How to Pick the Right Tennis Skirt for You

First off you might be wondering if you have to wear a skirt to play tennis. The short answer is no, but if you're going to play at a private club, you should check to see if there is a dress code. The tennis skirt and dress are traditional options for the court, but women can also compete in shorts, and just a few years ago, leggings were approved for professional matches. Still, we like tennis skirts for that "dressed up" feeling, especially on match days, plus they're comfortable to play in, and with today's performance fabrics, they breathe well too. Here are some things you'll want to look for when choosing a skirt for your next on-court session.

Aside from style, like prints versus solids, there's plenty to think about when picking a skirt. Waistband material, built-in tights or shorts, fabric, silhouette and length are all features that you'll want to consider.

There was a time when tennis skirts came with zippers and buttons, but those days are gone, at least when designed for the court! The most popular tennis skirts are a pull-on style with encased or exposed elastic at the waistband. Skirt waistbands generally don't have hidden inner drawcords when designed for tennis, and if we're honest, we prefer it that way. The drawcords can add unnecessary bulk and with today's trend of shorter tops that kiss the top of the waistband, the no-drawcord design provides a cleaner look.

Tennis skirts primarily come with integrated tights, or shorties as we call them at Tennis Warehouse. Shorties are designed not only for support and coverage, but they're also the primary way you can hold spare tennis balls. A lot of players will tuck spare balls under the hem of the inner shorties, although some skirts have ball pockets on the built-in tights. Because tennis skirts most often come with built-in shorts, you'll sometimes see them called tennis skorts.

Some tennis skirts have pockets, although most don't. They're not really a functional way to carry tennis balls since the ball would move around uncomfortably as you run around the court. Still, we're all for a bit of storage for keys or phone, so if this is you too, you can find high performance tennis skirts with pockets. We especially love tennis skirts with pockets for those times we wear them casually. You can filter our skirts to find those with pockets if that's something you're looking for.

Performance tennis skirts are offered in two basic fabric types. We're not talking about material (cotton, polyester, nylon, etc.), but rather we are talking about the construction of the fabric. A knit skirt has a softer feel that drapes better. Woven fabric is lighter, and although we would hesitate to say stiffer because it shouldn't be scratchy, woven skirts are going to hold their shape better (think pleats).

Is one better than the other?

Both skirts work just fine for the court, and it often comes down to preference. However, there are some instances where one might be favored over the other.

When you might favor knits

• Silhouette: The slim-fitting, straight skirts feel great in knits because that fabric type often stretches better. Even when a woven material has spandex added to it for enhanced flex, the knit skirt is going to offer better mobility.
  
• Weather: When temperatures are mild or cool on court, knits offer more coverage and are often a heavier weight than their woven counterparts, even when they are considered lightweight.

When you might favor woven

• Silhouette: The tight pleats, or micropleat, style works best in a woven fabric because it will hold its shape better wash after wash. Pleats look great when you can get a sharp edge, and the woven fabric provides that for you.
• Weather: When it's super hot! Woven skirts feel nice and light. The inner shorties on performance tennis skirts are almost always made of a knit for comfort and mobility, but when the outer skirt shell is woven, the feeling is lighter overall, which is great for hotter conditions.

Choosing your favorite tennis skirt shape is primarily a style preference, but we'll share our tips and thoughts to help guide you through the decision.

Straight skirts: If you want a super sporty, athletic look, this is the way to go. There's something to be said about a no-frills design that lets you compete with your mind solely on the game. One thing to note here is length. We tend to find that the best straight tennis skirts are no longer than mid-thigh. Any longer and you might find it restrictive as you go for that forehand way out wide!

Pleats: A pleated skirt screams tennis classic. Pleat styles run the gamut from micro pleats, box pleats, full pleats, half pleats ... we've even seen skirts with pleats three-quarters around the hem! The style note here is that pleats often lend a touch of preppy style (or a lot depending on how you style the outfit).

Flouncy: By flouncy, we mean skirts that drape lightly and flow gently at the hem. They are a great all-around option that offer plenty of freedom to move. Their relatively simple silhouette makes them easy to pair with a variety of tops.

Ruffled or Tiered: These offer a bit more design and can be a great way to incorporate more colors and textures into your look since designers will sometimes use additional colors, prints, fabric types, and even mesh, in the layers.

These are four common silhouettes, although you will find other design elements like smocked waistbands, pockets, asymmetrical hems and more on tennis skirts.

Unlike in golf, we haven't heard of anywhere that requires skirts to be a certain length to play tennis. Since players come in all heights, skirts come in a wide range of lengths. Most tennis skirts are designed to fall around the end of the fingertips when your arms are hanging by your side, and the most common length is in the 13 inch range. Still, there are many that come shorter and longer, and it's mostly up to what you find most comfortable. We sort tennis skirts by length to help you narrow down the selection if length is an important factor for you.

Tennis skirts might not be required to play tennis, but they certainly can make you feel good on court. And although it may sound a bit cliche, there is some truth to the saying "look good, feel good." And for tennis, feeling good can mean playing well! Choosing the right tennis skirt is largely a personal choice based on style, but here are a few good tips to remember.

• Look for skirts with elastic waistbands.
• Built-in shorts are great to store spare balls. If your skirt doesn't have any, we would recommend wearing compression shorts or bike shorts underneath.
• Consider the style of skirt along with your comfort level when choosing tennis skirts. Form-fitting skirts are more comfortable to play in when they're not too long. Other skirt silhouettes are less length dependent.
• Most of all, make sure you're comfortable with the style and fabric and have fun!

Feeling ready to find your new favorite skirt? Our experts have organized a list of the best tennis skirts of the year to help you get started!