Tennis is a sport that at least here in Toronto is approved to do during Covid times. I don’t play, but I sure do love the outfits! Cute Tennis skirts are even making their way off the court into modern day clothing as currently trending on Pinterest. Now I don’t post modern clothing here (unless it’s vintage reproduction), but I thought it would be fun to see what Tennis Outfits looked like from the 1920s-1950s.

Grab your racket and let the sportswear fashion show begin!

1930s Photo of a woman getting ready to play tennis. Tying up her shoes.

Source: Etsy

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Vintage Tennis Outfits from the 1920’s-1950’s

Vintage Images & Sewing Patterns

Vintage Shopping: I have created an Etsy Collection called “VINTAGE TENNIS” that features more sewing patterns, fashions & inspiration not featured below (updated monthly-feb 2023)

1920’s Tennis Fashions

Vintage Flapper Sewing Pattern for a Ladies’ 1920’s Blazer Sport Jacket. So very Chic! You would be the most stylish on the court.

1920's Vintage Flapper Sewing Pattern for a Ladies' 1920s Blazer Sport Jacket - The perfect vintage Tennis Outfit

Source: Etsy

Cute alert! Love this 1920’s photo of a young woman holding a Tennis racket in her sportswear outfit posing for a picture with her mother (I’m assuming).

1920s Photo of a woman in 1920s tennis outfit posing with her mother in a 1920s outfit. The perfect vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration

Source: Etsy

1920’s Women’s Sportswear. Suzanne Lenglen, Julie Vlasto 1926 in 1920s tennis outfits. Love the scarves in their hair.

1920s Womens Sportswear vintage photo of 2 women in 1920s outfits / sportswear for their Tennis game. The perfect vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration

Source: Fascination Street Vintage

1930’s Tennis Fashions

1930s Tennis outfit fashion spread as seen in a Harpers Bazaar Magazine.

1930s Tennis Outfit Fashion Spread. Harpers Bazaar Magazine. The perfect vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration

Source: Etsy

1930’s sewing pattern illustration for tennis shorts, blouse and hairscarf. The blouse can also be worn with a long skirt. So pretty!

1930s Vintage Sewing Pattern for Tennis Outfits. Misses Shorts, Blouse and Scarf. Tuck-in overblouse, has straight yoke front and back. Fastens with studs or buttons. Narrow collar. Long or short sleeves. Blouse and scarf may be made of three kerchiefs. Shorts have box pleats front and back. The perfect vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration

Source: Etsy

1939 knitting pattern for a ladies tennis sports set which includes: a dress (with belt), playsuit/all-in-one, cardigan and socks. Perfect outfit for when the weather starts to cool off.

1930s Fashion: 1930s Womens Tennis outfit knitted. The perfect vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration

Source: Etsy

I’m a big fan of multi functional outfits, just like the vintage 1930’s sewing pattern below. Head to the tennis court in style with blouse and shorts and an overskirt. Take the longer skirt off and BAM! time to play the game.

1930s Vintage Sewing Pattern: 1930s women tennis outfit featuring a blouse, shorts and over skirt. The perfect vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration

Source: Etsy

1932 Vintage Photo of 2 women smoking on the court. Both ladies are wearing what looks like 1930’s swimsuits.

Source: Pinterest

1940’s Tennis Fashions

Cute vintage 1940’s Simplicity sewing pattern to make a “Misses’ and Women’s blouse and jumper or tennis dress. The detail on this illustration is wonderful! Check out the bracelet on our model to the left? Just the fact that there is even that detail at all is awesome.

1940s Vintage Sewing Pattern for Women's Tennis Outfits. 1940's Simplicity sewing pattern to make a "Misses' and Women's blouse and jumper or tennis dress.

Source: Etsy

Rita Hayworth playing Tennis in 1940 in an adorable one piece tennis dress (playsuit).

1940s vintage photo of Rita Hayworth playing tennis 1940 in a one piece playsuit tennis outfit. Vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration.

Source: Pinterest

1940’s photo by Tennie Harris of a cute Woman, Vivian V. Clayton, wearing two-pieceTtennis outfit, standing on Tennis court holding the ball and racket.

1940s Photo of a Black Women in a tennis outfit on the tennis court. Vivian V. Clayton, wearing two-piece tennis outfit, standing on tennis court holding tennis ball and racket

Source: Carniege Museum of Art

1940’s sewing pattern for Women’s Tennis outfit-Blouse & Shorts.

Source: Etsy

Women’s Tennis Class 1940. Vintage photo of Students in their Tennis outfits and jackets. Great form!

1940s Vintage Photo of Black Women College students in Tennis Class and in Tennis Outfits.

Source: Flickr

1950’s Tennis Fashions

1950’s sewing pattern for a 2 Pc. Tennis uutfit. Full Skirt, Blouse and Shorts. Love the full skirt that is shorter Tennis skirt!

1950s Vintage Sewing pattern for women's Tennis Outfits featuring shorts & blouses and gingham dress. Vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration.

Source: Etsy

1950’s photo of a young Black woman sitting on a bench in her Tennis gear in Oakland, California. I love her casual but really cool look!

1950s Photo of a young Black woman sitting on a bench in her Tennis gear in Oakland, California. Vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration.

Source: Tumblr

1950’s Drawing of 2 women taking a break from Tennis to have some drama over a man. Drawing is from 1953. I love the romper on the left on the lovely Iris.

1950s illustration featuring two women in tennis outfits hanging out by the tennis court having drama over a man. 1953 Drawing. Vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration.

Source: Fine Art America

1956 photo of a young woman posing in front of her house in her shorts & blouse Tennis outfit.

