What to wear to Wimbledon

What to wear to Wimbledon, for women and men: eight complete outfits, the details that make them work, and clear guidance on ordinary tickets and hospitality.

Eight millimetres is a remarkably small allowance for a fortnight of Wimbledon. That is the playing height of the grass, chosen to accommodate both the tennis and the survival of the plant. The courts are mown and marked daily; underneath, the firmness of the soil does much to determine the bounce. Even this most familiar surface rewards a second look.

By the later rounds, the worn areas have acquired their own geography. The baseline records a different kind of labour from the comparatively green service boxes. You can read something of the game in those patches, though the score will tell you nothing about them. There is pleasure in going to Wimbledon with enough time to notice what interests you, whether it is a backhand preparation or the patient work of keeping the place ready.

Getting dressed deserves some of that pleasure too. A blue cotton dress, a tobacco suit, a shirt bought because its colour was irresistible: none needs an elaborate justification. Choose the combination you like, then examine what it asks of you over a day of travelling, sitting, climbing steps and returning considerably later than you first proposed.

The rules: start with your ticket

Ordinary Grounds and court tickets do not impose a general formal dress code. You need not wear white, a suit or a hat. The players have their own clothing regulations, and access to an ordinary Centre Court seat does not bring the separate obligations of an invitation to the Royal Box. General entry conditions still apply, including restrictions on obstructive hats and offensive or political clothing.

For hospitality, read the named provider's instructions. Keith Prowse currently accepts tailored shorts and smart, clean trainers, excludes jeans and sports trainers, and does not require a jacket or tie. Another host may specify something different. Our Wimbledon hospitality guide considers the journey between the table and the court; invitations to restricted areas need their own check.

The eight outfits below therefore offer different degrees of dress. Some people enjoy the ceremony of putting on a suit for a ticket they have waited years to obtain; others would sooner spend the day in familiar separates. Neither preference measures the depth of their interest in tennis.

For her: four complete Wimbledon outfits

A blue shirt dress, with something red

Cornflower-blue cotton, tan sandals and a small red bag make a particularly good combination because the colours have different jobs. Blue occupies the largest area, tan settles quietly beneath it, and the red catches the eye without competing for space. A fairly plain bag lets its colour do the work; elaborate hardware can make this otherwise open, summery arrangement feel busy.

Look closely at the dress's button line. It should remain closed across the ribs and thighs when you sit, without relying on a strategic hand to preserve its dignity. Gentle gathers or an A-line skirt give the fabric somewhere to go; a hem that clears the steps lets you use the handrail rather than carry the skirt. The sandals need a secure heel strap and enough sole for the pavement outside the Grounds.

A cream cardigan softens the blue; a short navy jacket gives it a firmer outline. Try both over the dress before deciding, especially if the sleeves are full. Closed leather flats make a useful substitution for a cooler forecast. If your version of the dress has a print, borrow one of its smaller colours for the bag: the connection can be quite faint and still be convincing.

Trousers, a silk square and a little space

Ivory straight-leg trousers and a chocolate sleeveless knit leave a generous, uncluttered area for a printed silk square. Brown loafers continue the darker colour at ground level. Fold the scarf before judging it beside the clothes: a drawing that seems busy when opened may become three broad bands and a brief glimpse of red at the knot. The picture changes as you use it.

With ivory trousers, inspect the cloth against daylight. Pocket bags should not become the most visible feature, and a little substance can be kinder than extreme thinness. Check that the waistband permits lunch as well as breathing, then set the length with the loafers on. The front should fall cleanly; the back must stay out from under the heel.

A pale blue shirt can replace the knit, while navy trousers give the combination a less delicate foundation. Carry a fine cardigan if your return journey is likely to be cool. On a hot afternoon, loosen or remove the scarf; tied securely to the bag, it can still supply that small piece of colour without sitting against your neck.

A printed dress that needs very little else

A green-and-white botanical drawing, a red floral on cotton or a geometric print can be the whole reason for choosing a dress. Look at how the pattern meets at the seams and where its largest shapes fall. A wonderful print deserves a cut that gives it room, rather than a row of gathers that swallows the part you liked best.

Plain dark sandals or navy flats make a settled base. Keep the shoulder bag compact and the earrings modest in scale, so that the pattern remains legible among the other details. For the cardigan, try a quieter colour already present in the cloth. Matching the most conspicuous shade can turn a gentle relationship into an announcement.

A substantial crepe or silk version may suit a hosted lunch; loose cotton has a different, more informal character. Check the lining, which can undo much of an airy outer fabric's good work. Lift your arms, reach for something and lean forward. A neckline or armhole that requires constant correction is an expensive distraction, however persuasive the dress looked on the rail.

A skirt and shirt, worn with ease

With a navy midi skirt, white cotton shirt and red flats, the interest lies partly in how much shirt you leave above the waistband. A little fullness softens the meeting of the two garments; pulling the cotton tight makes the whole arrangement more severe. A skirt with width moves readily through a row of seats. A straight cut needs sufficient ease or a vent that actually opens when you take a step.

