What Stylists Say You Should Wear to Wimbledon This Year

Centre Court is for serves – but the stands are for style. 

What do you wear for one of the British season’s most fashionable occasions when it doesn’t specify a dress code? 

Despite what a scroll through Instagram might have you thinking, the all-white attire is only reserved and reinforced for players, not spectators. 

For everyone else, beyond a few very obvious no-gos – torn jeans, running vests, muddy trainers, or sport shorts (but it’s safe to assume you weren’t planning on wearing those anyway) – Wimbledon asks for something far more ambiguous: “smart casual.”

So where do you start, and how do you prepare for the famously unpredictable British weather? We asked womenswear stylists Annabel Hodin and Karen Williams, along with menswear expert Gareth Scourfield on how to get it right.

The expert stylists’ guide on what to wear for Wimbledon 

What should I wear to Wimbledon?

Unless you’ve got tickets for the Royal Box – in which case, be sure to arrive in a formal jacket and tie – there is virtually no rulebook on what to wear to Wimbledon. While events like Royal Ascot come with a rigid dress code that can feel intimidating, at Wimbledon, the blank slate can be just as daunting. 

All the experts agree that the best starting point is reassuringly unfussy. As stylist Karen Williams puts it: “Wimbledon is all about looking polished, elegant, and completely effortless, never overdone.”

For women, that often means tailored separates, softened suiting or summer tea dresses that feel put together without tipping into occasionwear territory. “Look as if you’re wearing your clothes, rather than your clothes wearing you,” Annabel Hodin advises. “Ladylike but fashion-forward is the look. Clean, smart silhouettes.” And when in doubt: “Think French.”

Men, meanwhile, should be nudged away from rigid formality. “I’d start with a lightweight, unlined blazer,” says expert Gareth Scourfield. “Double-breasted is always a winner. It breaks up the formality of a full suit.”

From there, it’s about ease: light-colored tailored trousers, crisp cotton shirts in white or fine navy pinstripes, and soft loafers. 

“If you are going for a suit,” Scourfield adds, “I’d keep to a solid navy, a soft cream, dark brown or even an olive color.”

What are the style clichés (and are they still relevant)?

Wimbledon dressing typically ushers up images of crowds of Panama hats, linen suits, and immaculate whites. They’re clichés for a reason, but they’re not always the starting point anymore.

Rather than head-to-toe white, Hodin prefers pattern and color, like “stripes (especially green and white),” she says, noting that they feel like a subtle nod to the occasion without spilling into costume. She also points to softer summer tones – icy blues, pinks, mint, and pale yellow – as the real language of modern Wimbledon dressing.

Scourfield, meanwhile, suggests stepping away from trend-led dressing. “This annual event is not always best suited to showing off the season’s obvious trends,” he says, “but is better placed to showcase timeless outfits.”

Instead, he recommends taking cues from the tournament’s official dresser, Ralph Lauren: “Lots of navy, tan, and cream double-breasted suits, pale blue shirts, pinstripe shirts, solid color or striped ties and suede loafers.”

Williams similarly recommends avoiding trends and thinking timeless when it comes to outfit planning: “Wimbledon has always celebrated classic British style […] While we’re seeing more relaxed co-ords, flowing silhouettes, and quiet luxury influences this season, it’s one of those occasions where timeless dressing will always feel the most stylish.”

See also: What to Wear to the F1, According to Charles Leclerc’s Stylist

What shoes should you wear to Wimbledon?

There is a surprising amount of ground to cover between Centre Court and that inevitable second punnet of strawberries and cream. “You’ll be doing plenty of walking around the grounds,” says Williams, “So leave sky-high stilettos at home; they’re not ideal on the grass.” 

For Hodin, ease is non-negotiable: “Wedge shoes are comfortable and a good look,” she says. “Or ballet flats also work well.” 

Scourfield takes a similarly practical approach for men. He suggests a “good, soft suede loafer” as the safest option, though he adds that “solid white leather tennis sneakers can also look sharp but more dressed down, with comfort in mind.”

How should you dress for the British weather at Wimbledon?

If there is one constant at Wimbledon, it is that the weather will do exactly what it wants. “The biggest mistake is dressing for blazing sunshine and forgetting you’re in Britain!” warns Williams. 

Her solution is simple: “Choose breathable fabrics like linen and cotton that keep you cool, then layer with a lightweight blazer, trench or fine knit that you can easily slip on if the temperature drops.”

While Centre Court and Court One are both covered, Hodins adds that it is always sensible to be prepared for a classic British summer downpour, suggesting packing a lightweight raincoat tucked into a bag as insurance.

What should you avoid wearing to Wimbledon?

For Hodin, anything overly loud or overly complicated misses the point. “Avoid fussy and frilly,” she says. “It looks more like a garden party than tennis.”

She is equally clear on silhouette. “Tight is a no-no. Too much flesh is a no-no.”

Scourfield is just as direct on the menswear side. Anything too tight, too short, or too casual risks pulling the look away from the occasion entirely.

Short shorts, sportswear, most denim, untucked shirts, and overly laid-back sneakers should also be avoided. “It’s not a day out at the beach,” he concludes.