The Tradition Continues: A Look at Wimbledon’s Dress Code

Next Monday, July 3, will begin, at the All England Club, the oldest tennis tournament in the world: Wimbledon. The contest, which is played on grass since 1877, has one of the longest and most enduring traditions in the history of sports as it is to wear white. This same one, although it has undergone some variation in the last time, it maintains its essence and is the only tournament on the circuit that imposes a dress code.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, all in white on the pitch at the All England Club. Getty

It all started in the first edition, back in the 19th century on Church Road. At that time, 22 male tennis players were summoned (NdR: women began to play the tournament in 1884) and they all went to play, curiously, with white clothes. But that coincidence has a context since the upper classes used to dress in that color, therefore, being a sport “for the elites”, everyone went that way.

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Another reason why this dress code is maintained it has to do with the sweat of the players since this is much more evident in colored clothes. Those spots were considered so improper and unsightly that it was decided to use white to minimize them in view of those present. In this way, this color began to be fixed in all editions of Wimbledon since it was the recommended one.

However, from recommendation to regulation. In 1963 Wimbledon imposed white on all the clothes of all the participating tennis players without exception. In any case, in the last 60 years the rule has undergone variations since in 1995 it went from “predominantly white” to “almost completely white”. Almost a decade later, in 2004, it was required that the accessories used by the players also be of that color. Both the logos and the brands that dress the tennis players must also be very small so as not to break with tradition.

Currently the All England Club modified the rules a bit in favor of the players and will allow them, from 2023, to wear plain underwear and with intermediate or dark colors, as long as it is not longer than the skirt or short used in the meetings. In this way, the dress code for Wimbledon 2023 will have the following 10 regulations:

1) Competitors must be dressed in appropriate tennis clothing that is nearly all white* and this applies from the point the player enters the court perimeter. 2) White does not include off white or cream. 3) There should be no solid mass or color panel*. A single colored trim around the neckline and around the cuff of the sleeves is acceptable, but must not be more than one centimeter (10mm) wide. 4) The color contained in the patterns will be measured as if it were a solid mass of color and must be within the one centimeter (10mm) guide. Logos made up of variations of material or patterns are not acceptable. 5) The back of a shirt, dress, track top, or sweater must be all white. 6) Shorts, skirts, and sweatpants must be all white, except for a single colored trim on the outside seam that is no wider than one centimeter (10mm). 7) Caps (including the bottom of the brim), headbands, bandanas, wristbands and socks must be completely white, except for a single colored brim no wider than one centimeter (10mm). . 8) Shoes should be almost completely white. The soles and laces must be completely white. Large manufacturer logos are not recommended. Shoes for grass courts must comply with Grand Slam rules. In particular, shoes with pimples around the outside of the toes will not be permitted. The foxing around the toes should be smooth. 9) Any undergarments that are or may be visible during play (including due to perspiration) must also be completely white, except for a single colored border no wider than one centimeter (10mm), except for players to whom that they are allowed to wear solid, medium/dark colored underpants as long as they are no longer than the shorts or skirt. 10) Medical supports and equipment should be white if possible, but may be colored if absolutely necessary. A more relaxed dress code operates on the practice courts at Aorangi Park.

However, throughout all these years, there have been players who have challenged this code. In 1977 it was Sue Baker who used a shorter skirt than allowed in the contest since at that time it was not allowed to be above the knees. Later, between 1988 and 1990 Andre Agassi He refused to participate in Wimbledon because he did not accept the rules, due to his eccentric colorful clothing in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

Finally, a very curious case was that of Roger Federer a 2013. The Swiss, in his debut, took the field entirely in white except for one detail: the soles of his shoes, which were orange. In this way, the organization alerted the seven-time Wimbledon champion and he had to change his shoes for his next match.

2023-07-01 21:17:54
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