What To Wear To A Tennis Match

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What To Wear To A Tennis Match

Words by Mr Stuart Husband

22 June 2016

Cut a dash on Centre Court in the chicest summer pieces – here's the hat, jacket and shoes you need for Wimbledon this year.

Ah, . The verdant lawns, the competitively priced strawberries, the colourful oaths from this year’s designated superbrat (yes, we’re looking at you, Mr Nick Kyrgios), the oohs and aahs as yet another plucky Brit crashes out heroically, the drives, the drop-shots, the lobs… and the togs. As the only tournament that maintains an  (“almost entirely white”, thus sparing us the zebra-stripes and fluoro-lurid shades seen at the French Open), Wimbledon encourages – nay, practically demands – reciprocal sartorial efforts from its spectators. If you’ve got a ticket for Centre or No. 1 Court this year, we suggest you follow form by opting for an outfit that’s as classic and elegant as, well, Mr Stan Wawrinka’s single-handed backhand.

THE BLAZER

Which former Wimbledon attendee would you rather emulate – Mr Ricky Gervais, in his lumpy black , or , in his peerlessly fitted ? It’s a rhetorical question of course, but opt for a lightweight, minimally structured, partially lined, softly textured navy offering like ’s, and it’s game, set and match for comfort as well as polish. Add a nonchalantly tucked pocket square, like this two-tone silk piece from , for added advantage.

THE SHIRT

The All-England Club isn’t the place to experiment with more outré styles, so leave the pineapple-print  at home and raise a toast to tradition – we’ll have a copious jug of Pimm’s, thanks for asking – with a sharp, crisp, striped-cotton number; this  version will serve handsomely. It’s surely also the occasion to pull on a ; this one from , in birdseye-woven claret, should unleash a volley of compliments.

THE SHOES

While it may be apt to sport a pair of  – older readers may recall that Mr Smith won the Wimbledon title in 1972, before lending his name to the retro  – we’d suggest you stick with down-the-line Royal Box-ready refinement; something that ’s suede penny  will surely confer. Keep the elements and mishit returns at bay with a time-honoured straw  hat, such as ’s, and it won’t just be Messrs , Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer that’ll be finishing things off with a smash.