Like the Masters golf tournament, when the most prestigious event of the tennis Grand Slam begins play at Wimbledon today it will serve as an event soaked deep in tradition.
Dating all the way back to 1877, one of the distinctive features of the esteemed event is the very strict dress code imposed on players. Not only are players required to wear all-white, they must be careful about the specific shade of white, as clothing that is off-white or cream is not permitted.
Furthermore, the tournament has specific rules about the amount of color that is featured on necklines, the cuffs of the sleeves and headbands. Stripes of color can be no wider than a single centimeter, and logos consisting of patterns are not allowed.
Tennis whites dates back to days when showing signs of perspiration was considered taboo – especially on women. Because perspiration stains are accentuated on dark clothing, the white outfits were considered an ideal solution. As archaic as it may seem, Wimbledon continues steeped in its tradition today. And now you know the rest of the story
