Tennis has a longer vintage archive than almost any other sport. The tank + pleated skirt silhouette from 1997 is still, objectively, one of the most flattering athletic outfits ever made. Here's what to look for in a vintage tennis outfit, and why it probably crosses over to pickleball too.
The canonical tennis silhouettes
- Tank + pleated skirt set — the uniform. Flattering, mobile, photograph-ready.
- Drop-waist tennis dress — with built-in shorts. One-piece simplicity.
- Polo + tennis skirt — country-club energy, preppier than pure athletic.
- Racerback crop + skort — 2000s era, shows more skin, athletic without athleisure.
What separates good vintage from average vintage
Original fabric weight matters most. Modern athletic pieces are thin, see-through, and clingy. Good vintage tennis pieces have heft — the fabric holds its shape, doesn't show through in bright light, and washes well over years. Check photos for pilling, check seams for straightness, check elastic for stretch. If it's from 1997 and still holds form, it was well-made.
Tennis pieces work for pickleball
The court size is different, the paddle is different, but the apparel requirements are nearly identical. Anything that worked for tennis in 1997 will work for pickleball in 2026. Don't let the pickleball-specific marketing trick you into buying worse clothes.
Browse our tennis inventory
See the current tennis pieces in the tennis edit. Most of them also live in the pickleball collection.
Related reading: Vintage Sportswear · Cute Pickleball Outfits · Pickleball Skirts