Despite our concerns, Serena Williams really did show up for her first round at the French Open. A year ago, Serena was playing her first slam tournament back from having baby Olympia, and she wore a catsuit which made her look like a superhero. This year, it was different. She was in better shape, and Nike collaborated with Virgil Abloh on Serena’s French Open kit. Abloh was also responsible for Serena’s Us Open tutus last year, the ones which made her look like a fantastically deranged ballerina.
So what did Abloh do this year? Gave her a crop top, a twirly skirt and a cape-like jacket. It was a whole LOOK and I liked it, but after Serena dropped the first set, she changed it up, almost like the crop top was to blame. She donned a simple black Nike pullover (which looked cute with the skirt) and she put her hair into a messy bun. That’s been the signal this year that Serena isn’t playing around – the mid-match messy bun. It worked too. She rolled through the next two sets, only allowing Russian Vitalia Diatchenko to win one more game.
There were some questions about the original Abloh ensemble too – there were French and English words embedded in the design, and Serena later said that Abloh had put in the French and English words for “champion”, “queen”, “goddess” and “mother.” Shoulda been another catsuit! It sucks that Roland Garros banned the catsuit.
Photos courtesy of Getty and Instagram.
Not flattering and doesn’t look comfortable in my opinion.
The catsuit should not have been banned imo. It covered up more than those little tennis skirts. I just don’t like her style. I feel like none of her tennis outfits are flattering. She looks much better in regular clothes.
Same here. I get that she wants to be different & that old-style tennis outfits for women are just dumb, but her alternatives don’t do it for me. Obviously, they work for her!
Same for me.
In the black and white promo pictures it’s great. In real life it looks like tire tracks. She really deserves better.
This is such an off look – the clothes, the hair, none of it is flattering. She is such a strong, beautiful woman – she deserves better.
The outfit just looks super, super cheap, like she picked it up from the market on a cut-price beach holiday.
Oh, for the glory days of her Puma gear.
Agreed. It reminds me of something that would come from a Project Runway contestant, one with a limited understanding of athletics.
But damn she does look amazing.
I agree with you guys, but DAMN!! She’s got a great body–just look at those abs.
I might be in the minority but i don’t care – I think it looks awesome. And I love that she plays so much with changing up the tennis fashion norms. You win some, you lose some but she’s bringing some spice.
Agreed!
Me too!
She is a BAMF! Love her and all her looks. I wish I just had a little bit of her abs!
I LOVE the crop top look
I agree. I don’t love all her looks, but I love that she keeps it interesting.
I liked it. The deep purple stripes, the cropped top…all of it. I assumed she got cold and put the black jacket on. Her hair needed to be in a bun. It was windy and flying all over the place.
I’m guessing a combination of wanting to change things up after the first set and feeling a little cold.
Remember – she won’t be allowed to put on the Virgil Abloh jacket to play the match in (post warm-up) because of the rules for proper tennis attire. Under those rules jackets (with a zipper all the way down) are not allowed once points are being played. So that would explain the black top 🙂
It’s not safe and not boring. So much tennis (and fashion) is pretty but boring. i Appreciate seeing something different even if it isn’t my favorite.
I like the skirt better with the plain black top.
Her arms!!!! Amazing! I don’t mind the crop top, the cape looks like it would get in the way though?
Those outfits she wears are for music videos not for the Tennis court.
I adore her! Not a skinny-minny but just throws it out there!
I’m sure they’ll ban this outfit too, what they would really like to do is ban her (and all Americans) from RG altogether (not that they would have to worry about the American men, since all six of them lost in the first round), but since they can’t do that they will just keep banning her outfits and hope that eventually she just doesn’t come back. Considering there is a certain Canadian so-called “player” who has been making her own crop tops out of her outfits for years, Serena should really consider suing someone if and when this happens.
Nobody wants to ban all Americans from the French Open. For starters, there’s no need to, lol. American men rarely do well at the French – same for the women outside of the Williams sisters. Tennis is just a sport that likes tradition, it’s why you can only wear white at Wimbledon. Truth be told, I’m over most of what passes for attire from both the men and women. It’s not a fashion competition for goodness sake. I wish everybody would stick the basics and just play amazing tennis!
+1. My fav Domi Thiem beat Tommy Paul yesterday. 🙂 Hope he gets through to the finals!
Not my favourite look. It also doesn’t look comfortable to play. Photoshoot? Maybe. Winning a game? Nope.
Btw, could someone explain to me why bare midriff is a thing again? Overall in fashion, the streets. I’m genuinely curious because I don’t think unless someone has a 6 pack, ate well and is sucking the stomach in.. It’s not flattering. Even when I was skinny I looked at myself in the mirror and wasn’t pleased with this part of my body. Why is it mainstream?