Brand matters less than cut in vintage athletic wear, but it is a useful shorthand for what you are getting. Here is what each of the labels that come through regularly is actually good for.
The deepest well by a distance, and the most variable. Nike's tennis and training output through the late nineties and 2000s covers everything from plain white club kit to genuinely loud colour-blocked sets. Strengths: the cut of the tops is consistently good through the shoulder, the mesh panels are real, and Dri-FIT pieces from this era have held up remarkably well. Worth knowing that Nike sizing shifted more than once across these years, so a measurement is worth more than a tag.
More disciplined design, fewer surprises, and the three stripes do a lot of the styling for you. Track sets are the standout — the tricot pieces have weight that current versions do not, and the snap-leg pants are hard to find in good condition because they were worn constantly. Adidas tennis skirts tend to sit slightly higher than Nike equivalents of the same year, which suits more people.
The most Y2K label in the category and the one people are usually surprised by. Velour, logo hardware, and a fit that is unapologetically of its moment. Not court-functional in most cases — this is lounge and street wear that borrowed the athletic silhouette. Buy it for the fabric and the colour.
Polo Ralph Lauren, Playboy and similar turn up occasionally and are worth taking on their individual merits rather than the name. The question is always the same: is the cut right, is the fabric heavy enough, and has the elastic survived.
Across all of them, four things:
See vintage Nike and vintage Adidas for the two deepest categories, or vintage sportswear for everything together.
Related reading: What To Wear To Tennis · Tenniscore · Vintage Tennis Skirts · Tennis Outfit Ideas · Vintage Sizing Guide
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