This Is What To Wear To Wimbledon According To A-List Tennis Fans

You’ve been treating yourself to a back-garden Pimm’s (on more weeknights than one) - and have bought a hand-held fan. Such occurrences can only mean one thing. Wimbledon. Is. Here. The qualifying rounds kicked off yesterday, with heavyweight tennis stars pitching up on the practice courts to warm up for this week (ahem, French Open-champion Coco Gauff).

Yes, the matches might be the main event, but outfit-spotting in the green stands has become a great spectator sport. And while there isn’t a strict dress code, it’s a brilliant chance to dress up. You don’t have to go full frock-and-fascinator - this isn’t Royal Ascot - but do be warned that the cameras tend to pan around when the players are stretching or towelling themselves down so it's an opportunity to impress.

What's the dress code for spectators at Wimbledon?

Wimbledon only has an official dress code for its players, which is strictly tennis whites, and the Members' Enclosure. For spectators in the Royal Box, however, which is where the senior royals, past winners and celebrities tend to sit, it's worth calibrating your outfit to the smart end of smart casual with a floral dress and a straw hat, for example, although nothing that might obscure the view of your fellow ticket-holders of course. Take inspiration from Natalie Portman, who attended the men's final at Roland-Garros. The actor wore a white shirt - note the popped collar - with a cinched-waisted pink skirt and an elegant straw hat by Dior.

What to wear to Wimbledon Centre Court?

There's no official dress code for Wimbledon's Centre Court, but it's an opportunity to put on your glad rags so why not go for it? Think wedding guest vibes but slightly less smart i.e. the kind of dress you'd wear for a friend's nuptials with a relaxed shoe like espadrilles instead of anything in the realm of a skyscraper.

There are always familiar celebrity faces in the stands on Centre Court, of course, and last year was no exception, with stylish appearances by Golda Rosheuvel, Ikram Abdi Omar, Jodie Turner-Smith, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Yasmin Finney and Ncuti Gatwa, all of whom put a decidedly cool spin on the kind of preppy fashion that we've come to expect from Wimbledon. Keep reading for the lessons to learn from 2024 - and previous years - before you step foot in SW19.

Give preppy a go

Shygirl put a twist on classic cable knit with this short-sleeved dress from Polo Ralph Lauren.

Go bright

The best way to stand out from the crowd is with a bolt-from-the-blue shade of, er, banana. The Princess of Wales's sunshine-coloured sheath dress ticked all the right boxes back in 2018.

Don't forget a cover-up

This is London. So be warned that the weather can turn at any moment. Alexa Chung’s summer knit is the perfect solution. Button over a wafty summer dress, tuck a discreet brolly in your bag and you’re good to go.

A navy blue blazer - a perfect match for the referee's uniform - is also a safe bet, especially when paired with polka dots (see below for shopping inspo).

Find your version of tennis whites

Adwoa Aboah wore her version of tennis whites - jeans and a cropped cardi - with a double-breasted coat the colour of clotted cream in 2019.

Sabrina Dhowre Elba's relaxed tank and white trousers combo is a formula you can copy and paste this summer.

Try polka dots

Mollie King's polka dot linen dress is an excellent way to do print if you're suffering from floral-related fatigue.

Stripes are always a good idea

Ikram Abdi Omar also wore stripes in the tournament's signature colour for her visit to SW19, a grass green co-ord from Polo Ralph Lauren.

This is one of our favourite looks from Meghan Markle. The striped shirt, the wide-leg trousers, the straw hat - it’s head-turningly good.

Sienna Miller is a regular in SW19, doubling-down on the classic blue-on-white stripe in 2021.

Don't forget tailoring

If the weather allows it, a tailored two-piece looks especially smart (and was always a favourite with Princess Diana). Billie Piper looked fantastic in this elongated shorts suit.

Could anyone look chicer than Tessa Thompson? The actor paired high-waisted white trousers with cowboy boots at the tournament in 2019, proving that the suit still has potential to look super cool. Butter yellow has been trending in a big way this year and, perhaps, is slightly more forgiving when it comes to stains than white.

Wear a white summer dress

Wimbledon has a strict dress code for its players so why not stick to the tried-and-tested theme with a white dress? Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Broderie anglaise frock was a suitably polished take in 2023.

So now that you've got your outfit sorted, all that's left is to grab your sunglasses and enjoy your day in the sun. Of course, if you still haven't managed to snag a ticket, you could treat yourself to some excellent seats courtesy of Seat Unique.

Natalie Hammond is senior fashion news editor at Grazia. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).