The Significance of Serena Williams' Tennis Outfit at Wimbledon

Tennis, Championship, Tennis player, Beauty, Fashion, Competition event, Street fashion, Performance, Muscle, Racquet sport,

(Image credit: Matthias Hangst)

published 3 July 2019

Serena Williams is back at Wimbledon in an all-white minidress with cutouts (white being the traditional color for the tournament), a super-fashionable statement to match her win over Giulia Gatto-Monticone. But, the outfit has even more special significance than first meets the eye, thanks to insight by Heidi Burgett of Nike.

The Nike swoosh, their iconic logo, is actually a brooch on her dress (Burgett calls it a "broosh"), and it has 34 Swarovski crystals to correspond with her age when Serena last won Wimbledon. It's like a good luck charm, as Serena chases her 8th Wimbledon win.

It's also a nice sign of support, considering Serena has faced backlash over her trademark catsuits, which she wore for health reasons to prevent blood clots. At the time that her catsuit was banned from future French Opens, Nike came out with a statement of support: "You can take the superhero out of her costume, but you can never take away her superpowers." Since then, brands have been helping Serena channel fierce fashion statements, like her magnificant cape at this year's French Open. So this is just the latest in a line of fashionable AND empowering moments for the tennis star. Update: her shoes are also getting in on the crystal action! Serena wore the Nike Flare Knit Low with Swarovski Ultrafine Crystal Rocks.

Here's a closeup of the "broosh":

Day Two: The Championships - Wimbledon 2019

I love it—and I can totally see other people wanting to wear it, too. She should totally wear it when she plays mixed doubles with Andy Murray (so exciting!!).

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.