Show Us Your Dresses!

[Angle Queen]

I have a couple of tennis dresses and I have found the best spankies to wear underneath them are the yoga shorts made by Lululemon.

I was just about to suggest yoga shorts. I've only got one pair (I need to fix that!) but they are indeed the best. It's something in how the leg opening seams aren't so fitted and the overall cut of the pant.

So give the "yoga" aisle/page a look-see for something that might work.

And LOL, I haven't heard 'em called spankies in a long time. I think that's what we called 'em in HS (decades ago and one state further south). They call 'em "lollies" or "fancy pants" around here. First time I heard the former term, I kept looking for someone to show up and handout lollipops like bank tellers do. And the latter term, don't even get me started on the image that conjures up.

 

[Inga]

I find the lululemon stuff very cheap quality -- a couple of washes and it's all pilled and old-looking. also, the material picks up anything you sit on and things get stuck in the weave & are impossible to wash out.

cindy, in this thread, had recommended the bolle shorts and they're very good. I have an old pair of adidas that I love. (on the brief-type undergarment, many of them are sold with ball pockets.)

 

[catfish]

I find the lululemon stuff very cheap quality -- a couple of washes and it's all pilled and old-looking. also, the material picks up anything you sit on and things get stuck in the weave & are impossible to wash out.

cindy, in this thread, had recommended the bolle shorts and they're very good. I have an old pair of adidas that I love. (on the brief-type undergarment, many of them are sold with ball pockets.)

I have some Bolle shorts that I bought a couple of years ago (on Cindy's recommendation) and I love them. However, I bought some new ones a couple of weeks ago and the sizing is all different. I had to go up a size, and the new material is not as substantial. Also, the the back of the waistband sags down because the new sizing does not accommodate "junk in the trunk". Fortunately, TW has that great free return shipping policy so the exchange process was easy.

I need to find some new compression shorts. I've had to cut them out of some of my skorts because they are too flimsy, won't hold a tennis ball, and ride up badly. I still have some old versions of the Nike Power Skorts. The fabric is substantial, and the compression shorts are fairly long. I wish they still made those. The newer Nike Skorts have flimsy compression shorts that are not long enough and ride up.

 

[GMay]

With regard to Inga's comment about Lululemon, I am quite surprised. I have several skirts as well as the yoga shorts and yoga pants and have not had any problems. I believe most of their stuff comes with a five year guarantee so you should try returning it.

Also, I do not dry any of my tennis clothes in the dryer so that may be the diffference. They do have specific wash instructions such as don't wash with towels, etc.

 

[Inga]

Oh, I dry everything. I SHOULD return that stuff -- thank you for the tip.

 

[XFactorer]

Oh, I dry everything. I SHOULD return that stuff -- thank you for the tip.

I dry all my stuff, and I haven't had a shrinkage problem. But then again, maybe guys' stuff is constructed differently or with different DriFit materials.

 

[Angle Queen]

But then again, maybe guys' stuff is constructed differently or with different DriFit materials.

It is. And it's a HUGE pet peeve of mine. Can't imagine any manufacturer in their right mind that would make a pair of pants for men...that didn't have pockets in them. And let's not even start on (the fabric for) swimwear. Talk about stuff that picks and is see-thru when wet. Never happen on mens trunks.

I think drying really does kill clothes. I am fortunate to have the luxury of a real laundry room that I can hang wet/damp clothes in as well as a clothesline outside. One of the reason I bought this house. So many of the Homeowners Associations around here outright prohibit clothesline. How green is that?

 

[Inga]

I haven't had a problem drying most clothes -- most brands stand up to it (I have an old Lilly Pulitzer skirt & top that's probably been dried 100 times and looks new -- I wish they still made tennis clothes). Polo, Lacoste, K-Swiss, Tail -- none of that stuff's ruined by drying. It's just the Lululemon stuff that pills and picks up all sorts of lint and debris.

There are some brands that look better after they've been washed & dried many times. Last fall I bought a Boast tennis shirt and the more I wash & dry it, the softer and more comfortable it gets, and the color's slowly fading into this luscious, lovely, subdued blue.

 

[zapvor]

fancy pants! sorry we have a whole bunch of them at work and they are hilarious

 

[Inga]

why doesn't nike sell the shorts to go with their colored dresses?

http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/phot...4e189a38c-getty-107741046cc231_sony_ericsso:1

 

[GMay]

Well, I dry very few of my clothes since I moved to AZ. We had to got a new dryer when we moved down here and I don't like the heat settings, the dryer thinks it is smarter than me! Also, there is not cold water in the Summer so I don't want any more heat than is necessary.

