Tennis whites are ruling fashion on and off the courts&mdash;see how the style originated at Wimbledon.&nbsp;

Today, Wimbledon remains among the only major tennis tournaments that require competitors to sport traditional all-white ensembles. Other yearly events like the US Open, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/coco-gauff-miniskirt-new-balance-first-round-french-open-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French Open</a>, and Australian Open allow athletes to don whatever sporty styles they want, as long as they're professional and appropriate for the public eye.
At the 2025 US Open, stars like <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/aryna-sabalenka-photo-diary-2025-us-open-tournament-party-tennis-champion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aryna Sabalenka</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/who-won-wimbledon-2025-iga-swiatek-champion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iga Swiatek</a>, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/venus-williams-tennis-book-strive-happy-viking-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Venus Williams</a> are dominating the courts as per usual, and as an added bonus to the high-velocity matches the tournament boasts, in recent years, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/highest-paid-female-tennis-players-ranked-coco-gauff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tennis players</a> have strutted into the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in New York City in statement-making styles&mdash;though few can top the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/serena-williams-us-open-denim-tennis-skirt-2004" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denim tennis skirt Serena Williams wore back in 2004</a>.
The US Open is one of the longest-standing tennis tournaments in the world, but its older counterpart, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/wimbledon-male-athletes-dating-wives-girlfriends-2025-tommy-paul-paige-lorenze" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wimbledon</a>, is the one that first introduced the all-white tennis uniform. Even in the 21st century, tennis clubs around the world require that their members observe the traditional dress code.&nbsp;
Although the first Wimbledon tournament dates back to 1877, tennis whites have become one of the hottest clothing trends on and off the court this season, thanks in part to the overwhelming popularity of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/shop-best-athleisure-brands-according-to-celebrities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">athleisure</a> over the past years.
The color <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/white-trend-summer-hailey-bieber-rosie-huntington-whiteley-instagram-style" target="_blank" rel="noopener">white</a> was chosen for tennis uniforms for a variety of reasons. White reflects light better, retaining less heat, so it had a practical use, but it was also a symbol of elitism. Associated with the wealthy, tennis whites concealed sweat but absorbed dirt, which wasn&rsquo;t an issue for the upper class, because they either had &ldquo;white collar&rdquo; jobs and could afford to keep their tennis clothes clean&mdash;as opposed to those with manual labor jobs&mdash;or simply didn&rsquo;t work at all.
Today, tennis is played around the world, across socioeconomic backgrounds, but white attire continues to represent Wimbledon's prestige, making it a simple, natural choice for many athletes. Tennis uniforms may be light and comfortable now, but the focus of the sport wasn&rsquo;t always on performance.
Curious to know when and how the tradition started? Join L'OFFICIEL&nbsp;as we delve into the sartorial history of the sport.

A 1905 sketch by A Forestier depicting King Henry playing tennis, or 'La Paume' as it was known then, circa 1500. Getty Images.

Early versions of tennis date all the way back to the 12th century, when monks would hit balls back and forth using just their hands. Eventually, in the 15th century, the game developed into jeu de paume, translating to &ldquo;palm game,&rdquo; aka the indoor precursor of tennis in which players used paddle bats as rackets. This version of the game was played by French and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/royal-couple-age-differences-princess-diana-charles-harry-meghan-markle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English royals</a>, like King Henry VIII, who wore tights and breeches on the court.

It only took a few centuries for tennis to make its way over to the US, but in the 18th century, the game started to look like the modern version we know today. Upper-class Americans began playing tennis in their formal day clothes: bustles with corsets, dress hats, and gloves for <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/naomi-osaka-tag-heuer-interview-tennis-activism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women</a>, and blazers and trousers for men.

A sketch of the first Wimbledon tournament in July 1877. Getty Images.

