And Osaka’s own collaboration with Nike features streetwear-inspired looks including bodysuits and utility shorts—offering a sneak peek of the future of on-court fashion.

Whether it’s a skirt or shorts, a high-tech body suit or full-length gown and corset, every player has a personal preference for what makes them feel the most powerful and confident on the court. The tennis skirt might not be on its way out, but what’s clear is that policing what a tennis player wears to work has long fallen out of fashion.