Serena Brings Office Dress Code Politics to the Court
*By Carlo Versano*
Serena Williams's choice to take the court at the U.S. Open in something resembling a tutu added dimension to a debate that's been waged at more traditional offices across the country: what exactly is considered work-appropriate attire in 2018?
Most might not think of a tennis court as a workplace, but for sports pros that's exactly what it is. And a mega athlete at the top of her game donning a frilly, flamboyant costume seemed designed to make a statement, chief fashion critic for the New York Times Vanessa Friedman said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar.
But Friedman said she thinks Williams's choice "is fantastic" and "what athletes should do."
That is, athletes should wear what makes them feel good.
Williams' fashion statement comes as French tennis officials retroactively banned the catsuit she wore during this year's French Open, saying it did not "respect the game." That outfit, though, actually served a medical purpose, made of compression fabric to prevent the blood clots Williams suffered from after giving birth to her first child last September.
Medical needs aside, the episode raises the question of, in an era of casual dress ー where athleisure wear is *de rigueur* and many offices allow jeans at work ー why should female tennis players still have to wear skirts or dresses on the court?
In fact, Friedman said, there is no clause in the Grand Slam [rule book](https://www.itftennis.com/officiating/rulebooks/grand-slams.aspx) that requires dresses or skirts be worn on the court.
Instead, it's more a "social hangover" from an era when women had to conform to a stereotype in order to compete at the professional level, "because they were wearing the garb of women," Friedman said.
But times are different. Performance wear has evolved to better serve the needs of athletes. And in the age of social media, athletes are more attuned to their personal brands and styles.
The discussion reflects a broader one about what is appropriate when dress codes are left so vague, Friedman said.
"Respect is in the eye of the beholder."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-gender-politics-of-tennis-wardrobes).
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has been a driving force for youth mentorship since 1904. The nonprofit organization is launching its annual Big Draft campaign this month in partnership with the NFL, and Artis Stevens, the first Black CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, joined Cheddar to discuss the push for adding more "Bigs" as mentors on his one-year anniversary leading the non-profit organization. "While the NFL is recruiting and drafting more players, they're also helping us to draft more mentors and, particularly, men all the way from across February to all the way to April of this year," Stevens explained.
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Jim Riordan, Director of the MBA Sport Management program at Florida Atlantic University, breaks down the successes, failures, and chaos of the first seven months of the Name, Image, Likeness policy in college athletics; Adi Kunalic, President of Opendorse, discusses the first-ever association-wide deal in college athletics between Opendorse and the NAIA, and how Opendorse is marketing and educating student-athletes to make the most of their NIL deal potential; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Predicting a Pro'.
Jim Riordan, Director of the MBA Sport Management program at Florida Atlantic University, joins Cheddar Reveals to break down the successes, failures, and chaos of the first seven months of the Name, Image, Likeness policy in college athletics.
Adi Kunalic, President of Opendorse, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss the first-ever association-wide deal in college athletics between Opendorse and the NAIA, and how Opendorse is marketing and educating student-athletes to make the most of their NIL deal potential.
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We are a week away from the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and China has already faced a host of problems leading up to the opening ceremony of the Beijing games. DJ Peterson, president of Longview Global Advisors, joins Cheddar News to discuss the many concerns and controversies surrounding the event.
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Trysta Krick breaks down the Bengals-Chiefs matchup while Lester Ricard Jr. dissects what will be the third meeting of the season for the 49ers and Rams. Meanwhile, on the hardwood, Brian Bennett says that college basketball bettors should focus on a team's road wins as an early indicator for success in March.
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