From her French Open catsuit to her sparkling ballet-inspired kit for her final US Open, Serena Williams has always turned heads with her style both on and off the court throughout her decades-long tennis career.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion, now 42, recently reflected on her career for PEOPLE's 50th Anniversary cover story, discussing her groundbreaking victories and the legacy she's creating for her daughters, Olympia, 6, and Adira, 8 months. She also revisited her fashion choices, flipping through her PEOPLE features over the years—including a 2003 piece where Williams remarked, "I’ve been on worst dressed lists and I don’t care."
In 2024, Williams feels the same way.
"Listen, I think being on worst dressed lists is important," she says. "I've loved every style that I've made and you know, you don't love them looking back all the time, but I appreciate them."
The designer of S by Serena adds, "I think fashion is a way to express yourself and express your personality and express like who you are and what you are, and sometimes it's the only way the world can see you is through your style. And so for me, whether it's the best list or the worst dressed list, it's all kind of cool."
"Hey, at least I made a list," she says with a laugh.
Plus, Williams notes, the 2000s are "making a huge comeback."
"Like, do I look through my closet?" she says, considering her looks from that decade. "From back then, I don't think I have anything. Well, not much. I do keep things, but, you know, my body might not fit the same things that it fit in… back then," she laughs.
And whether good or bad, Williams says she has no fashion regrets.
"I've had a lot of outfits. A lot of on-court outfits, a lot of off-court outfits. I've had some amazing, amazing red carpet looks," she says. "I've had lots of different looks, but you know what, you can't take any of it back. I'm leaning into all of them."