Coco Gauff says her Grand Slam outfits are planned years in advance
Coco Gauff shares her thoughts on tennis core, finally competing in the Olympics, and more.
Coco Gauff may still be weeks away from her official Olympic debut in Paris, but there’s a good chance she already has her on- and off-the-court wardrobe ready to go.
While speaking to People magazine as she competes during Wimbledon, the tennis champion, 20, revealed she has her looks for Grand Slams planned well ahead of time: about two years, in fact.
“My Grand Slam outfits are planned basically a year to two years, even maybe sometimes longer in advance,” she explained.
That means the taxi-yellow New Balance kit Gauff wore during the Australian Open in January, which included a pair of her signature model, New Balance Coco CG1 tennis shoes in a bright colorway, was conceived as early as 2022. Nevertheless, the look was on trend, quickly spawning headlines and even garnering comparisons to Serena Williams’ on-court style.
However, even though Gauff’s looks are planned well in advance, nothing is “set in stone” until the big day.
The forethought is paying off; Gauff was dubbed tennis’ newest “Fashion It Girl” last summer after dazzling at the US Open in a neon yellow skirt set. She also starred on the cover of Vogue in March for a profile where she may have revealed her relationship status. From tennis whites that give off an attainable “quiet luxury” appeal to eye-catching bright coordinates, Gauff’s on-court style is feminine and youthful. Her off-court style, as exhibited on social media, in editorials, and at events, is equally playful. Making her aesthetic accessible to the masses, the tennis phenom’s trend-forward collection with New Balance also features vibrant colors, including coral and purple.
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While speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Gauff said streetwear makes her feel “most comfortable and powerful or cool.”
“But I like to flirt with different aesthetics too. Sometimes I like to be super girly and wear the maxi skirt,” she added.
Thanks to Zendaya’s stylish turn in the “Challengers” movie and press tour, tennis-core served up a strong game in early spring—a trend Gauff couldn’t help but appreciate.
“Tennis-core” taking off is so good,” she told WSJ, though she’s admittedly still warming up to the idea as an off-court trend.
“For me, it’s been a little weird to see your equipment, basically, taking off as trendy,” she continued. “Off-court, sometimes I try to incorporate it and sometimes I feel weird and end up taking it off.”
Gauff recalled asking followers on TikTok for help styling a polo shirt she’d thrifted. The biggest suggestion? A white tennis skirt.
“I was like, I’m trying to get away from that,” she said.
As she prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin July 26, Gauff said she’s excited to finally get to go. In 2020, the tennis pro memorably qualified and was selected for the Tokyo Olympics at the age of 16 but couldn’t attend after testing positive for COVID-19.
“I was pretty bummed,” she said. “It was a goal of mine since I started tennis.”
With Paris just weeks away, Gauff is also teeming with excitement to meet a few other big stars on Team USA. The top of her list includes “Simone Biles and Sha’Carri Richardson.”
