Fashion Scandal at Wimbledon
Learn more about Gussy Moran's début at the All England Lawn Tennis Club and the scandal her outfit caused.
"Gussy’s panties caused shock waves that reverberated from Alaska to Antarctica...it deeply shocked the establishment. But…gave press photographers their new position for ’49, lying flat on the courts." - Ted Tinling in Love and Faults
The Designer - Ted Tinling
Tinling, who worked in tennis administration and studied dressmaking in the French Riviera until age 21, relocated to London and set up shop in Mayfair. A member of London’s first “Fashion Group,” he had 100+ employees turning out haute couture before the onset of WWII.
After WWII, Tinling began focusing on sportswear design with the goal of bringing femininity back to tennis. An early proponent of synthetic fabrics, he experimented with materials, styles, color, and embellishments.
Never designing for a client without seeing her play first, Tinling felt the clothing she wore on court should reflect her personality and playing style.
The Client - Gussy Moran
Tinling’s clients desired unique fashions, and Wimbledon’s all-white clothing rule challenged his creativity. In 1949, American Gussy Moran wore Tinling’s all-white ensemble at her Wimbledon début.
Yet it was the flashing of the lace-trimmed undershorts she wore beneath her satin-trimmed rayon dress that caused a scandal, making international headlines, and even being the subject of parliamentary debate.
The outfit that brought the spectators
As reported in the July 1, 1949, issue of American Lawn Tennis magazine, during the second round of play:
“People flocked to court number one to see Gussy’s much publicized new frock (and lace panties) and stayed to watch her give a fine exhibition of stroke play in beating Miss E.M. Wiflord, 6-1, 6-4.”
An Overnight Celebrity and Persona Non Grata
“Gorgeous Gussy” Moran became an overnight celebrity while Ted Tinling became persona non grata at Wimbledon for the next 33 years for putting “sin and vulgarity” into tennis.
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