L'Etoile Sport Infographic Details Unique History of Women's Tennis Fashion

New York, NY – January 5, 2013 – The team at L'Etoile Sport, designers of chic, sophisticated tennis apparel has released a colorful and interesting infographic detailing just how far women's tennis fashion has come in over a century.

Women's tennis wear was first available in the 1800s. The conservative, modest wear that defined this time period required women to wear restrictive clothing on the tennis court that severely limited their ability to excel at the game. White was in style because the color was believed to be able to hide the perspiration associated with playing tennis, and heavy materials were used. The full-length dress that was the uniform for women tennis players at the time included a mandatory corset and a requirement that women be covered completely made movement difficult. Even ankles and wrists were required to be covered on the court.

The 1920s marked the beginning of a revolution in women's tennis wear. A small group of women began to wear men's shirts and roll back their sleeves in order to obtain more comfort and a greater range of motion during game play. Dresses were shortened to the knee, and the restrictive corset and hat that had once been a requirement were removed. In 1928, women were allowed to add color to their tennis ensemble in the form of a sweater that was to be worn only during the walk to and from the tennis court.

War rations gave women a reason to minimize their tennis outfits even more throughout the 1940s, and a short-sleeve, mid-calf white dress that allowed for movement was the style by the 1950s and into the 1960s.

Color entered the court in a big way in the 1970s in the form of a stripe that was added to each player's skirt in order to distinguish between players on the court. Patterns and advertisements provided by sponsors also contributed to the addition of color.

The 1980s were known for vibrant colors and stretchy Lycra materials. The stretch of the material was thought to allow for maximum flexibility on the court in order to enable players to play tennis without the hindrance of restrictive clothing.

Popular female tennis players throughout the 1990s and into the new century brought high fashion to the game and even included jewelry in their tennis ensembles. Today, the style on the tennis court focuses on clean lines and classic fashion in materials that are conducive to playing the game.

About L'Etoile Sport

L'Etoile Sport was founded on the belief that women should be able to be fashionable while on the tennis court. Founders Hannah Griswold and Yesim Philip set out to find a way to provide women with high-quality, luxury tennis clothing that is fully functional and does not interfere with game play. The company has developed its style to achieve the goal of designing functional, high fashion tennis and golf wear for women. Visit the L'Etoile Sport online shop for more information.