 

[Cindysphinx]

I never put any tennis gear or exercise clothing in the drier. As a result, I have running pants that are ten years old and still fit great. I've had some of my Bolle skirts since 2006 and they look as good as the day I bought them. I have two big drying racks in the basement.

As for the Bolle compression shorts, I still like them. They have changed them, but I can't tell any difference in fit or durability.

I think the Lululemon idea is a good one. Trouble is, the Bolle shorts are $18, and I don't think Lululemon's pricing gun goes that low, if you know what I mean.

Lastly, I have changed my wash regimen. You'll recall that I had a lot of tennis clothes that were permanently smelly. I was using WIN, but that was expensive but effective.

Now I use Tide sport detergent with Febreze, with a massive dose of Oxyclean powder. Second rinse cycle, lest the Tide leave your clothes smelling like a French brothel. Much cheaper than buying WIN, and just as effective.

And while I am making random recommendations, I am really falling in love with these:

So light, so easy. No annoying tails hanging down on your shoulders. Petite and dainty.

I have the two-pack, the wide one in black and the white one in the narrow. My daughters have informed me that the narrow white one looks like I am using a Kotex pad as a headband.

I don't care. I'm using it anyway.

 

[Maui19]

Hey those aren't dresses!

 

[cghipp]

I think they're cute, but I have to admit that my first thought about the second one was that it looks sort of like a pantiliner tied around the head.

 

[Cindysphinx]

The narrow one is perfect for doubles, when you mostly just need hair control. The wide one is for singles.

Hey, if Dolgopolov can wear a teenage girl's headband and Tsonga can wear a dainty visor on his head, I can wear a pantyliner!

 

[XFactorer]

The narrow one is perfect for doubles, when you mostly just need hair control. The wide one is for singles.

Hey, if Dolgopolov can wear a teenage girl's headband and Tsonga can wear a dainty visor on his head, I can wear a pantyliner!

That teenage girl happens to be Azarenka. And she's a woman now. ;-)

 

[zapvor]

Hey those aren't dresses!

i think those would be awesome dresses

 

[Cindysphinx]

That teenage girl happens to be Azarenka. And she's a woman now. ;-)

Correction: I meant *my* teenage girls' headbands!

 

[cghipp]

I love that Fila "Heritage" dress that was mentioned a couple of pages back. I tried on this one:

...last week and it was really cute on - but WAAY SHORT for me! And I'm only 5'7" on a "good height day." If there were some coordinating bike shorts to go with it, I'd be all over that. I love the look of a lot of the FILA clothes, but there's always some reason or another that they don't work on my body. I keep trying, though!

 

[Cindysphinx]

I constantly fret about the length of my dresses.

They seem either too short (and I worry I am showing too much) or too long (and I worry that I look like I'm wearing a housecoat).

The pros wear their dresses extremely short, even when they are not tall. Here's Cibulkova:

 

[Inga]

I like the new fila heritage dress, too. I don't need any more tennis clothes, but I'll purchase that dress anyway.

After nearly a year of debate, I finally bought this kswiss skirt (in white):

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/KSw...ed_Pleat_Skort/descpageWAKSWISS-KSBWSPS.html#

It's totally adorable. The low waist means the pleats are actually flattering, and the white is a solid, opaque white you can't see through (nothing bugs me more than see-through whites). I bought one of the white kswiss tanks to go with it. cute enough to wear to lunch after tennis.

 

[Topaz]

I plan on getting that dress too! Lol! TW will sell out in a day at this rate!

 

[sureshs]

I constantly fret about the length of my dresses.

They seem either too short (and I worry I am showing too much) or too long (and I worry that I look like I'm wearing a housecoat).

The pros wear their dresses extremely short, even when they are not tall. Here's Cibulkova:

That is a bit too short. Are you going to try it?

 

[Angle Queen]

Wow! Lotta action here since I last checked in. Nice to know some of the other gender checks in every now and then.

Me...I'm bundled up in multiple layers as we've started playing outside. Ugh!!!

 

[XFactorer]

Where's the talk of Sharapova's new dress?? I looove it!

 

[Cindysphinx]

See how short the dresses are getting? Almost a tunic:

 

[cghipp]

Venus's last dress was almost a tunic, too - as in, almost long enough to be one.

 

[Mauvaise]

I bought this dress:

It's pricier than I'd normally pay, but I thought it would be flattering to my body type (overweight). And it is - as flattering as anything can be when you need to drop 30lbs. I love it and am looking forward to debuting it in May when I have my first night match of the year. I may break it out next weekend (4/9) if the weather cooperates (I'm in Phoenix - and black isn't a summer colour).

