1877 First Mens singles Wimbledon Champion, S. Gore. How he won the championships sporting a long sleeve shirt and full length trousers complete with belt I'm not sure! Saying that, one would feel likeless of a competitor when looking at that powerfully masculine moustache. (I wonder if it got itchy when he broke a sweat? lol)
1932, Elsworth sporting a hat more akin to the grassy greens of the golf course surely! Rather dashing wouldn't you say? The short Sleeve shirt was introduced here some fifty years subsequent to the the championship beginning. (Beautiful tones in this image, very well balanced).
1936, The one and only Fredrick Perry, the last Brit to win the Championship ion 1966. Looked at those neat, pleated, high-waisted and tapered slacks, brilliant sports attire. So gentlemanly yet practical. FYI Fred created the first sweatband in the 1940s. He is probably most famously known in fashion for The knitted cotton Pique polo, s/s shirt with buttoned placket (also used by Lastoste at the time) and Tennis plimsoles were made famous by this legend of lawn tennis in the 1950s. . interestingly the laurel wreath logo was inspired by the original Wimbledon logom the rest is history...
1972, Stan Smith one of the greatest players of his day is better known for his Adidas shoe. My secondary school days 2000-2005 championed Stan's iconic tennis shoe as the trainer of choice, all black, light and low key-vital as trainers were against uniform codes, they sure beat kickers, loafers and wallabes, most importantly many teachers were not aware that they were trainers. The 'all whites' were also a bastion of casual footwear.
1975, Arthur Ashe, the first African American to win a Grand Slam, Looks like he stole the short shorts from basketball and wide collar from the disco scene, huge trends of that era. Suave!
1966-1980 Bjorn Borge's Blonde barnet bewitched opponents leading him to the title five times in a row! I think the combination of vertical and horizontal pinstripe on his Fila kit may have helped confuse other players, it sure offends my eyes now!
1981 Mr McEnroe cant be serious! That big ball hair and those short shorts, I don't know which is the lesser of the two evils.
1989 Boris Becker was simultaneously ginger and blonde, somehow the colors of the German flag, his kit, facial hair and short back and sides all matched. Luckily this kind of coordination didn't catch on.
Fast Forward to...
2010 Roger Federer donned a two piece suit and man bag to stroll onto center court, and win the finals. It appears as though Nike were paying homage to the style of some late greats such as Gore and Fred Perry, with the loose fitting high-waisted slacks, and military spin on things, highlighted in the pocket and Chelsea Pensioner-esque collar, or lack of.
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