01 Feb 2011, Posted by Erica E Phillips in Features,Style, 2 Comments

Just Being Honest: Our On-Court Fashion Review of the Australian Open

Green was the word in Melbourne, by golly. Kimmy and Andy’s jungle-colored T’s took them straight to the top, while Rafa’s red stopped him up short … or was that the viral infection?

Sure, Federer looked classy in his white-and-yellow. As expected, Nole’s play far outshone his bland and outdated stripey-pipey number. And Frannie … what can we say? Stick with cap sleeves and be done with it? That criss-cross fabric embellishment was god-awful.

But for our review, we wanted to focus on some outfits that fell deeper in the pack. This year’s Aussie hit highs and lows as extreme as a Hollywood award show. Let’s get to it.

1. Robin Soderling

Erica: Fault. The Swede was certainly summoning his Viking heritage here. Next time, Robin, maybe you could complete the look with a couple thick braids?

Hilary: Fault.  All of a sudden I have Wiz Khalifa in my head…”Black and yellow, black and yellow, black and yellow…”

2. Fernando Verdasco

Erica: Double Fault. Nando, as much as you might think it, you’re just not a futbolista. You play tennis. And that mohawk, wow. Pull it together, hombre.

Hilary: Let.  In general, I liked that many of the dudes rocked some 90′s-tastic neon in Melbourne, but this one was not one of my favorites.  Side note: if you are going to sport such bold colors, you have GOT to match the wristband.

3. Julia Goerges

Erica: Let. Jules, I think you know how, ahem, revealing your outfit was. That said, it was cute and subdued and it’s not like we should blame you for having a huge … forehand. Um, just maybe consider some extra support next time.

Hilary: Ace.  True, it was revealing, but any outfit that can turn a guy’s attention away from Maria Sharapova has got to deserve some credit.  (Focus group: my fiance).

4. Andrea Petkovic

Erica: Let. That’s right “let” — as in I’m letting you get away with this outfit because you are totally adorable and I love your winning dances. Here’s to many more where that came from!

Hilary: Ace.  This green looked great on her, and she accessorized perfectly: with a matching wristband and some killer dance moves.

5. Caroline Wozniacki

Erica: Double Fault. I don’t even have a word in my vocabulary to describe that weird, weird skirt. It wasn’t a hoop skirt, it wasn’t a tutu, is wasn’t a mumu … Here’s a thought: might Caro have been evoking the Wimbledon women of yesteryear? That’s all I got.

Hilary: Double Fault. This dress was so fugly, matching nails couldn’t even save it.  Are we sure Stella McCartney is still designing her clothes and not Urkel? (Couldn’t resist throwing in another 90′s-tastic reference).

6. Venus Williams

Erica: Double Fault. Ow, Venus. This hurt to look at.

Hilary: Triple Fault.  That’s right, I invented a whole new rating to capture how much I hated this outfit.  This makes her boudoir French Open outfit and sparkly US Open second-skins look like haute couture.  The lattice tummy was not flattering, even on a skinny minny like Venus, and I can’t even comment on the skirt.  I generally appreciate her taking fashion risks, but this is not a reward for anyone.

7. Maria Sharapova

Erica: Ace. Gorgeous, classy, original color combination, worn like an absolute queen. The only problem — I thought you came to these things to play tennis.

Hilary: Ace.  Another fashion win for MaSha.  So refreshing to see a flattering and not overly revealing outfit that looks great both when she plays and when she doesn’t. Like most of her on-court outfits, I want this one in my closet.Venus and Caro, are you taking notes?

8. Ana Ivanovic

Erica: Ace. This dress had its oddities, to be sure, but I liked the quirkiness. The hole in the back, the early 90s secondary colors, the zipper — something about it made me wish that Ana hadn’t been eliminated in R1. Oh also? Her hair looked killer.

Hilary: Let.  This dress is a vast improvement over the two-tone pink number she sported much of last year, but I don’t think it did anything for her body.  She worked really hard in the off-season to tone up and get in shape, and I was hoping for an outfit that showed that off–perhaps this dress was just a bit too big for her.

Do you agree with our ratings?  Let us know in the comments.

—

A definition of ranking terms:

• Ace – The ensemble was a hit, pleasing the crowd and distracting opponents while demonstrating a sense of style beyond the court. Loved it.
• Let – Close, but slightly off the mark. At least you tried.
• Fault – Okay, we expected more. Is this a practice outfit?
• Double Fault – Whoa. An absolutely unacceptable choice for the court. You really should know better.