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They try. They really do. All-white clothing, they say. Must be submitted for inspection before the tournament, they say. But not even these strict controls can prevent clothing from being a perennial topic during Wimbledon.
On a rainy Saturday at the All England Club, let’s take a look at some of the fashion statements made during the week.
Roger Federer
Federer is fast eclipsing Andre Agassi as the most fashion-conscious No. 1 ever, even if their styles do run in opposite directions.
Jacket II made its debut on Federer this year, accompanied by specially-designed shoes, sweater, and bag for moral support. It’s unlikely that Federer needs extra motivation at Wimbledon this year – a win would tie him with Bjorn Borg for five consecutive titles – but the prospect of walking off a loser in that outfit should suffice.
Maria Sharapova
 Sharapova is doing her rendition of Swan Lake in this year’s Wimbledon dress, though she’s hoping her fortnight will have a happier end than the famous ballet. Sharapova said the look wasn't intetnional to start with - the pleats were added simply to give the dress a more distinctive look than a plain white one - but she went with it when she saw the effect
As swan impressions go, it’s quite a good one, particularly on her long-limbed frame. Sharapova
“My coach saw it the other day and he said he started feeding bread to it,” joked Sharapova. “So he got it.”
Just as well, or the next dress might be a less subtle version inspired by Bjork.
Serena and Venus Williams
Their gold-laced Wilson racquets were supposed to be their fashion statements for the event, but it was their outfits that have inadvertently inspired more talk.
Serena’s semi-backless dress made spectators shiver in sympathy when she played her first two matches in chilly conditions. Venus, who has boyfriend Hank Kuehne here with her, went retro with shorts when her skirt proved too big.
Svetlana Kuznetsova
 She's never been known as a fashion plate, even getting criticized for a recent purple number whose primary feature was to emphasize sweat marks.
Maybe it had an effect. Whatever the reason, she’s been turning heads by sporting braids and a Bjorn Borg-esque headband.
We don't know who did the braids,but the headband is courtesy of Fila, which sponsors Kuznetsova and clothed Borg during his heyday.
Filipo Volandri
Even if you’re not one of the biggest names on the circuit, national ties can land you a prestigious deal. Italy’s No. 1 was sporting an outfit designed by Dolce & Gabbana when he made his first-round appearance at Wimbledon earlier this week.
Unfortunately for Volandri and his designer sponsors, it was also his last appearance at Wimbledon this year.
After a brilliant clay season that included a win over Roger Federer at Volandri's home event in Rome, he lost in straight sets to Nicholas Kiefer at the All England Club. (Photo courtesy of Ray Gubilo/Tennis Italiano)
Tatiana Golovin
 A splash of red resulted in Tati making a splash at Wimbledon once again. It's not the first time her outfit has grabbed headlines - remember those low-cut shorts from a couple of years ago?
The red shorts avoid breaking the Wimbledon's all-white clothing rules because they're shorter than the hemline of the dress. That means they're considered underwear, and the tournament doesn’t require underwear to be submitted for advance approval - probably because no one can figure out how to write up the job description. So Golovin remained within the letter, if not the spirit, of the law.
Bethanie Mattek, the most iconoclastic dresser on the circuit, reportedly also did the same thing – but in blue.
 Feliciano Lopez
F-Lo. Why is he here?
Because he’s F-Lo, of course.
Blows a two-set lead but pulls it together to defeat home hero Tim Henman in the second round, then goes out to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in his next match.
Looks good doing it though.
 Linespeople
Wimbledon is not a theme park, but it’s hard to be sure after catching a glimpse of the linespeople and umpires walking around like extras from Jeeves and Wooster. If Ralph Lauren was going for classic yet contemporary (as they should be), this isn’t it.
On the plus side, there's no giant splodge on the left hand side a la the US Open, and the old green outfits used before the company signed on as a sponsor last year had become a bit stale.
Remove the white stripes on the blazer and scrap the hat, and all will be fine.
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