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In the past 100 years or so, the style of clothes worn to play tennis in has changed dramatically. Everything from the style of the clothes to the type of fabric used, right down to the color of the clothes have all seen a change over the years. Years ago the attire was formal for the first players of lawn tennis in England. In that day and age, women didn’t wear pants or shorts so the standard clothing for women tennis players was of all things, full-length dresses! Men could get away with a lot more, but the regulation wear for them was long pants and long sleeves, which could get quite hot. The only color of clothing worn by tennis players of days gone by was white.
Nowadays tennis clothes move along more with the current fashion trends. Gone are the days of the stark white uniform, and more color is in the popular style of tennis clothes today. Some traditional tennis players still prefer white, but we are seeing colors pop up more and more often. Women tennis players no longer wear full dresses, but have traded those in for tennis dresses, skirts and even shorts and t-shirts.
The amount of athleticism now required to play tennis also accounts for the change in clothing style. Can you imagine a player today trying to play a tennis match in a long dress? Or what about Andre Aggasi playing a tennis match in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt? I would imagine ti would become most difficult to maneuver on the court as the formal clothes became heavier and heavier as they were soaked with sweat! Tennis clothes today are designed to be lightweight and keep moisture away from the players skin, thus keeping the player cool and dry. That goes a long way in helping to reduce the feeling of physical activity and exertion and keeping a player comfortable.
Cotton is no longer the choice of material for tennis clothes. Although it was once widely used because it was lightweight and comfortable to wear, scientists have come up with new materials that help keep the moisture away from the skin when a player sweats. These new materials are made up of synthetic fibers and are tested under a lot of varying circumstances to ensure the most comfortable and efficient wear.
So as you can see, we’ve come a long way from the days of long dresses and formal wear for men. Although traditional tennis wear is still seen at some of the more traditional clubs like Wimbeldon, you’re just as likely to see a female tennis player wearing a cool and comfortable micro-fiber lilac shirt and shorts set on the tennis courts of today.