The new preppy rules: how Wimbledon 2026’s best-dressed stars modernised courtside style

Nicole Kidman returned to the Royal Box in a tailored cream suit, choosing understated suiting over traditional occasionwear. The clean silhouette and restrained palette let impeccable cut and proportion do the work, embodying the quieter, more relaxed approach to preppy dressing that defined this year’s spectator style.

The Spider-Man actor, next set to appear in Paul Greengrass’s The Uprising, leaned into contrast on day six: a relaxed, tonal periwinkle-blue Ralph Lauren suit worn with the matching shirt unbuttoned to reveal a thin gold chain. The soft, unstructured tailoring sat against decidedly rugged grooming—a full beard and long, wavy hair—giving the whole look an effortless, bohemian quality rarely seen in the Royal Box.

For the women’s singles final, Emily in Paris star Lily Collins demonstrated how to modernise Wimbledon classics in a Ralph Lauren cream turtleneck sweater with shoulder-button detailing and an asymmetric pleated skirt. A camel-toned shoulder bag and understated gold jewellery complemented the clean lines, while her sleek bob brought a contemporary edge to the otherwise timeless ensemble.

Ahead of her role as a young Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Elle Fanning brought playful colour to day ten in a pastel Dior silk-twill midi shirt-dress in light yellow, mint green and baby pink. She anchored the whimsical palette with a structured black Hermès Kelly bag and colourblocked Chanel slingback pumps with black patent toe caps—sharp, dark accents that stopped the dress from tipping into overly sweet territory.

For the women’s singles final, the Princess of Wales chose a crimson Roland Mouret peplum dress that paired sculptural tailoring with understated elegance. Nude Gianvito Rossi pumps and a taupe Tusting handbag completed the look, while the green-and-purple All England Club ribbon nodded to her role as patron. Catherine presented the Venus Rosewater Dish to champion Linda Nosková.

Football icon David Beckham used day one to prove that lightweight wool, not linen, is the smarter heatwave uniform, arriving in a custom-made grey double-breasted suit from Boss. A champagne-apricot satin tie and pocket square softened the grey tailoring, while a newly revamped 39mm Tudor Black Bay 58 watch signalled the shift toward smaller, historically grounded watch proportions.

Keira Knightley embraced a softer take on Wimbledon dressing in a white Ralph Lauren pussybow midi dress, its tie-neck, ruffled collar and belted waist bringing vintage charm to the tournament's enduring preference for crisp whites. Tortoiseshell sunglasses and strappy sandals kept the look fresh rather than overly polished.

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The Pride and Prejudice star, best known for playing Princess Diana in The Crown, bypassed the expected dress entirely on day six, opting for a bold red Ralph Lauren knit layered over a navy button-down shirt and patterned tie, finished with cream wide-leg trousers. The gender-neutral styling reads as a genuine reinvention of preppy codes rather than a costume nod to them. A short, side-swept pixie cut kept the look uncluttered.

The Bridgerton actress, who was most recently seen in The Devil Wears Prada 2, skipped the summer dress altogether, opting instead for a Ralph Lauren Spring 2026 utility set: wide, high-waisted white shorts, a matching camisole and a structured overshirt with oversized chest pockets. Classic spectator brogues grounded the look in tennis tradition, while loose, effortless waves softened the otherwise crisp, monochrome tailoring.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, broke from her usual tea-dress rotation on day four in a cornflower-blue linen-blend double-breasted pantsuit by Gabriela Hearst, worn over a white ribbed tank top from H&M. The pairing of sustainable-luxury tailoring with an accessible basic felt deliberate—modern royal dressing rather than costume. Carousel Jewels lapis and moonstone earrings and chocolate-brown pumps warmed the cool blue palette, while a high, wavy ponytail kept the look practical in the summer heat.

The Loki actor, who returns to the role in Avengers: Doomsday later this year, held firm to tradition on day six in a navy pinstripe Ralph Lauren suit, structured light-blue shirt and solid navy silk tie. There was nothing here designed to trend—only exacting proportion and fit, finished with polished leather dress shoes and classic swept-back hair.

The former Spice Girl, now known by her married name Geri Horner, stayed loyal to the all-white wardrobe on day ten, pairing a tailored halterneck waistcoat with gold dome buttons and a matching pleated midi skirt—a clever nod to the players’ own dress code. A white Wimbledon-branded fan with a green and purple border doubled as both accessory and keepsake.

Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, and her husband, former England rugby captain Mike Tindall, delivered a lesson in coordinated dressing on day ten. Zara wore a blue-and-white pinstriped Ava puff-sleeve midi dress by Rebecca Vallance, finished with ivory pumps and a Strathberry Mosaic Nano bag. Mike matched her in a structured white blazer over a blue button-down shirt in the same tone as her stripes.

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