Tennis Fashion Doesn't Have to Choose Between Sport and Style
Watching tennis players serve in hooded capes and statement jewelry made one thing clear: courtside style is its own sport. Here's how to actually pull it off.
So a fashion writer went to the US Open for the first time this week, and like any of us attending something new, she had to figure out what to wear. Except instead of just showing up, she actually paid attention to what the players were doing—and realized that Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka weren't just playing tennis, they were playing with their image. Hooded capes. Chunky gold. The kind of bold moves that make you think: wait, you can do that at a tennis match?
Here's what's actually interesting about this: the US Open isn't Wimbledon. There's no dress code making you disappear into cream-colored linen. Players and fans alike have room to experiment, and right now, that means jewelry and layers and silhouettes that read as intentional rather than practical. It's a good reminder that 'athletic wear' doesn't mean you abandon your personality at the gate. You can be comfortable and also be yourself—turns out those things aren't mutually exclusive. The writer's takeaway feels obvious once you say it out loud, but it's worth naming: dressing for a sporting event doesn't require choosing between function and flair.
If you're heading to any kind of live sports event—tennis, basketball, whatever—this is permission to stop thinking of it as 'athleisure' and start thinking of it as just... getting dressed. Bring the accessories. Layer something unexpected. Wear the thing that makes you feel like yourself, not the thing you think you're supposed to wear. The players certainly aren't holding back.
Go to the match as yourself—the dress code is already looser than you think.