trend setter...glorious gussie

Tuesday night is a dinner and sleepover date for mum and me.
As Wimbledon is on the telly, and M is a great tennis fan, we had a long conversation about tennis and fashions.

Back in 1949, Gertrude Augusta Moran asked Teddy Tinling to design her outfit for her first appearance on the hallowed grass courts.
With an idea for sleeves and skirt of different colours, he declined with the white only clothing policy, BUT he did make her a white dress and white,lace trimmed knickers.
The dress was short enough to reveal said knickers when playing and it caused a HUGE fuss, not only amongst the scandalised officials but in Parliament too.
She was accused of bringing 'vulgarity and sin into tennis,' and photographers lay flat on the ground to get a flash of the lace!
Regardless of the hoo ha, she was a finalist in the doubles tournament...pretty cool.
Go 'Gussie'!!

And on a similar theme, Karol Fageros wore gold lame and black lace knickers at Wimbledon in 1958 , also causing a great fuss and furore.