Fashion: Pt 2, McFederer

 

Cont’d: The Polo Era Misses

US Open 08, night: FedEx goes missing, UPS delivery person turns up 

“Noooo Rajaaah, you is making Anna Wintour cryingggg…vot is zis elephant skin?”

I fully credit Federer for dumping the damn thing after just one match in it. He either received some timely advice from those fashionistas he hangs out with, or perhaps he hated it to begin with, but felt obliged to wear it at least once for Nike’s sake. Either way, the red polo was much better, though I didn’t like the smoke coloured shorts. 

 

the UPS delivery shirt

 

Indian Wells 07: the Great Leap Backward

The stability of the Polo Era was briefly undermined when Federer turned up to Indian Wells wearing *gasp* a TSHIRT! And not a terribly exciting one at that. Coupled with dismal tennis and the end of his 40-something-match winning streak, was the Polo Era under threat?

 

 

Monte Carlo/Rome/Hamburg/Roland Garros 2007: the clay season goes wrong time, and time again….

So many things can go missing during the clay season, Federer’s marbles aside. During the period from Indian Wells right through to the end of Roland Garros, I was quite ready to send Feduruh to fashion prison. After the tshirt fiasco, he opted for The Red Bowling Shirt (blue for Roland Garros). The only thing fuglier than losing to Volandri was losing to Volandri and looking fashionastically confused. Urgh…

 

 

Estoril/Monte Carlo/Rome/Hamburg 08: the Clay Season finally gets it right

I can’t say much for the tennis, but the baby blue polo was the first time Federer’s worn something during the clay season that I actually liked. Pity baby blue, humidity and red dirt don’t mix well. This polo was more suited for the green green grass of home in Halle, or the hard courts in the US of A than the red poo of Europe.

 

 

The Fugly… and the downright Forgettable

In fashion, the biggest crime is not so much being fugly, but being forgettable (just ask Bjork), and I’m thinking Federer in navy, à la Madrid/Bercy/Basel 2007, Dubai 2007, Roland Garros/Halle 2008, Masters Cup 2008 … the list goes on. Sure he doesn’t look bad, but neither does he look great. It’s safe, it’s unexciting, and it’s not worthy remembering, picturing or hyperlinking. Please, no more navy blues. 

 

Wimbledon

 

Wimbledon is really just something else altogether. Federer Ftennis at Wimbledon is another one of those love it or hate it things. And a lot of people I know who don’t like the Sire Jacket or the Mrs Cardigan image basically find it too much of a gimmick. But Wimbledon is all about gimmicks – the white clothing, the umpires in their high school looking uniforms, the strawberries and cream, the Rolex-as-time-keeper… Federer says the jackets and the cardigan stem from his respect for the tradition at Wimbledon, but I reckon he’s probably having a good ol’ giggle with Mirka every time he tries on his various props. I’m still waiting for the top hat to turn up one year. 

For what it’s worth, it’s a “yay” from me for the Jacket 07 – smooth, but a “nay” for Jacket 06 – the colour was closer to cream than white and just ended up clashing with his tshirt.  

 

 

Jacket 07: Mr Smooth 007 meets Mr Smoothier

 

As for this year’s Rogi of the Cardi – love it or hate it, everyone talked about it. Even the trashiest of my local tabloids had it as “hot” on their hot-or-not thermometer. I must say I agree, I personally couldn’t say no to this –> I went to an all-girls high school, and this just reminded me of an alternative universe where it was possible to walk into the principal’s office and witness something wonderful…

 

 

As for the rest of the props – thumbs up for the gold rim on the collar of the polo, I thought it was a nice touch. Also the belt was a new addition this year. And of course, the gold trophy shoes have been a tradition since Wimbledon 2005. 

 

 

Disclaimer: I am in no ways responsible for that stream of light piercing through the clouds. I swear.

 

The Million dollar question: who gets the gold trophy shoes next year at Wimbledon? Feduruh? or Nadull? And what is Federer going to wear next year, after the Cardi completely failed him in 2008? I’m thinking that “Federer might be… betterer … in a sweaterer?” Just sayin’… 

 

Misc and Off Court

FedMirka gone wrong

Noooo, noo…. shield yer eyes! The shiny suit jacket, the pantyhose-and-peeptoes, Mirka dressed for a funeral, and Fed has shiny stripes down the side of his pants (in case you didn’t know). Nooo…. *in pain*

 

FedMirka gets it right: Yup, they got it! Mirka looks gorgeous. McFed looks dashing. Great choice of outfits, and great photo. See also US Open 07 Men’s Vogue party.

 

 

Jura Coffee gets it wrong

The leather jacket, the patterned shirt – Jura decided to go all Brokeback Mountain on us. The result – dismal failure.

 

Jura Coffee gets it right

Jacket? Check. Shirt? Check. Tie? err working on it. Jura gets it right at last. 

 

 

Tuxedo Fed gets it so…very…wrong

It’s hard to tell, but Federer’s wearing a black shirt, with black bow tie. The pants are a little tight, the shoes far to shiny. Mirka looks like a French maid. The metrosexual and the powderpuffy, ouch….

 

Tuxedo Fed gets it quite right

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. 

 

 

The Best Non-Wimbledon Jacket Award

….goes to US Open 2006. 

 

 

 

Practice Makes Perfect: the Best Fashion Moment of McFederer 08

My favourite Ftennis moment of 2008 has nothing to do with the cardigan at Wimbledon. Funnily enough, it was actually to do with a certain practice tee – after the humiliation at Roland Garros, and Bjorn Borg’s snide comment that Federer is the third favourite for Wimbledon, Roger turned up to practice wearing a tshirt that defiantly screamed: “pain is only temporary, victory is forever!”

Who said the guy doesn’t have attitude? How cool is that? 

Pain is only temporary, but victory is forever, indeed.

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