CNN
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Clothes aren’t just for keeping you warm or cool—they also signal status, show defiance, and even ease anxieties.
for tennis giants billie jean kingThe clothing allowed women’s tennis players to express their individuality through colors and prints—a right she and the fledgling Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) fought for in the 1970s when white was ubiquitous as the color of the game.
wimbledon still employs this strict all-white dress code – previously implemented to camouflage sweat stains. These days it also helps the SW19 Grand Slams retain a sense of exclusivity with respect to the Australian Open, French Open and US Open, but arguably also curtails the individuality of the players.
In high pressure, this creates concern for menstruating players whether blood is visible on white clothing.
“My generation, we were always worried because we wore white all the time,” King tells CNN’s Amanda Davis. “And it’s what you wear underneath that’s important for your menstrual cycle.
“And we’re always checking if we’re showing up. You get stressed about it because first and foremost we’re entertainers and you want whatever you wear to look spotless, look fabulous. We’re entertainers. We are bringing it to the public.
Following the publication of King’s comments, reports appeared in the British media suggesting that Wimbledon would relax its all-white underwear rule for female tennis players.
In response to the reports, the All-England Tennis Club (AELTC) released a statement to CNN on Tuesday: “It is very important to us to prioritize women’s health and support players based on their individual needs, and we will continue to support the WTA discussing with.” , with the manufacturers and the medical teams about ways in which we can do this.
Tournament organizers have been under pressure to ease their strict dress code since Wimbledon this year, when campaigners gathered at SW19 with signs “about bloody time” and “addressing the dress code”.,
It followed comments made by a number of women, including former Olympic champion monica puig and Australian tennis player Daria Savile who talked about the “mental stress” that resulted from the all-white dress code and “skipping periods”.
Manufacturers are beginning to develop solutions, even as Wimbledon’s dress code remains in place, Adidas is saying bbc sport That it had certified its women’s training products from time to time.
“You feel like you can breathe and don’t have to check everything every minute when you sit down and change sides,” says King, referring to the black dress she wears underneath.
“So at least it’s been brought to the forefront, which I think is important to discuss.”
As well as the all-white policy causing concern for players over their periods, King points out that it can be difficult for fans trying to differentiate between players on the court.
“There’s nothing worse in sports than when you turn on the television and two players are wearing the same uniform or similar outfit. It’s awful. Nobody knows who’s who.
“This is one of my pet peeves I’ve been ranting about for years. Have you ever seen a game where people wear the same outfit all the way?”
The fading taboo around menstruation is testament to the progress women’s sports have made in recent years, a battle that King has waged for 50 years.
Two years ago, the Federation Cup – the premier international competition in women’s tennis in which players compete as part of their national teams – changed its name to the Billie Jean Cup King to honor her, and now the tennis great has been highlighted by the champion. Using clothes to do. This year’s event with a ‘Winner’s Jacket’ designed by renowned fashion designer Tory Burch.
Drawing from the tradition of the famous ‘green jacket’ worn by the winner of The Masters golf tournament each year, Burch designed a blue jacket for the winners of the Billie Jean King Cup, in the hope that it would eventually become as popular as its predecessor. Will be respected. ,
Every stitch, every stitch and every inch of fabric is steeped in symbolism.
Its color, “Billy Blue,” was chosen “because many times through his amazing career, King has worn blue,” Burch explains.
Most famously, King entered the court in 1973 to play Bobby Riggs in “Battle of the Sexes” wearing a blue and menthol green dress that buttoned up the front and was adorned with rhinestone details .
Her shoes were also blue, deliberately chosen to match her dress, still standing out on novel color television and breaking gender stereotypes.
“The shoes and the color, everything is very important to me,” says King. “I always try to put meaning into what I wear.”
Since that pivotal moment when King defeated Riggs 6-4 6-3 6-3 in front of an estimated worldwide television audience of 90 million, progress has been made in gender equality inside and outside the sport, albeit at times haltingly. Stalling, staggering a few steps backward or to the side.
That same year, the US Open became the first Grand Slam to award equal prize money to men and women, while the US Supreme Court granted women abortion rights in Roe v. Wade, although the decision was overturned in June.
“Every generation, they move farther and farther from the start of the fight,” says King. “I think history is so important because the more you know about history, the more you know about yourself.”
King hopes the current generation of female tennis stars, who will wear specially designed jackets as winners of the Billie Jean King Cup, will pick up the baton.
“But most importantly [history] Does it help you shape the future and that is what I want these young women to do. Now it is their job to step forward, lead and shape the future.”
And on the inside of the jacket, there’s a message from King himself, reminding the Billie Jean King Cup champion of the ‘fight’ and his place in it.
“Congratulations on winning the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup,” King reads aloud. “As a member of the first winning team in the Federation Cup in 1963, I dreamed of sharing this title with women like you.
“Tory Burch shares my passion for tennis and women’s empowerment. We designed the Champion’s Billie Blue Jacket to symbolize your incredible victory and the progress women have made in sports. Together, we can make equality a reality.” Billie Jean King, be bold.