Watch: Wimbledon Clothes Through the Years


Wimbledon demands uniformity for on-court apparel.The Championships detail strict guidelines governing it's all white rule:Watch: Father's Day Celebrations1. Competitors must be dressed in suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white and this applies from the point at which the player enters the court surround.2. White does not include off white or cream.3. There should be no solid mass or panel of coloring. A single trim of color around the neckline and around the cuff of the sleeve is acceptable but must be no wider than one centimeter (10 mm).Why does the all-white rule exist?The grass-court Grand Slam provides an answer in the video above that chronicles the All England Club's all-white rule that began with the tournament's inception in 1877.For Wimbledon, demanding uniform apparel color places the focus on play rather than fashion."To us, the all-white rule isn't just about fashion, it's about letting the tennis and the players stand out," Wimbledon's narrator says in the video above. "Everyone who steps on a Wimbledon court from reigning champion to qualifier does so wearing white, that's a great leveler."If a player wants to get noticed they need to do so through their play. That's a tradition we're rather proud of."Photo credit: Stephen White/CameraSport ]]>

Chris Oddo is a freelance sportswriter, podcaster, blogger and social media marker who is a lead contributor to Tennisnow.com. He also writes for USOpen.org, Rolandgarros.com, BNPParibasOpen.com, TennisTV.com, WTAtennis.com and the official US Open program.