Another day, another slay. That, I think, is Zendaya and her talented stylist Law Roach’s mantra throughout the Challengers promotional run. After nailing the method dressing game at the Rome premiere and photocall for Challengers with her tennis whites and tennis ball heels, Zendaya and her talented glam squad jetted to London to ace yet another stylish press tour.
And just as I had predicted, they killed it in the style and glam department! As a nod to her upcoming sports drama movie, Zendaya donned two tennis-inspired outfits—one with literal tennis elements and the other a sporty mini skirt with a playful twist. But in addition to her ensembles, her hairstyles are also worth checking out.
Zendaya Smashes Tenniscore in a Striped Mini Skirt with Feather Tail and Blonde Bangs Ponytail
On Thursday, Zendaya took a rather colorful approach to tennis dressing, ditching tennis whites (and greens) for a red, white, and blue striped ensemble, which Law Roach unearthed from Vivienne Westwood’s Spring/Summer 1994 “Café Society” collection.
Originally designed as an office wear style with lapels, a collar, and long sleeves, Zendaya’s outfit, sourced from Iconic Archive, was modified to match the film’s sporty theme.
Zendaya looks fresh in a preppy striped vest and mini skirt with a feather tail at the Challengers photocall in London on April 11, 2024 (Credit: Yui Mok / PA Images / INSTARimages)
I like how the top was altered into a sleeveless waistcoat, cutting off the sleeves, lapels, and collar to give it a more athletic, youthful silhouette fit for Zendaya and the movie. The neckline was lowered for a daring touch, while the hem was cut into a V shape.
The flattering vest was teamed with a matching high-waisted striped mini skirt that fit snugly around Zendaya’s hips. The skirt featured a white feathery tail affixed to the back, which I particularly dislike. While it added a whimsical element to an otherwise simple-looking ensemble, I think it’s just out of place.
An Unexpected Inspiration
The inspiration? Not tennis—instead, Law Roach hinted at Carrie Bradshaw. He posted on his Instagram Story a photo of the iconic Sex and the City character, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, wearing a green satin skirt with a white fluffy tail at the back. This confused me as to what Roach was trying to achieve.
Zendaya’s blue, white, and red stripe waistcoat and miniskirt feature a white feathered tail, hailing from Vivienne Westwood’s Spring/Summer Cafe Society collection (Credit: Yui Mok / PA Images / INSTARimages)
The Spider-Man star looked amazing, nonetheless. Roach kept the look cohesive by matching the fluffy accessory with white Christian Louboutin “So Kate” pumps, the same shoes Zendaya wore with her sleek Calvin Klein tennis whites for the Rome premiere of Challengers.
I think these were the perfect shoes for the ensemble. With their 4.25-inch slender stiletto heels and pointed toes, they not only boosted Zendaya’s 5’10” height but also provided the ensemble with a sleek and well-coordinated finish.
Minimalist gleaming gold Bulgari jewelry lent a glamorous touch to Zendaya’s sporty, playful outfit. She wore a pair of $8,250 B.Zero1 earrings in 18k yellow gold with 0.27ct studded spiral and pavé diamonds, a bangle that I think is also from the B.Zero1 collection, and a couple of rings, including the $2,720 Bulgari Cabochon 18k yellow gold ring.
Zendaya teams her striped outfit with white Christian Louboutin So Kate pumps (Credit: Yui Mok / PA Images / INSTARimages)
Like I said earlier, Zendaya’s glam is equally as impressive as her outfit. She had lighter blonde hair, which Ursula Stephen styled into a high ponytail, a la Barbie. The preppy hairstyle was finished with clip-in blunt bangs framing her naturally made-up face.
Zendaya looks far better with her current hair color than the sepia-blonde she recently debuted. Maybe it’s the styling, but Zendaya seems younger with this hair.
Two-time Emmy-winning makeup artist Ernesto Casillas let Zendaya’s natural beauty shine with peachy blush, eyeshadow, and lipstick.
Zendaya shows off her white tail and a new blonde high ponytail with clip-in bangs (Credit: Yui Mok / PA Images / INSTARimages)
Zendaya Stays on Theme in a Literal Tennis White Dress and Braided Coquette Hairstyle
She’s been wearing so many chic, tennis-inspired outfits lately that it’s hard for me to pick a favorite. But one of my top picks has to be this tennis racket-adorned white dress custom-designed by Thom Browne for Zendaya.
The collared halter dress, an homage to Wimbledon whites, was entirely decked out in white sequins and had embroidered appliques of the Wimbledon crossed tennis rackets logo. I like that the rackets looked like bows from afar, adding a playful element to the plain white gown.
Zendaya wears a literal white tennis dress by Thom Browne at the Challengers UK Premiere held at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on April 10, 2024 (Credit: PA Images / INSTARimages)
The preppy maxi dress, which had a drop waist and a fitted bodice, also featured a structural sequin-embellished bow around the hips, adding a coquette touch. It cascaded into a pleated skirt, much like a typical tennis skirt but longer, with net inserts—another reference to the sport. It was finished with Thom Browne’s signature red, white, and blue stripe logo at the hem.
I love the dress’ homage to tennis, but if you think the theme is overdone, that’s understandable.
The Dune: Part Two actress flaunted her toned legs thanks to a daring split in the maxi skirt cut close to her crotch. The slit also gave us a peek at her white Christian Louboutin “So Kate” pumps.
Zendaya’s white tennis dress is covered in white sequins with Wimbledon tennis racket logo appliques and a pleated net skirt (Credit: Steve Vas / Future Image / Cover Images)
It was a great move on Roach’s part to switch out Zendaya’s gold accessories with white gold and diamonds, which went well with the white outfit. She wore a diamond bracelet, a set of Bulgari Wild Pop earrings, and a matching ring.
Zendaya looked terrific, as always. Her blonde tresses were neatly pulled back into a tight, long braided ponytail, and I loved the large white bow adornment that enhanced the sporty, coquette theme of the ensemble.
The Shake It Up actress also had impeccable glam. She wore a rosy blush and subtle eyeshadow and added a pop of vibrant red color to the Wimbledon whites with red lipstick.
Zendaya pulls her blonde hair into a neat braided ponytail with a large white bow for a coquette touch and adds bright red lipstick to the all-white look (Credit: PA Images / INSTARimages)
I think Zendaya killed it with this outfit, which perfectly captures the theme of the Challengers movie. Which tennis-themed outfit from Zendaya is your favorite so far?