Tennis Apparel

More about Tennis Apparel

Building a tennis wardrobe that actually works

Tennis asks different things of clothing than golf does. Where golf is a long, steady walk punctuated by rotation, tennis is short bursts of sprinting, lunging and overhead reaching, repeated for an hour or more. Clothing has to move in every direction, stay put through sudden changes of pace, and handle far more sweat in far less time. That is why tennis pieces are cut closer, built lighter, and almost always paired with built-in shorties or a bra.

A practical wardrobe is smaller than most people expect. Two or three skirts, three or four tops, one dress, one warm layer and a pair of shorties will cover a season of regular play. The thing to prioritise is not variety but drying time — if you play twice a week, you need pieces that are dry and ready again quickly.

Tennis skirts: length, pleats and pockets

Skirt length is the first decision and the most personal. Shorter skirts in the 12-inch range, like the Lucky In Love scallop and ombre star styles, give maximum freedom and are the traditional choice for competitive play. Longer 13.5-inch and 14-inch cuts — the pleated Tahiti and Chroma styles, the Amour flounce — offer more coverage without meaningfully restricting movement, and they are increasingly what players choose for club and social tennis.

Pleats are not purely decorative. A pleated skirt opens as you move and closes as you stop, which gives you a wider range of motion than a straight-cut skirt of the same length. Flounce and scallop hems do something similar with a softer line.

Pockets deserve attention if you serve. A skirt with a ball pocket — either a built-in short with a pocket or a side pocket in the skirt itself — means you are not holding a second ball in your non-dominant hand through a service motion. It is a small thing that makes practice sessions considerably easier.

Tops, tanks and built-in support

Tennis tops divide roughly into tanks, camis and long-sleeve crews, and the choice is mostly about sun, temperature and how much support you want built in. Lucky In Love's ribbed Henley tanks, Wave Runner camis, breezy bralette camis and V-neck tanks with built-in bras cover the range from light coverage to genuine support, and the built-in-bra styles remove a layer, which in hot weather is worth more than it sounds.

Long-sleeve crews and hi-lo tops have earned a permanent place in tennis wardrobes for sun protection rather than warmth. A lightweight long sleeve in a breathable knit is often cooler in direct sun than bare arms and sunscreen, and it removes the reapplication problem entirely during a long match.

Tennis dresses: one decision instead of two

The tennis dress endures because it solves the coordination problem in a single garment. There is no matching to think about, no top riding up over a skirt waistband, and modern dresses are built with an integrated short or bra so nothing needs layering underneath. TAIL Activewear and ella belle both cut dresses that work as hard on court as they look off it, which matters if your match is followed by lunch.

If you are buying one dress, choose a mid-length with a built-in short and a colour you can wear repeatedly. If you are buying a second, that is the moment for the print.

Fabric, colour and caring for tennis kit

Tennis clothing lives or dies on its recovery — how well it returns to shape after being stretched hard and washed often. Treat it like technical kit rather than casual clothing: cool wash, no fabric softener, and air drying rather than a hot dryer, which degrades elastane faster than anything else. Wash promptly rather than leaving damp kit in a bag, where sweat breaks down fibres and sets odour.

On colour: white remains required at some clubs, so it is worth owning at least one white skirt and top even if you prefer colour. Beyond that, bright colours and prints are part of why tennis clothing is fun, and our brands lean into it — Lucky In Love's Shocking Pink, C'est La Vie and Tahiti prints, TAIL's seasonal palettes, and ella belle's camo and floral patterns among them.

Shorties, layers and the supporting pieces

Shorties worn under a skirt or dress are not optional for most players — they prevent chafing, hold a ball, and let you move without thinking about coverage. Our shorties collection covers the options, and many players buy a pair in black and a pair in white to cover both wardrobes.

For cool mornings and indoor courts, a light jacket or long-sleeve layer that comes off easily matters more than a warm one. You will be warm within ten minutes of starting, so the priority is something you can remove without interrupting play.

Tennis racket bags and crossbody bags from Glove It round out the kit, and you will find them alongside our bags collection.

Brands we carry and why

We stock EleVen by Venus Williams, TAIL Activewear, ella belle, Amy Sport Petites, Sofibella, Lade Tennis and Lucky In Love because between them they cover the full range of body shapes, playing styles and aesthetics. Amy Sport Petites in particular addresses a gap that larger retailers rarely bother with — tennis clothing proportioned for shorter frames, where a standard skirt sits at the wrong point and a standard top swamps the shoulders.

New styles arrive regularly, so it is worth checking back rather than assuming the collection is static.

Tennis gifts and subscription boxes

If you are shopping for a tennis player rather than for yourself, the Grand Slam Box applies the same curation as our golf subscription boxes to tennis apparel and accessories. It sidesteps the sizing problem and arrives with a personal card. You will find it alongside our subscription and gift boxes.

Questions about sizing or fit?

Tennis sizing varies between brands as much as golf sizing does. Check our size charts for brand-specific measurements, and if you cannot find what you need there, get in touch through our contact page and we will measure the garment for you.