Tennis Clothes: Now Enhanced for Comfort and Protection

Years ago, the tradition of wearing white to Wimbledon was established.  That is still the case at Wimbledon but at any other tournament tennis players are stepping out of the white tennis apparel and sporting uniforms with much more color and offer maximum comfort.

Before, not only were tennis players confined to wearing white tennis clothes but the shirts were made of cotton. Tennis players would actually wear white to hide sweat stains. Don`t get me wrong, cotton is great fabric and most of my wardrobe consists of cotton t-shirts, but when it comes to athletic clothes, cotton is not the best choice.

Although it is great at absorbing sweat which most athletes need, cotton fabric doesn`t allow you to get rid of the sweat once it is absorbed. Tennis clothes manufactures now put much more technology into their products so that they are built specifically to meet the needs of competitors.

Tennis shorts and shirts are now enhanced with odor resistant synthetic materials that get rid of sweat when it is absorbed into the fabric allowing you to stay drier and more comfortable.

With more knowledge about the harmful effects of UV rays, tennis apparel manufactures are even producing tennis shirts that offer protection from such factors.

Tennis shorts have also been improved with many of the same enhancements of tennis shirts like more athlete-friendly material. They are also longer and not as snug as what players used to wear. Although it was years ago, I still don`t know how Andre Agassi played in the denim shorts with spandex underneath… It must have been so uncomfortable!

Socks are another important piece of tennis apparel that should not be overlooked. There`s nothing worse than aching feet during a match. Again, average socks are made of cotton, which absorbs sweat but doesn’t get rid of it. Cotton can also cause chafing which will eventually lead to blisters. Many socks designed for tennis players are made with better material that manages sweat and offers more padding in the forefoot and heel for extra cushioning which can prove very helpful during the constant stop-and-go movements during an intense match.

Not only do sunglasses, hats and visors help ease annoying squinting, they help protect against harmful UV rays. Some modern sunglasses even have the capability to enhance the optic yellow properties of the ball, making it easier to see.

Tennis clothes have no doubt improved since the days of all white, cotton Polo’s and shirts. Many manufactures enhance their tennis apparel products with technology that aid in comfort and sun protection. Although it is important to keep the all-white tradition of Wimbledon alive, comfort should never be compromised and at other tournaments it is completely acceptable to sport some color.

The Men Who Have Inspired Tennis Apparel Fashion on the Courts

Stylish tennis apparel can be seen on the courts being worn by star female tennis athletes, however, setting the fashion trends on the tour is not limited to the ladies; many men on the ATP show off their style of play as well as their style of fashion.

It all began with tennis player, Teddy Tingling, who, along with being an athlete, was a fashion designer as well. Tingling designed tennis apparel for some of the most revered female athletes in the tennis world.

Roger Federer  has gotten much attention with his Wimbledon tennis apparel choices. Britain`s Daily Telegraph said, “His tennis may be nearly faultless but Roger Federer proved once again that his fashion sense often lands wide of the mark.”

Despite the admiration Federer has received for his stylish tennis apparel, he is no match for Fred Perry and Rene Lacoste, who have turned their love of fashion and tennis and made it into a brand.

Fred Perry was quite  successful as a tennis player but it his achievements didn`t stop there. Perry created a piece of tennis apparel that we now see on just about every player; the sweatband. Encouraged by his invention, Perry went on to design a sports shirt with a self-titled logo.

The unmistakable Lacoste crocodile was created by the legendary, Rene Lacoste. The brand mascot is actually a symbol of Rene`s tennis court alias as he was nicknamed, “the crocodile.” The company grew beyond the tennis community and in the 1980`s, every man had to have a Lacoste polo shirt. The tennis apparel company was worth $400 million just in the U.S.

Fashionable tennis apparel is not only for the female players but for the men as well and as you can see, men like Rene Lacoste and Fred Perry were extremely successful; not only in the game but in the fashion world as well.

TimeLine of Women`s Tennis Fashion

It was in the late 1860`s, during the Victorian age that women starting getting involved in the sport of tennis. At that time there was no standard uniform for women tennis players so the attire for female competitors became fitted jackets, long skirts, gloves and hats.

In 1905, Mary Sutton decided to wear her father`s shirts at Wimbledon and was the first women tennis pro to voice her opinions about her “hot” long sleeves. It was then that women`s tennis fashion began to evolve from conventional to convenient.

After World War I, female tennis players began to explore their fashion options on the court. In 1922, Susan Lenglen began sporting short skirts, brightly colored shirts and a bandeau instead of the conventional hat at Wimbledon.

Women`s tennis fashion continued to evolve over the years and in 1949, American born, Gertrud Moran, decided to bear lace-trimmed panties underneath her white dress at Wimbledon.

In the 1980`s, Anne White was warned never to show up again at Wimbledon wearing her all-white, form-fitting body suit. Although she was scolded by Wimbledon officials, she was applauded for her daring decision.

In the late 1990`s, sisters, Venus and Serena Williams took the tennis world by storm and brought their own fashion sense to the scene. They sported colorful outfits, dangling earrings and flashy hair beads. In 2002, Serena even wore a leather-like cat suite at the U.S. Open. Both sisters now have their own fashion lines!

Women`s tennis fashion has come a long way over the years, from long sleeves and gloves to cat suits and headbands!