The Coolest Looks At Wimbledon, From Charli XCX To Dave Grohl

All the action from off the court.

It’s always a place to be seen and this year’s event was no different, with attention trained on famous fans as much as athletes; Dave Grohl and Beckham were both there.

With myriad references to pull from and a long history, what does one wear to Wimbledon?

Discussing the event on a recent episode of Fashion People, Puck’s Lauren Sherman advised not to wear tennis-inspired clothing. She’s not wrong. Some of the strongest looks eschewed sportswear in favour of tailoring, day dresses and crisp fare, with preppy, Sloaney style the most notable trends this year.

Ralph Lauren dressed a slew of names, and it’s interesting for an American brand to be so embedded in a British event. It has been a partner for the tournament for just shy of two decades, and beyond the famous faces — including Joe Alwyn, Alexa Chung, William Gao, Ncuti Gatwa, Sachin Tendulkar and more — perhaps best of all was the outfitting for the court crew, who all looked spiffing in a medley of blazers, stripes and navy and white.

But back to the stands; here are the best looks.

Charli XCX

You don’t need to dress to a brief when you’ve got the hottest album of summer. The black lace is a canny choice though; there’s an heirloom quality to it, fitting of a historic event like this, but it’s also bratty and sexy.

Chioma Nnadi, Nathalie Emmanuel, Alex Lanipekun, Ikram Abdi Omar, Natalia Gamero del Castillo, Shygirl and George Smale

Talk about holding court, look at this line-up of well-dressed talent. There’s Chioma Nnadi, who helms British Vogue, Game of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel, both wearing Ralph Lauren. Actor Alex Lanipekun is there too, as is Condé Nast Europe managing director Natalia Gamero del Castillo, and a stylish pair we’ve covered before in this column: Shygirl and George Smale. In front of them is Ikram Abdi Omar (the first model to wear a hijab on the cover of Vogue).

Alexa Chung

Serial Wimbledon attendee Alexa Chung — she looked so good last year in that purple sweater — was back again for 2024, and this Ralph Lauren ensemble is just the right dash of preppy without being fussy or stereotypical. It reminds me of a milky cup of PG Tips, a perfect visual not for such a quintessentially British event. It’s also practical for inclement weather.

Dame Mary Berry

A flamboyant serve of colour from the culinary queen. And though it’s hard to tear your eyes away from that print, the fabric-covered buttons and belt communicate a lovely message of quality.

Central Cee and Stormzy

What is British style? Whatever you want it to be. These looks are a great example of doing your own thing and subverting the cultural codes established around a historic event like this. There’s statement jewellery, and then there’s Central Cee’s encrusted profile of the late Queen Elizabeth. Stormzy is dressed with British regional flare, his T-shirt bearing a tube map of Southeast London, paired with a Louis Vuitton bucket hat. Brilliant.

Golda Rosheuvel

A striking iteration of Cabana stripes that feels more Centre Court than Côte d’Azur (a good thing). The Bridgerton star is wearing a dress by Jasper Conran London.

Leah Williamson

Lionesses captain Leah Williamson was at the Royal Box and dressed for the occasion in a three-piece suit (cut very nicely). She brought her dad along, which is the best accessory.

Kiera Knightly

A great example of Wimbledon whites off-court care of Virginie Viard’s Chanel. It’s giving Luella magazine, and it’s just the thing for Wimbledon in the year of our lord 2024 when twee is still clawing its way back into public consciousness and a new generation is trying to understand what indie sleaze was.

Leo Woodall and Jonah Hauer-King

Looking very dapper, they’re in Ralph Lauren. Both have been styled by Christopher Brown, who has built an impressive roster of male stars in across event and magazine work, from established names like David Beckham and Luke Evans, to the new guard of Leo, Jonah and Louis Patridge.

Laura Bailey

A different spin on posh and prim, this tweedy ensemble is cool and conservative in equal measure.

Dave Grohl

A backhand with spin from Dave Grohl; who saw this coming? His image is indelibly tied to grunge and, in more recent years, a more general style befitting a rock legend. The suit suits him, and perhaps we’ll see more of this given his appearance made headlines.

Emma Gleason is the deputy editor of lifestyle and entertainment (audience), and has worked on Viva for more than four years, contributing stories on culture, fashion and what’s going on in Auckland.

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