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Perhaps fittingly, Annabel Croft celebrated her 60th birthday on the final day of this year’s Wimbledon Championships. Not that she paused her schedule for long, mind you. The summer tennis season is Croft’s busiest time of the year. Throughout the Championships, the beloved presenter and pundit is known to pull 15-hour days amid a “relentless” schedule of matches.
If she’s tired, she doesn’t show it. Croft, who played tennis professionally before becoming a broadcaster and winning the nation’s hearts as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, emanates energy, looking radiant in a floral linen dress by ethical British brand Beulah London as we speak about her personal style. Feminine and flattering, it’s an apt summary of the signature polished look which she has honed during her regular television appearances.
“I’ve always been really fascinated by fashion and been drawn to what people are wearing,” she says. “But it’s definitely grown more over time with experience and maturity.”
Motherhood has played a significant role in this evolution. “I could have easily been very stuck in the Eighties,” she says. “I think that happens to a lot of mums because when you’re busy clearing up sick and whatever, you’re constantly wearing things that you don’t mind getting mucky.” But she is grateful for the input of two unofficial stylists in the form of her daughters: Amber, 32, and Lily, 28, (with her late husband Mel Coleman, who died in 2023, she also has a son, Charlie).
“When my daughters were old enough, they’d say, ‘Mum, why are you walking out of the house in those shoes?’ or, ‘Why are you wearing that?’ and then we’d go shopping,” she says. “They were definitely the ones who shifted me in a different direction, away from the same old shapes and patterns.”
Croft has also worked with professional stylists such as Arabella Boyce on occasion, and has come to appreciate the value of silhouette, shape and fabric, as well as details such as gathered shoulders, ruffle panels, buttons and collars. “They give things structure and make everything feel more put-together,” she says. “Things can look amazing in real life then when you put them in front of a camera they suddenly look a bit bland or shapeless. It’s nice when you work with someone who knows how to make you look like you, not like the outfit is wearing you.”
Self-Portrait, Suzannah London and Claire Mischevani are some of Croft’s favourite labels, loved for their timelessly elegant silhouettes. But she’s recently been stepping outside her comfort zone with statement pieces and bold prints from Farm Rio and Zimmermann. When we speak, she’s excited to wear a “parachute silk hot pink number” by Suzannah London. “It will really push me, but it’s so beautiful, the way it floats,” she says. “I do love femininity with clothes.”
That’s not to say she isn’t also a fan of tailoring; she’s repeatedly shown that she knows the value of an elegant suit. It might be the classic dark navy trouser suit she picked up from Max Mara in the middle of Rome, or a more modern peach-toned two-piece she recently bought from Veronica Beard, another favourite brand.
Crucially, she’s learnt that these items don’t need to be bought in exactly the right size. “I’ve found the most incredible tailor,” she says, “so I can buy things that are too small or two sizes too big in the sale and he’ll make it work.”
One thing she’s less willing to chop and change is her hair – those full, glossy waves will remain a signature for the foreseeable. “I feel so attached to my hair and I’m very fortunate in that it’s quite thick and there’s a lot of it,” she says. “That’s not to say I don’t admire a really chic short haircut. I just like long hair and think it’s feminine. Someone once said to me, when you get really old, your hair won’t grow. I am quite old myself, but my thinking is that I’ll have plenty of time to wear it short when I’m older.”
On the subject of style evolutions, she’s enjoyed watching tennis players take an expressive turn with their attire. Croft, who was just 15 when she became the youngest Briton to compete in the senior Championships for 100 years, typically loved to wear a colourful twist headband on court, with her tennis whites.“Naomi Osaka has really, really pushed the boat out with the big entrance outfits and it’s pushed her into a different space,” she says. “When the Williams sisters were at the top of their game, they brought a sense of showbiz to the tennis court with what they were wearing. It was always exciting to see what they unveiled.”
This eye-catching creativity is not, however, a novel approach, as Croft reminds us. “Don’t forget that back in the day, in the 1970s, there was a very famous designer called Teddy Tinling who designed for the women playing on Centre Court,” she says. These players included Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. “It used to be a major part of tennis, then it moved away to more functional outfits.” On court, as well as off, fashion feels cyclical.
Five personal style rules
1. Go for comfort when you can
When I’m not working, I’m very into lovely flowy, comfortable things or fitness gear. I never like to feel uncomfortable in something tight or cropped. I’m too old for cropped.
2. Pay attention to fabric
I think fabrics are so important because they make such a huge difference to how you feel. I would always go for natural fibres such as cotton or linen, especially now with the hot weather, you want things that breathe and are comfortable.
3. Step outside your comfort zone
My daughters have always pushed my fashion, and I’ve really enjoyed it. They’ll get me to try things I wouldn’t naturally go for, then when you get complimented on it, it boosts your confidence.
4. Fashion can boost your career
I think dressing has helped my broadcasting career because what I wear is spoken about. I’ve really enjoyed having the reason to want to wear nice clothes.
5. Don’t underestimate the value of craftsmanship
When I wear something, I appreciate how somebody has put that pattern together, how they’ve designed it. There’s so much that goes into clothes.
