What to Wear to the U.S. Open
Come for the tennis, stay for the fashion; The U.S. Open is as great for people-watching as it is for tennis-watching, and when it comes to style inspo, it did not disappoint.
I’ve had serious FOMO in past years watching everyone from royalty and fashion royalty like Anna Wintour and Meghan Markle to Bravo-lebrities like Paige Desorbo show up in preppy-chic outfits and sip Honey Deuces, the official, Grey Goose sponsored drink of the U.S. Open while sitting courtside.
And, if I'm being completely honest, tennis is something I love to play and watch, but the fashion is a huge part of why I wanted to go in the first place. I love that when it comes to the U.S. Open, you can go as preppy, edgy, formal, or as casual as you want. I saw everything from linen suits to what looked like workout gear, and no one looked out of place. I will say, I saw exactly ONE pair of high heels (and they were these sparkly baddies), so flats seems to be the way to go, both comfort-wise and stylistically.
As far as fashion on the courts, I love tennis whites, and I was actually surprised to see that players are not required to wear white or adhere to any sort of dress code, so many of them - particularly the men - just looked like they were guys hanging out and warming up. Of course Naomi Osaka always wears something interesting and expressive - while her look on Day 2 was not my favorite (or even close, if I’m honest) I love how thoughtful and meaningful it was to her, and I really appreciate that she gives 110% in every facet of her performance, from how she plays the game to what - and who - she wears. While Nike is her sponsor and therefore her go-to uniform, the green lewk she wore Tuesday was a collab with Japanese designer Yoon Ahn, founder of Tokyo-based label Ambush, which represents Naomi’s Japanese heritage.
Back to styling - I personally opted to go a little on the dressier side - I went with a J Crew light blue linen vest and my fave Bernadette Wisteria skirt. I was originally planning to wear a white J Crew mini skirt but ultimately decided I didn’t want the backs of my legs to be sticking to the chairs in the hot sun all day - but that’s just me! I saw plenty of women in mini skirts and tennis skirts, and plenty of men with 5” inseam shorts. My husband went classic - a navy blue Lacoste polo and pistachio colored Bonobos pants (similar here).
A few quick pieces of advice from a first-time attendee here, make note of these:
-It gets really hot in the daytime, so dress accordingly.
-Shade is at a premium, so definitely make sure to apply sunscreen before you go, or pack a tiny bottle - large spray cans were getting confiscated at security on the way in. (La Roche-Posay is a sponsor, so there is a kiosk for samples of their sunscreen and several of the shops on site have LRP available for purchase.)
-There is lots of shopping on site! Wilson, Polo, Fila, and more. Get some commemorative gear!
-Unrelated to fashion but - there is also lots of eating! There are great restaurants and fast food options. You will probably struggle to get a table out of the sun, though.
Okay, so without further ado, here’s a bunch of my picks for what to buy for your U.S. Open look.
