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Tennis. Padel. Pickleball. Whichever court you’re hitting this summer, you’ve got one goal: To ace your match day look.
With Wimbledon and Queens starting soon, we know we’ll be jumping off the sofa and on to the court to channel our inner Emma Raducanu. Dressing the part is almost as fun as playing the game, and chic tenniscore is definitely in vogue right now. In fact, ever since we watched Zendaya in the tennis movie Challengers, we’ve been desperate to wear a skort and hit a few balls.
Let’s face it, tennis gear always swings into season when Wimbledon is on TV, with rackets flying off the shelves and suddenly we’re keen to wear white. Let’s get ahead and stock up now. For women, it’s all about the cute tennis outfit with tennis skirts and matching sets being a major focus.
We reached out to Laura Ward, the founder of chic but functional tennis wear brand EXEAT and she told us: “I think 2024 is going to go down in the history books as the year the tennis aesthetic went mainstream.
“We’ve got Zendaya and her stylist Law Roach to thank for that on the fashion pages combined with the next generation of social media savvy tennis greats emerging at the slams and blowing up all over TikTok so it’s a really exciting moment for the sport.
“Off court, it’s now absolutely acceptable to sport a full tennis look as a chic off-duty uniform. Think about pairing an A-line tennis dress spun from butter soft technical fabric with a preppy cable knit slung over the shoulders and a retro converse tennis shoe or a sharply pleated skirt tucked into a crisp cotton polo shirt with white crew socks and Chanel ballet pumps. The overall effect is effortlessly elegant with lashings of quiet luxury.”
Laura continued: “The great news for fashion fans is that there’s finally an abundance of choice when it come to tennis apparel. Most of the major sports brands are now running really considered tennis apparel collections which is great to see and quite a few fashion houses are now diversifying to jump on the trend. The more the merrier as far as i’m concerned as tennis and it’s rich sartorial heritage (even the original fashion influencer Marie Antoinette was a fan!) deserves to be revelled in.”
Serena Williams was known for her eclectic on-court style during her sporting career (as well as being a powerhouse of a player, of course!), and 21-year-old Emma Raducanu is making her mark in the style stakes, with sponsorships from Nike and Tiffany & Co. Other style stars on and off the court include Naomi Osaka and her love of neon and bright colours. Back in the day, Steffi Graf brought floral prints to the court and Anna Kournikova caused headlines with her on-court style.
Who has Laura got her sights on for 2024? Who will bring their A-game on the court this year? She told us: “The 20 year old American tennis sensation Coco Gauff who is already emerging as a style icon on and off court. She won the US Open when she was 19 and is currently ranked #2 in the world. Coco is already the stuff of legends on the tour and every major brand and fashion house is clamouring to work with her. I’m so excited to watch her at Wimbledon.”
We asked for advice on how to style the iconic tennis skirt, and Laura told us: “The most important thing about choosing a tennis skirt is to pay attention to the pleating and choose a formation that’s going to flatter your body type. Generally speaking, thin ‘knife’ pleats (the ones that all point in the same direction and look like a concertina when pulled out) suit most figures and bestow a sleek ‘n’ chic fluidity across your lower half, where as wider pleats can add unwanted bulk and flounce. Pair with a tucked in polo shirt for a super polished court ready silhouette.”
When shopping for a tennis skirt you want space to twist and drive that forehand, also room to store your tennis balls is a bonus. Look out for flared and pleated designs that set you free to run, turn, swing and pivot.
According to Laura: “The joy of #tenniscore is that there is now so much choice when it comes to tennis dress silhouettes so spend some time picking out your perfect ‘ball gown’ and don’t settle util you’ve hit peak fit. My top tip when it comes to styling is to think about what is going underneath it – some tennis dresses look incredible online, but once you’ve got them home you realise they are extremely sheer and that the barely there straps mean that underwear suddenly becomes a consideration as it will be on show. I find investing in simple plain white or skin tone sports bras can make most dresses very wearable and then I like to have fun with the shorts I wear underneath – a flash of neon or print is always good fun as are briefs with a joyful trim or even bikini bottoms. The only fashion rule here is to make sure there’s good cheek coverage!”
Dresses with pleated skirts are very popular and will help you stand out on the court. Collared designs are great for smart country clubs and keep an eye out for mesh panels in order to give extra ventilation.
This is where you might want to look out for sweat-wicking material. You want to stay cool when the game starts to heat up.
Matching will never go out of style! And if you’re into a cute two-piece, check out our faves below…
I just love a tennis accessory. Whether it’s a chic tennis racket bag, a cute towel, a visor and even tennis jewellery (sorry, but if you know you know).
UK entrepreneur Laura Ward is the founder of EXEAT, the world’s best-selling luxury British court wear brand for women. Since the brand’s inception in 2021, Laura has revolutionised the global tennis apparel market, and has been dubbed ‘the fashion editor’s favourite tennis brand’.
This unparalleled success hasn’t gone unnoticed. With her string of accolades that include ‘Global Start-Up of The Year’ and ‘Start-Up Entrepreneur of The Year.
Laura has grown up playing the sport and is a champion of how tennis unites people on the court with EXEAT’s famously flattering silhouettes making women feel beautiful and supported, enabling them to play their best game.