France and fashion go hand in hand, which makes the French Open one of the most exciting times of the year for those with a keen eye for both. Every year, there is plenty of curiosity around what the world’s best players decide to wear on the Parisian clay. It is a stark contrast to Wimbledon across the Channel, where players are bound by the strict all-white dress code at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. At Roland Garros, the rules are far more relaxed.

Players can rock any color they wish to. But when it comes to outfits, there’s still a bit of a grip here. They can wear their shorts, t-shirts, skirts, and dresses how they want, but the appearance still has to meet the standard of a tennis player on the international stage.

That’s why they are prohibited from showing any kind of political messages on their outfits.

Another key aspect of clay-court tennis is the shoes players wear. Clay is the slipperiest surface of them all, and players need to slide on it during rallies, which is why they need shoes with much better grooves and grip.

As for spectators, there are no restrictions as such. But overly casual or offensive clothing may be frowned upon, and being indecent can get them kicked out of the arena. Casual shirts and chic Parisian clothing have been the norm for those coming to Rolland Garros for years. For women, the choices are more, with jumpsuits, tailored shirts, and skirts being among the favorites.

That said, people in the VIP section are held to a more formal standard of dress, with men opting for blazers, suits, or Polo shirts, while women prefer pantsuits and elaborate tops. It’s not as strict as Wimbledon, where seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton was once removed from Center Court for not wearing formals, though.

Players have often used the lax clothing regulations at Roland Garros to make bold fashion choices on the court. Naomi Osaka, for instance, paid tribute to her Japanese heritage by wearing a cherry blossom-themed outfit in 2025. She wore a Nike-designed pink dress with color-coordinated varsity jackets and followed a similar hair and nail style.

That said, organizers do give players some leeway, but they can get frustrated if someone pushes too far beyond it.

Serena Williams’ “Catsuit” left French Open bosses fuming

Three-time winner at Roland Garros, Serena Williams got into trouble with the authorities in 2018 for wearing an eye-catching black catsuit. It challenged fashion norms on the tennis court. Female players normally wore skirts or dresses, but Williams pushed the boundaries not just because of fashion, but for medical reasons too.

Williams was returning after giving birth to her daughter, Olympia, and she wore the catsuit because it was what her body needed. It enabled blood circulation, which was affected during her surgery.

However, there was a massive backlash, especially from the President of the French Tennis Federation, Bernard Giudicelli, who called the skin-hugging suit not up to the standards of a Grand Slam competition. He later introduced reforms to the dress code, making it compulsory for all apparel manufacturers to submit their designs to the Federation for prior approval.

“The outfit of Serena this year, for example, will no longer be accepted. You have to respect the game and the place. Everyone wants to enjoy the showcase,” Giudicelli had said to Tennis Magazine.

Serena, however, didn’t care what the President of the FTF had to say. She had the support of the public and, in a lot of ways, paved the way for future generations to express themselves on court however they want and need to. Players like Osaka, who wore cherry blossom-themed accessories at last year’s French Open, and Marta Kostyuk, who showed up to Wimbledon 2024 in a dress inspired by her own wedding gown, are proof of that.

“It feels like this suit represents all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically, and with their bodies, to come back and have confidence and believe in themselves,” Williams told the media during the tournament.