Some of the fashionistas to get inspiration from are the ladies who watch tennis live. Be it the girlfriends and wives of tennis players or everyday women who are tennis fans, the ladies are showing us that tennis matches are also events to dress up for.
Last year, Zendaya showed up and showed out in her tennis-inspired wear for the various Challengers premieres she attended. She’s known to style her red carpets looks based on the premise of the movies she’s in which in this case, was about the love triangle between an injured tennis player-turned-coach, her tennis player ex-boyfriend and her tennis champion husband. She’s long been a style icon so it wasn’t surprised to see her decked out in cute, classy and cutthroat outfits, styled by no other than the stylist to the stars and a style aficionado, Law Roach.
The tennis look or “tenniscore” is a style of fashion that will always be in style as it’s classy and timeless. It’s no longer reserved for appearances on the court. The ‘clean, preppy aesthetic’ or the ‘classic rich girl look’ are styles that have seeped into this style and is continually incorporated by women far and wide. If you wish to blend your tom boy sportiness with sophistication or you want to be a girly girl for the day, then this style is for you. Key pieces such as pleated skirts, collared tops and tennis whites have transcended the sport and become streetwear staples. Brands like Adidas, HEAD and Loewe got onto the trend and provide pieces that’ll help you nail the look.
Here are some looks to fangirl over and you can get into your wardrobes pronto:
Street Style
A zip-up track jacket, such as this Adidas one, paired with a pleated tennis skirt is a timeless look. This outfit adds a unique twist through its footwear choice: the wearer combined white bobby socks with elegant slingback heels, elevating the ensemble with a touch of sophistication.
This outfit perfectly balances practicality and style. The combination of a polo shirt and tennis skirt is ideal for both hitting the courts and attending a casual meetup with girlfriends at the bar later on in the day. To introduce a chic, preppy vibe, try tying your favourite cardigan around your shoulders; an easy summer layer that enhances the look while providing extra warmth if needed.
Zendaya and Challengers
Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson is behind the tennis ball taking the place of the heel, which pairs nicely with a sparkly, silver pleated tennis dress to match.
At the London premiere, she went for a custom Thom Browne look that was emblazoned with tennis rackets. This all white look would be perfect for a day at Wimbledon and would no doubt, be a showstopper.
This look is divine. Her honey-blonde hair is curled and parted to side which goes exquisitely with this Brunello Cucinelli number which she wore to the Monte-Carlo Masters. The neutral look is always a win.
It doesn’t get more literal than this. Z wears a tennis-coloured haute couture gown, courtesy of Celia Kritharioti. that has the cutest accent: a centred tennis ball motif.
The blazer dress look will always serve and is the case here as she wears a vintage Ralph Lauren Spring/Summer 1992 jacket, shirt and tie to Wimbledon in 2024. It’s a beautiful blend of masculine (aka the blazer) and feminine (no trousers and heels) with some white So Kate Louboutin pumps to round it all off. It’s giving “I have business to attend to, that I can take to my place of pleasure – a tennis match on Centre Court”.
Morgan Riddle
Girlfriend of Taylor Fritz, she’s known for her stylish getups in the tennis world and is always decked out in something eye-catching. Here she is in this ‘Franco’ green, knit mini dress by Cult Gaia and a white, cloud-shaped ‘Puffer’ purse, also by Cult Gaia.
She was quoted as saying “Miu Miu is one of my absolute favourite brands the last few years, so this was a full look by them! I’ve noticed during their shows the models wear tights/socks, so I styled this with sheer tights and pointed kitten heels.”
The colouring is perfect for this clean-cut look that you could make into a corporate outfit (minus the mini skirt of course).
At Wimbledon 2022, she wore this floral shirt dress and matched it with a white handbag with a gold chain strap. Simple yet stylish and very on brand for the all-white rule the tournament has for players.
Ayan Broomfield
What’s not to love about incorporating men’s fashion into your look? The reason for this look is funny, yet adorable: “Funny enough, this look was inspired by my boyfriend (Francis Tiafoe). The night before his match he said to me, ‘Tomorrow, I’m standing on business.’ I’m not quite sure why that stuck with me but as soon as I woke up, I immediately had a vision. I wanted to style a play on a business suit. I wanted the button-up, I wanted the tie, and I wanted the blazer. It all came together wonderfully and learning how to tie a tie was a cherry on top”, she Ayan was quoted as saying in an interview. A cropped white, long sleeved shirt with a grey tie and blazer is a must need.
These are some other looks of hers that she styled to various tennis events:
This fluorescent yellow-green Belted Piqué Shirt Dress by Lacoste makes this entire look and is something you would see in a spread in Elle. The outfit was inspired by Jasmine Tookes as she’s one of her (Ayan’s) fashion idols. Ayan was quoted as saying that Jasmine is known to take simple pieces and make them look so “elegant and timeless”, which is certainly the case here.
Coco Gauff
Not only does she inspire many with her determination and focus on the court, she also does so with her fashion sense off and on it. Here she is in all Miu Miu in her post-victory celebration at Place de la Concorde in Paris, celebrating her win at this year’s Roland Garros. The look consists of a navy blue canvas blouson jacket, a brown suede skirt and a white cotton button-down shirt that looks like a crop top. It’s preppy, mature and chic which is appropriate for the city she’s in, seeing as Pari is one of fashion capitals of the world.
She wore this adorable plaid Miu Miu ensemble and had two pairs of shoes on hand to complement it – New Balance sneakers and strappy Miu Miu heels for her appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Coco wore this in Wimbledon this year and wanted to pay homage to Wimbledon’s rich history in an outfit that blended traditional style with timeless elegance. This outfit is reminiscent of certain looks some tennis greats like Serena Williams and the talented Chris Evert have worn. Chris made headlines when she wore an all-white lace dress in the Wimbledon tournament of 1975. Coco was clearly inspired by her look seeing as her she has a white bow in her hair and her corset top closely resembles Chris’ dress. Who can blame her? Chris Evert was a style icon so why not learn from the best. Fun fact: Did you know Chris coined the term “tennis bracelet”?
Coco’s entire look is by New Balance and is made up of a tailored corset design that is bespoke with intricate embroidery and stitching, 3D butterflies that were stitched into the corset alongside embroidered strawberries and flowers. Her tennis-skirt-inspired kilt was made complete with a cotton wraparound belt and her New Balance accessories that she normally wears (headband and wristband), finished up her look.
A look at her outfit, pre-game
Her outfit plus a sketch of the finished look
Andrea, Angela and Sahra
These trendy triplets should be your go-to for nailing the art of 24/7 classiness. Whether they’re dressed down or glammed up, the Congolese sisters know how to make a statement with every outfit they put together. Here they are at Roland Garros 2025, sitting pretty in their respective looks while all rocking Yves Saint Laurent sunglasses. Check them out on their Instagram page to get style inspiration at every turn. You’re welcome!
Princess Kate
You can always find Her Royal Highness at a Wimbledon game because she’s the patron for the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) and she will always dazzle you with a variety of bold looks. She nails the concept is “small is beautiful” and knows how to make one part of her outfit be the focal point. She does just that here in Wimbledon 2021 wearing an Emilia Wickstead ‘Denver’ sleeveless midi dress in a vibrant green hue, with a pair of white heels (Romy 85) by Jimmy Choo.
Her at Wimbledon 2012 in a cream-coloured Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen nautical dress that she paired with a black Jaegar ‘Kate’ bag. How fitting.
At Wimbledon 2023 in a lime green Self-Portrait boucle blazer midi dress, matched with nude Ribbon Sling 85 pumps by Gianvito Rossi.
