Style Match

Day 4 of the French Open and the games just keep getting hotter. However, as the competition heats up, it's almost impossible not to notice the outfits are too. Venus Williams won her first match in Paris against Switzerland's Patty Schnyder 6-3, 6-3, yet the greatest stir was caused by her outfit. The U.S. tennis star reportedly drew whistles as she appeared on the court in a black corseted lacey red-trimmed dress of her own design. Not only that, but she paired the look with nude spandex that apparently showed every curve. This is not the first time Venus has been acknowledged by the media for something other then her skills on the court. At the Australian Open in January, the 29-year-old donned a skimpy green ensemble for her match that got her awarded the title "Australian Open Hottie."
Women have come a long way from the beginning of sports fashion. Originally, the typical tennis attire included a full-length dress, usually white, with a bustle and even a fur! It wasn't until the 1930's that hemlines began to rise and tennis dresses started to become reserved and restrictive and more breathable and stylish. Nowadays, even a tennis outfit can make a statement with designers such as Stella McCartney, Steffi Graf and Venus and Serena Williams working to create functional, yet fashionable, tennis attire, times are looking up. What do you think though? Do you think fashion should play a role in sports, or does it just get in the way? Before you decide, make sure to check out The New York Times as they analyze fashion in tennis through the ages.