It’s that time of the year. The slam where the tennis fraternity ditches their playful, vivid outfits and assumes the classy, prim-and-proper persona associated with the most prestigious grand slam event of the year.
But how did this tradition of all-whites come about?
Let us take you back in time to the Victorian era at the All-England Tennis Club. We’re spectating at a ladies’ singles match. It’s a grueling event so the players are sweating buckets. The sweat patches appear around their underarms and on the torso. And trouble begins.
Because it was considered improper for sweat patches to show through women’s clothing, the ladies adopted the practice of wearing all-whites to make the sweat less obvious, and their play the centre of the focus.
Fast forward to 2013, when Roger Federer was asked to step off the courts and change his white shoes because they had orange soles! And so what began as ‘modest’ behavior, if you will, has now transformed into a) a strict rule of all-whites at the Championships and b) a symbol of the greatness and elegance that we associate with Wimbledon.
To celebrate the invigorating first week of this year’s Championships, we at Tennis Express picked out our favorite Wimbledon whites that will help you elevate your game to a grand (slam) level.
Apparel:
Playing with textures and flattering styles are these Nike designs. The Nike Court Slam dress features intricate lacy details and a figure-flattering design for a winning look.
Also, remember this classic tennis sweater?
The Nike London Court Advantage Polo puts a cheeky, modern spin on this old tennis classic.
You can pair this one with the Nike London Court Ace Pro Short for a look that’s big on textures, and bigger on style.
New Balance has managed to sneak bright, metallic gold detailing into their outfits. White-and-gold is a classic that athletes have gone back to time and again, and yet it’s a combination that looks just as ethereal each time.
Here’s the Tournament Tennis Tank and Skort for Women, and the matching Tournament Movement Top and Shorts for Men.
FILA‘s female athletes have had quite the year. Barty tops that list, and the WTA rankings. So FILA had to go big here. Our favorite from the FILA Matchplay collection is the Matchplay Dress, with zesty orange down the sides and textural details dotting the scene.
The Lacoste Novak Ultra Dry Polo is another one of our favorites. It’s classic, it’s minimal, and it’s timeless. The Novak and Lacoste logos add just enough color to this polo while preserving the signature white look.
Bags:
So what if you’re not playing the main draw? You still need a bag that’s fashionable and functional in equal measure. We present to you the Wilson Federer 12-pack bag. It combines the finesse that has become synonymous with Roger, with Wilson‘s high-performance design. The flashy gold lining inside takes it up a notch, making the bag every bit as resplendent as Federer’s love affair with Wimbledon.
The Babolat Wimbledon Tennis Backpack makes crafty use of the same color scheme (we told you it was a classic!). The bag features the official Wimbledon logo too!
Shoes:
To get you up and running on the courts, following are our top shoe picks.
The Nike Women’s Flare 2 Tennis Shoes boast the style and performance that Serena is known for. With just a tinge of blue, this one makes it to our list of favorites!
So does the ASICS Court FF Novak Tennis Shoe! Perfect for the white-and-green setting at Wimbledon (or for your favorite court), this shoe is designed to provide explosive movements and top-notch support.
The New Balance Men’s Fresh Foam Lav has been making waves, and the new Wimbledon colorway is our favorite so far! Greater stability and supportive cushioning are the hallmarks of this tennis shoe.
We have yet to see a women’s version of the Lav (perhaps New Balance will make one for our favorite 15-year-old sensation!), but the Women’s 996v3 Tennis Shoe promises superior durability and performance in a lightweight package.
That wraps up our favorite picks for this year’s Championships! You can shop these designs and many more at TennisExpress.com.
Here’s to one more week of Wimbledon greatness and inspiring tennis!
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