Start with the pieces tennis made famous. Arch4's navy striped cashmere Victoria polo, Abadia's cream pleated duchesse-satin Elodie skirt, Christian Louboutin's white Fun Louise Junior sneakers and Toteme's cream cotton cap make a full outfit.

A polo sweater is smarter than a T-shirt and softer than a shirt. Loro Piana's ivory cashmere polo and Loulou de Saison's gray Miles polo are quiet classics. Brandon Maxwell's blue striped Joni polo leans preppy, and Saint Laurent's black ribbed polo is sleek enough for evening.

A pleated skirt is the other half of the tennis look, and midi lengths feel right for fall. Staud's midnight blue knitted Lena skirt and Sacai's black herringbone skirt are warm enough for cooler days. Gucci's black printed silk skirt adds pattern, and Studio Nicholson's dark gray pleated skirt is the most minimal.

Stripes and argyle carry the preppy side of tennis into colder weather. Veronica Beard's striped Castile sweater and Marant Étoile's yellow striped mohair Morine are soft and colourful. Max Mara's argyle Sala V-neck and La Ligne's cropped striped Mini Marina look sharp over a collared shirt.

Clean sneakers and a simple cap finish every outfit here. Chloé's cream Kick sneakers and Golden Goose's off-white Super-Star Sabot slip-ons are easy to wear all day. The Row's black Caspian cap and Lié Studio's black leather Paula tote keep it simple.

Tennis-inspired dressing works because the pieces are simple and hard to get wrong. If you take one thing away, let it be that one tennis element per outfit is enough, whether that is a polo, a pleated skirt or a cap. Knit polos look best tucked into a high waist, and pleated midis suit fall better than very short skirts. Stripes and argyle are easy ways to add colour without a loud print. We would skip wearing all-white court clothes head to toe off the court, which can look like a costume. White or cream sneakers tie everything together, and a cap is the finishing touch for weekends.