I also bought another Prince dress on clearance:

But in a pink (they call it "berry") colour. I like it for the most part, however, the side mesh panels are a little weird. But since I always have to wear a real sports bra in addition to the dresses, it doesn't matter. It was cheap enough that I can keep it even if I don't love it.

Now I have (4) dresses and (3) skorts. I like dresses better because then I don't have to find a matching top (I'm lazy).


I also think I'm going to pick up some of those headband things pictured above. I sweat like crazy and those are attractive and more 'girly' than the tie ones (plus, as was mentioned, the ties do sometimes annoying me hanging down my back).

 

[Mauvaise]

And while I am making random recommendations, I am really falling in love with these:

So light, so easy. No annoying tails hanging down on your shoulders. Petite and dainty.

I have the two-pack, the wide one in black and the white one in the narrow. My daughters have informed me that the narrow white one looks like I am using a Kotex pad as a headband.

I don't care. I'm using it anyway.

Where did you get those? I looked in the Nike section on TW, but didn't see them.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Didn't buy them at TW. I have seen them at all of the major tennis on-line retailers except TW.

Maybe TW should carry them?

 

[Cindysphinx]

I bought this dress:

Oooh, I saw that dress! It really does look like it might shave off some pounds. I thought about it, but I am on a strict "No More Tennis Attire For You!" program.

Although I do need some black shirts with cap sleeves . . .

 

[Mauvaise]

Oooh, I saw that dress! It really does look like it might shave off some pounds. I thought about it, but I am on a strict "No More Tennis Attire For You!" program.

Although I do need some black shirts with cap sleeves . . .

Don't forget it also has the great sweetheart neckline as well. At least that's what I think it's called. I'm not the most forward-fashioned females on the planet.

 

[max]

M: good dress. I'm not always sold on black, but that works there: neat lines.

 

[Mauvaise]

Didn't buy them at TW. I have seen them at all of the major tennis on-line retailers except TW.

Maybe TW should carry them?

I think they should! I did find them - at an outdoor recreational retail establishment (not sure if we're not allowed to talk about other stores on this forum) for which I had a gift card given to me at Christmas time from one of my vendors. I bought two sets, one in red & black and one in white & black. I also got one of these in black (but not from the store whose image I used):

 

[Cindysphinx]

I busted out this dress last night. Several of us decided to wear dresses to celebrate the last match of the season.

It's just amazing. I got so many compliments on it. It felt good. Nothing about it annoyed me. I could stand for it to be two inches shorter, but long is probably better given my age. I think their is going to be a stampede to that discount retailer to see if they have any others.

Hey, one of my teammates has started wearing knee-high socks that coordinate with her tennis clothes. It is such a cute look! Very Bethany Mattik Sands.

 

[Mauvaise]

I've been a bad girl.

<snip>

Regular price is $110, so that's too much. Sale price was -- get this -- $29.99.

I bought it. Thereby breaking my "No More Tennis Clothing Purchases" pledge.

Pretty!! And since you already broke your pledge, you may as well try out the black Reebok I posted above-thread.

/enabling

 

[Cindysphinx]

Doh!!

I was all prepared to wear the green Nike for a match tomorrow. It would be my first match for a new team -- they needed a warm body because they were short a player, so I figured I would sub in for this one match.

Then the captain emailed me that our colors are black and white, specifically a black skirt and white shirt.

It seems like the whole world is conspiring to prevent me from wearing my dresses!

Making matters worse is that Tail has come out with a dress that I know would look amazing on me and I can't buy it on account of my pledge:

 

[Angle Queen]

Team unis? We're lucky if we have team shirts...if/when we make the Playoffs. LOL.

And, Cindy, that orange number is gorgeous. Break that Pledge!

I could never be an AA sponsor.

 

[zapvor]

i dont know that nike dress isnt doing it for me

 

[Cindysphinx]

i dont know that nike dress isnt doing it for me

It makes my butt look spectacular. So yeah, the dress is doin' it.

 

[precision2b]

It makes my butt look spectacular. So yeah, the dress is doin' it.

Photo's please...:mrgreen:

 

[zapvor]

It makes my butt look spectacular. So yeah, the dress is doin' it.

hmm...isnt that like saying your racket is making you play better?

 

[Cindysphinx]

hmm...isnt that like saying your racket is making you play better?

Good one!!

Funny story. Off topic, but here goes anyway.

I joined a local club team and played my first match yesterday. The deal with this league is that they needed a warm body to come out and play this one match so they wouldn't default. I was free, so I decided to do it as a favor. Especially enticing was the price: Free. Eh, a little tennis, some refreshments afterward, a chance to meet some new people. Why not?

