Despite rapidly changing fashion trends, Wimbledon has remained a symbol of timeless elegance, with players and spectators embracing the tournament's iconic all-white tradition in a style many say evokes the refined atmosphere of Britain's traditional high society.

"This is Wimbledon! You've got to dress up," 65-year-old Finnish tennis coach Jari Hedman said with a smile.

For the occasion, Hedman chose an Italian-made white linen suit, complemented by a navy blazer and a vibrant orange tie.

"I picked this classy outfit in honor of the tournament," he told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Held this year from June 29-July 12, Wimbledon is the oldest of tennis' four Grand Slam tournaments and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2027.

The royals are regular attendees, especially Princess Kate, who is often praised for her elegant fashion choices.

Ahead of the tournament, the BBC published an article on etiquette, or unwritten rules for attendees, while other newspapers offered fashion tips.

"With its mix of royalty, A-listers and diehard fans, Wimbledon always has a sense of occasion, so why not make an effort?" The Times advised.

"And what should one wear to the stands? White, white, white. And light colors," said Lucie Ta, a 29-year-old engineer from Prague.

She wore a long white dress with black polka dots and carried a white jacket over her arm in case the weather turned cooler.

Anne Freeman, an American from Houston, wore a pearl-colored floral dress and a sleek Panama hat.

"It's a way to be respectful of the tradition," she said.

A glimpse into Britain's past

Wimbledon has the strictest dress code on the tennis circuit, requiring players to wear "suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white" from "the point at which the player enters the court surround."

"White does not include off-white or cream," the dress code states.

The rules are rooted in the sport's aristocratic history, when white was favored because it concealed sweat stains, which were considered improper.

Players have found both subtle and unconventional ways to express their individual style while staying within the dress code.

Japan's Naomi Osaka, known for her flamboyant outfits, arrived Monday in a kimono-inspired white dress embroidered with cranes and cherry blossoms by Japanese designer Hana Yagi.

She paired the outfit with a traditional kanzashi hair ornament featuring white flowers before removing both to reveal a white Nike dress.

Osaka said she drew inspiration from the Quentin Tarantino film "Kill Bill."

"I think about my cultures, my heritage, which is Japanese and Haitian. Then if I dive deeper into Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono," she said.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic wore a white Lacoste jacket with green trim that the brand said was inspired by those worn by "great champions," including Rene Lacoste, in the 1920s.

Going to Wimbledon is "fascinating" because it offers "an insight into what the past of British society looked like," according to Daniel-Yaw Miller, a sports and fashion journalist.

The grass-court tournament "always was seen as a social scene," much like the Ascot horse races, explained Elizabeth Wilson, who has written a book on the history of tennis.

"Therefore people wanted to dress up, to look smart," she said.

In the 1950s, women wore formal hats, while in the '60s they still wore gloves.

"It has got very much more relaxed," Wilson said.

While spectators can dress however they like, Wimbledon still has a "very distinct aesthetic" and deeply revered traditions, Miller said.

"I think the athletes and the fans really buy into the fact that it is unique."

Miller, a Briton living in New York, enjoys comparing Wimbledon with the U.S. Open.

"You go from the most English thing imaginable to the most American thing imaginable in every sense of the word."

The U.S. Open feels like "one big party," with constant entertainment, where it is sometimes even "hard to focus" on the tennis.

When he attended the Grand Slam in New York, he wore shorts and a T-shirt. For Wimbledon, however, he opted for a polo shirt and dress trousers.