1950s vintage photo of young woman in shorts and blouse holding a tennis racket -1956. 1950s tennis outfit inspiration

Source: Etsy – DearMacyVintage

1950’s Weldons sewing pattern for a Tennis Dress and Briefs.

1950's vintage sewing pattern: Weldons Sewing Pattern Tennis Dress and Briefs. Vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration.

Source: Etsy

1950s Photo of “Tennis in the Bahamas, 1957.” Photo: Slim Aarons. What a cool hat on the lady on the right! Super example of the short & blouse and tennis dress that has been seen in the sewing patterns above.

Tennis in the Bahamas, 1957. Photo: Slim Aarons. 1950s fashion photo of 2 women in Tennis Outfits and 2 Men in bermuda shorts. Vintage Tennis Outfit Inspiration.

Source: Pinterest

May 19th, 2022 update: I just saw ‘Downtown Abbey: A New Era’ last night in the movie theatres and the 1928 fashions were STUNNING! Especially the sportswear styles like the Tennis clothes pictured below. How fantastic does our Downtown family look?

1920s Tennis fashions for men and women from 1928 as seen in the Downton Abbey A New Era movie.

Source: W Magazine

Question Time: What was your favorite Era for Tennis Outfits? Mine was the 1930s (those outfits are just darn cute!). Share your favs in the comment section below.

Follow up Reading from ‘Nylon Nostalgia“: The tennis player who dared to wear ruffled frilly panties at Wimbledon It’s a fascinating read! so don’t miss it!

And check out my blog post on Jinx Falkenburg-1930s and 1940s “Did It All” Girl, Tennis star and movie star!

Teddy Tinling with Gussie Moran plus frilly knickers. Notice the photographer's low angle to catch Gussie's frilly undies. Image owned and ©Copyright Nylon Nostalgia — Teddy Tinling with Gussie Moran plus frilly knickers. Notice the photographer’s low angle to catch Gussie’s frilly undies. Image owned and ©Copyright Nylon Nostalgia

Liz

This past weekend here in Toronto the temp went up the 20’s! And right now as I’m typing this it’s currently in the 30’s! Now that is my kind of weather!

Now as the dial went up on the heat, my brain went naturally to the Beach. The glorious wonderful beach.

So for today’s Vintage Photo Tuesday, it’s all about the beach! And those beach fashions from the 1920s to the 1950s. Let the Beach Party Begin!

Gulf Coast Beaches Print, 1950's Beach Art

Vintage Photos of People at the Beach

1920s – 1950s

Fun with Friends! 1920s Photo of 5 women at the beach having the best time together! What cool 20’s Swimsuits on display.

1920s Vintage Photo of stylish friends at the beach in vintage 1920s swimwear.

Source: Flickr

Chillin at the Beach 1920s Style! An umbrella is a must to keep the hot sun off you.

1920s Photo of 3 African American Black women on the beach in vintage beachwear

1920s photo of 2 women wearing a seaweed costume at the beach.

Source: Flickr

A family builds a sandcastle at the seaside resort of Sandbourne, near Bournemouth in Dorset in 1932.

Source: Daily Mail

Woman on beach in Tel Aviv in 1934. She is holding a parasol while posing on a busy beach in her outstanding 1930s bathingsuit.

Source: Library of Congress

Photograph shows a lifeguard in a one piece men’s swimsuit on a Tel Aviv beach in the 1930s.

Source: Library of Congress

Trio at the Beach in the 1940s. There is some good vintage hair inspiration in this photo.

1940s Photo of a family at the beach in 1940s swimsuits. The mother and daugther are sporting fantastic 1940s hairstyles.

Source: Flickr

A mother and daughter pose together in front of tall palm trees, 1949. Note on the Back of the vintage photo says “Florida. Patti & Mom”.

1940s vintage photo: A mother and daughter pose together in front of tall palm trees, 1949. Note on the Back of the vintage photo says "Florida. Patti & Mom".

Source: Flickr

Bathing Beauties enjoying some fun on the beach circa 1950s.

A pair of unidentified young, asian ladies enjoying the beach in the late 1940s Early 1950s.

Source: Flickr

A Woman Poses with her dog on the Beach in the1950s. Note on back reads, “Patti & Winkie, Lavalette.

FURTHER READING: Vintage Photo Tuesday: Pets & Their Owners

Source: Flickr

Family fun on the beach in the 1950s! LOVE our little girls swimsuit and of course our ladies are just as stylish in their 1950s bathing suits. Great photo!

1950s vintage photo of 2 women and little girl in 1950s swimsuits at the beach

Source: Etsy-DearMacyVintage

1950s Photo of Beautiful Black women posing in Atlantic City at Chick Bone Beach.

Chicken Bone Beach was located on the long stretch of the Atlantic City, New Jersey, shoreline just south of downtown and was designated as the exclusively African American section of beach around 1900. It remained a blacks only beach until the 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed. During the segregation era, the beach provided recreation and later stellar entertainment for African Americans, both tourists and local residents.

The nickname, Chicken Bone Beach, derived affectionately from the tradition of the thousands of vacationing families who flocked to the shore bringing beach balls, umbrellas and blankets for ocean-side fun and picnic baskets with fried chicken and other delights for seaside dining. When they finished eating, they buried the chicken bones in the sand.John W. Mosley Photographs (Source).

1950s Photo of African American Women posing on the beach in Atlantic city at Chicken Bone Beach in 1950s Swimsuits.

Source: Pinterest

I hope you enjoyed this week’s Vintage Photo Tuesday! I enjoyed taking a mini vacation from my couch. Share in the comments what photos you liked the best!

FURTHER READING: Vintage Photos 1920s -1960s (Archived Blog Posts)

Stay Safe Friends!

Liz

Tag: 1920s