TENNIS FASHIONS History of court styles served up in striking book

Styles have evolved over the years into comfortable steer clothes.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Long before Venus and Serena Williams stepped on to the courts wearing colorful, formfitting outfits, tennis and fashion enjoyed a close association.
According to the new book "Tennis Fashion" (Assouline) by Diane Elisabeth Poirier, the British aristocracy who first popularized the sport in the late 1800s paid close attention to their lawn tennis uniforms.
Men in cufflinks and flannel trousers wore striped monogrammed blazers that marked them out as members of the same tennis club, and women layered an apron with a pocket to hold balls over their petticoats and ankle-length skirts.
By 1904, full tennis ensembles were available in Paris' most fashionable stores.
Fast-forward to the 1950s when women who had begun to wear short skirts on the tennis court wanted that same freedom in their street clothes. Sportswear designers responded first with the princess silhouette, then baggy shorts and then miniskirts, according to Poirier.
Technology has been the driving force behind changes in modern tennis dress. Fabrics can now blend stretchy Lycra and sweat-wicking Teflon, leading to attractive clothes that also enhance performance and comfort.
In addition to a written chronology of social events that have shaped the sport's uniforms, Poirier's book features historical photos that show how far -- or how tight and short -- tennis fashion has come.