In the 1870s, tennis whites became an established tradition among the sport's leading athletes, setting the standard for recreational players across the world.
In 1877, the first Wimbledon tournament was hosted by the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club near London. Tradition started right there and then&mdash;the dress code was all white attire. Plus, the only matches the tournament hosted were men&rsquo;s singles.
Players began to wear white cotton and linen, but the clothes were still restrictive and made to look high-end, so the dresses designed were court-length and embroidered. As the tennis court was one of the public spaces where it was appropriate for men and women to interact, fashion became intertwined with tennis as both parties wanted to present themselves.

Charlotte Dod—second from the left in the back row—with friends in the 1880s. Getty Images.

By 1884, doubles matches and women&rsquo;s matches were added to the Wimbledon lineup, and things started to get interesting. While casual tennis players frequently wore all manner of formal attire to play, Wimbledon players were still required to show up in tennis whites.
Charlotte Dod, competing in the women&rsquo;s singles championship in 1887 at just 15 years old, was permitted to wear calf-length clothing and a less restrictive shirt and no corset because of her age. She went on to win a title, and older players believed she was given an unfair advantage because these whites allowed her to move more freely.

Suzanne Lenglen on the court in 1920. Getty Images.

Similarly, in 1919, 20-year-old French player Suzanne Lenglen was criticized for getting creative with her tennis whites. She wore a short-sleeve shirt, a calf-length skirt, and a brimmed hat in her Wimbledon matches. Another power move for <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/tennis-star-naomi-osaka-officially-withdraws-french-open-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women</a> in tennis, she won the tournament in this very outfit, and eventually went on to snag eight total <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/andy-murray-most-memorable-wimbledon-moments-tennis-style" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grand Slam</a> titles.
Again, in 1949, American tennis player Gertrude Moran&rsquo;s request to wear a colorful dress in her Wimbledon match was denied. Instead, she sported a short dress that she knew would reveal her lace knickers when running on the court. In the time since Moran's cheeky stunt, women's tennis dresses with shorts built in became more commonplace, preserving comfort and modesty while playing.&nbsp;

Roger Federer during a single's match at the 2013 Wimbledon tournament. Getty Images.

Attempting to avoid wearing tennis whites at Wimbledon wasn&rsquo;t smooth sailing for men, either. Andre Agassi, famous for his colorful <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/tennis-outfit-athleisure-preppy-style" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neon tennis wear</a>, boycotted Wimbledon from 1988 to 1990 in an attempt to combat their restrictive wardrobe rules.
Similarly, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/louis-vuitton-core-values-campaign-2024-roger-federer-rafael-nadal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roger Federer</a> faced criticism for wearing orange-accented sneakers on the Wimbledon court in 2013.

Naomi Osaka at the Wimbledon Championships in July 2025. Getty Images.

Although the tennis whites mandate is still in place for tournaments like Wimbledon, tennis players have gotten creative with their outfits, especially as fashion and athletics have become more deeply intertwined. For instance, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/serena-williams-olympia-ohanian-cutest-mother-daughter-moments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Serena Williams</a> wore a white knit dress that featured 34 Swarovski crystals at the British tournament back in 2019.
Tennis is high among the most influential sports in the fashion world, seen all over <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/12-popular-instagram-fashion-brands-online-shopping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/tiktok-stylists-addison-rae-charli-damelio-fashion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> today&mdash;plus, with the release of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/zendayas-fashion-looks-for-the-challengers-press-tour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luca Guadagnino's </a><a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/zendayas-fashion-looks-for-the-challengers-press-tour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Challengers</a> last year, we dare you to think of a time tennis was hotter. The sport has spurred trending styles like white <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/spring-2021-fashion-trends-pleats-instagram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pleated</a> skirts, collared tanks and dresses, and tennis polos. Adjacent to the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/boat-shoes-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preppy trends</a> prevalent this summer, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/tenniscore-us-open-tennis-zendaya-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tennis-inspired clothes</a> continue to blend the two worlds together, bringing out the very best in athletics&nbsp;and&nbsp;aesthetics.&nbsp;

A Brief History of Tennis Whites

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