Clothing as a Tool for Oppression and Emancipation in Women’s Tennis

From introduction: 'Most of history’s fashion controversies have a common denominator: they involve women. Many of these controversies consist of women donning attire less restrictive than that which society permitted them. Tennis has been one of the most regulated sports in the U.S., especially since women started playing in the late 19th century. Both the clothes men permitted them to wear and the scrutiny towards that attire have detracted from their playing and ultimately from the countless attempts of women to be regarded on an equal playing field—or court. As women achieved respectability as tennis players, so too has their sportswear evolved from cumbersome and unaccommodating to supportive and celebratory.'