Beforehand, the captain told me about the uniform. White top, black bottoms. No problem. I have a drawer full of stuff that fit the bill. I put on one of my fitted Adidas sleeveless white shirts.

I get there, and I find that they have a team shirt with the club name on it. It costs $15. The cheapest, flimsiest shirt you can imagine. I would hesitate to use this thing to dust my coffee table. Blech. The captain pulls one out for me, size medium.

Now, I could have been a jerk, I suppose, and refused to buy it even though everyone else was wearing it. No, I pulled out $15 and put it on.

It looked like I was wearing a housecoat. It was baggy, too wide in the shoulders and came down so low that only three inches of my skirt was visible. I am short and short-waisted. I looked ridiculous.

During the match, I could not get this shirt out of my mind. Every time I moved, I felt like I had a towel wrapped around me. It was so distracting!

So yeah, clothes matter on a tennis court.

 

[crystal_clear]

Good one!!

Funny story. Off topic, but here goes anyway.

I joined a local club team and played my first match yesterday. The deal with this league is that they needed a warm body to come out and play this one match so they wouldn't default. I was free, so I decided to do it as a favor. Especially enticing was the price: Free. Eh, a little tennis, some refreshments afterward, a chance to meet some new people. Why not?

Beforehand, the captain told me about the uniform. White top, black bottoms. No problem. I have a drawer full of stuff that fit the bill. I put on one of my fitted Adidas sleeveless white shirts.

I get there, and I find that they have a team shirt with the club name on it. It costs $15. The cheapest, flimsiest shirt you can imagine. I would hesitate to use this thing to dust my coffee table. Blech. The captain pulls one out for me, size medium.

Now, I could have been a jerk, I suppose, and refused to buy it even though everyone else was wearing it. No, I pulled out $15 and put it on.

It looked like I was wearing a housecoat. It was baggy, too wide in the shoulders and came down so low that only three inches of my skirt was visible. I am short and short-waisted. I looked ridiculous.

During the match, I could not get this shirt out of my mind. Every time I moved, I felt like I had a towel wrapped around me. It was so distracting!

So yeah, clothes matter on a tennis court.

Poor Cindy~ " only three inches of my skirt was visible." I can't help laugh hard.

 

[esgee48]

Cindy: Interesting comment about the team shirt. From a guy's perspective, couldn't you cut out the team logo and rubber cement or sew it on one of your nicer white shirts in the same general area? Then use the rest of the white shirt as a dust rag? Wear your version the next time with the explanation that their shirt was TOO BIG? Just my 2 cents.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Maybe I will just take a washable marker and write the team name on my own white fitted shirt.

 

[crystal_clear]

Cindy: Interesting comment about the team shirt. From a guy's perspective, couldn't you cut out the team logo and rubber cement or sew it on one of your nicer white shirts in the same general area? Then use the rest of the white shirt as a dust rag? Wear your version the next time with the explanation that their shirt was TOO BIG? Just my 2 cents.

It is a good idea to have Team logo patches and just iron the patches to the tennis outfit.

 

[Mauvaise]

Cindy: Interesting comment about the team shirt. From a guy's perspective, couldn't you cut out the team logo and rubber cement or sew it on one of your nicer white shirts in the same general area? Then use the rest of the white shirt as a dust rag? Wear your version the next time with the explanation that their shirt was TOO BIG? Just my 2 cents.

Or if you (or someone you know) is handy with a needle & thread (or sewing machine), cut off the bottom "hem" remove the excess shirt, and reattach the hem. Of course, it won't do anything about the width, but at least it'll help somewhat.

But yeah, the suggestion above is the best option if they'll allow it.

 

[Angle Queen]

So yeah, clothes matter on a tennis court.

Sorry you got stuck with a crummy shirt/purchase. Demote it to that dust rag and call the 15-bucks a "court fee."

But to your larger point, I do think clothes can matter on the tennis court. Certainly, ill-fitting or constricting clothes can limit movement...inherently necessary for sport. But we've all got outfits we can rock on the court. Some might describe them as a "lucky" shirt (ask a bowler) or a sentimental fav (I won such-an-such in that), but as a woman, I think clothes I look good in...give me just that little bit of extra confidence that carries over into how I play.

I might just be a little housewife from the 'burbs...I just don't have to look that way.

 

[max]

As a man, I agree with Angle Queen on the confidence factor. From a male perspective, I may not like the fact that I feel better wearing something that looks good, but it's a reality. At least for me. It's a bit like having the right string at the right tension---one less thing to worry about.

Of course, one of my most satisfying wins was beating a really splendidly clad gentleman whilst looking completely ratty.