Turn the sleeves back loosely if the cuff permits it, or use pale blue instead of white for a gentler contrast. A leather crossbody bag leaves both hands available, and a slim cotton jacket makes sense for the train home. There is no prescribed midi length for an ordinary spectator: shorten the skirt if that is how you prefer it, checking its seated length and its relationship to the jacket.

For him: four complete Wimbledon outfits

A pale shirt and properly cut chinos

Pale blue cotton, stone chinos, brown loafers and a lightweight navy jacket are familiar companions, but familiarity need not mean indifference. Choose a blue with some life in it and stone trousers that are sufficiently distinct from the shirt. A navy jacket with a softer construction makes the combination feel less like a suit whose trousers have gone missing.

The chinos should hang from the waist without their pockets opening sideways. Check the thigh when seated and the amount of cloth gathering at the ankle: a little adjustment to length often improves the whole outfit more than another accessory. Use socks or liners already tested with the loafers, including for a substantial walk. A bare ankle is not worth a damaged heel.

The jacket is optional with an ordinary ticket. An overshirt and familiar clean trainers make the same shirt and trousers more relaxed; retaining the jacket suits a lunch invitation, subject to the host's code. Either way, make sure you like the shirt on its own. It will probably have a longer public appearance than the jacket.

A summer suit with texture

Tobacco, pale grey and muted green all give a summer suit a character beyond business dress. Feel the cloth as well as reading its label. Open-weave wool, a suitable cotton or a linen blend can work, but a heavy lining and a close cut will change the experience of wearing any of them. There should be enough space through the back to reach forward without dragging the sleeves up your arms.

An ivory or pale blue shirt and dark brown shoes keep the colours coherent. Wear the collar open where your invitation allows, or add a tie because you enjoy its colour and shape. Check how the collar sits beneath the lapels: a very small one can vanish into a broad jacket, leaving the neck looking oddly unfinished.

Linen's creases are worth considering honestly. Some people like the way a suit records the day; others spend the afternoon smoothing their lap and growing cross with it. Neither response is a moral position. If you prefer a steadier line, a breathable wool may give you more pleasure than a linen suit you keep trying to correct.

A knitted polo and navy trousers

A cream fine-gauge polo brings a softer edge to navy trousers and dark loafers. The knit should skim rather than cling, with a hem that falls without contracting into a tight band. Try it tucked and untucked: the height of the waistband and the length of the polo will usually make the better choice apparent.

Green or rust offers a more coloured version of the same idea. A light cotton jacket can sit comfortably over a fine knit, provided the sleeves have room; a thick polo beneath a close blazer tends to bunch at the elbow. Familiar clean trainers are another option for ordinary admission. If the day includes hospitality, match the actual pair to the provider's footwear guidance.

A linen shirt for a hot Grounds day

White or pale pink linen works well against olive trousers, with comfortable trainers beneath. The olive gives the pale shirt some depth without the sharper contrast of navy. Look for ease across the shoulders and back, and inspect the hem if you intend to leave it untucked: a casual shirt's shorter finish is generally easier here than the long tails of a formal one.

Tailored shorts are an option for ordinary spectators and are accepted under Keith Prowse's current guidance. Wear them with a shirt or polo and the shoes you have chosen for the route; pack a light overshirt if the forecast cools later. A small silk neckerchief can be enjoyable with an open collar, but it is a personal choice. It has no special power to satisfy a host who has asked for a tie.

Shoes, bags and the details that earn their place

Leather flats, secure sandals, loafers and clean trainers can all work for ordinary admission. Their category tells you less than their behaviour: a flat with a wafer-thin sole may feel harder underfoot than expected, while a handsome trainer can still rub at the heel. Walk in the shoes with the intended socks and clothes before the day. Our Wimbledon shoe guide works through the differences in more detail.

Bring sunglasses and sun protection, and keep any hat proportionate to the view of the person behind you. The current bag limit is 40 × 30 × 30cm; hard-sided bags and containers are prohibited. A soft tote must meet the dimensions when filled, not merely when folded in a drawer. Our packing guide covers bottles, entry documents and the restrictions that are easy to overlook.

Dress for the hours beyond midday

Choose the layer while the rest of the clothes are still in front of you. A cardigan needs to sit over the dress's sleeves; a jacket needs room for the shirt beneath; a compact waterproof needs somewhere to go when the shower ends. Silk can supply colour and a little coverage, but actual rain requires a garment made for it.

In heat, look for air between cloth and skin rather than simply the thinnest fabric on the hanger. For a cool forecast, take the fine knit or jacket that adds useful warmth. Our layering guide considers combinations through the day, including the unglamorous but consequential stretch between leaving your seat and arriving home.

The court by the end of the day

Tennis has an unusual capacity to leave a crowd arguing about an event that occupied less than a second. Was the opening there? Could the ball have been taken earlier? A point can be over almost before the spectators have understood its possibilities, and then remain available for discussion through supper. Being there gives the argument another dimension: you saw the distance, the recovery, the small hesitation before the shot.

By the time you leave, the court has changed a little more. Its daily measurements will record wear, hardness and rebound; your account will probably concern one ball. Both are descriptions of the same afternoon, and neither quite replaces the other.

Part of Thackray Pursuits: explore Tennis.