Tennis & Golf Clothes So Chic & Versatile Women Can Walk Straight From the Court to Cocktails
Meet the Founders of Hedge — a line of fashionable and functional — dare I say, sexy? — clothes for the tennis court and the golf course...
If you saw me on the tennis court today, you’d find it hard to believe — laughable, really — that I was ever any good at the sport.
But, back in the day, I was the number one seed on my high school tennis team.
I had a decent serve and a mean backhand.
What I didn’t have were chic clothes to wear on the court.
They simply didn’t exist.
And for someone who loves fashion as much as I do, that was a tragedy.
Enter Hedge.
Photo Courtesy: Hamptons Magazine
A fashionable and functional sports clothing and accessories brand started by two Hamptons women, Antonia DiPaolo and Meagan Ouderkirk.
L to R, Meagan Ouderkirk and Antonia DiPaolo, Photo Courtesy: Hamptons Magazine
They came up with the idea — where else? — on the tennis court at The Bridgehampton Club.
“SHE DID A BACKHAND VOLLEY AND I HAD AN EPIPHANY”
Antonia DiPaolo: Meagan and I were playing tennis and she was wearing this beautiful, pleated skirt with a tiny navy line. I’ll never forget this. She did a backhand volley, and I had an epiphany. I said, "Meagan, can we meet for coffee after this?" We both talked about how we were disgruntled with, when you have to wear all-white apparel playing tennis, what was on the market.
Alina Cho: There was nothing.
Meagan Ouderkirk: Nothing. Too short, too tight, too flimsy, too see-through.
Antonia DiPaolo: Not flattering at all.
Alina Cho: It’s almost like, who’s designing this?
Antonia DiPaolo: Well, as we did our research, we realized that men were designing clothes for women. And we said, “A-ha." So that fall, Meagan came over to my house and we took eight or nine of our favorite pieces in our closet.
Photo Courtesy: Hamptons Magazine
Meagan Ouderkirk: And we asked ourselves, “Why do we love these? Why are they our go-to’s? Why do we feel more confident when we wear this dress versus another dress?” Just sort-of breaking it down, you know.
Photo Courtesy: Hamptons Magazine
Alina Cho: So, what was the goal? To take that and say, “How can we bring this onto the court?”
Meagan Ouderkirk: I think when I would get dressed to play sports, I never felt like myself or my style. And then consequently, not comfortable, or confident.
Alina Cho: Right. And I don't care what anyone says, it affects your performance.
Antonia DiPaolo: It affects your performance and I know it sounds silly but when you feel like you look good…
Photo Courtesy: Hamptons Magazine
Alina Cho: … you play better.
YES, HEDGE WAS NAMED FOR THOSE FAMOUS HAMPTONS HEDGES…
Alina Cho: Let’s talk about the name, “Hedge.” Obviously, that is a not-so-subtle nod to the Hamptons, right?
Antonia DiPaolo: Yes. I grew up on the corner of Ocean Road and Quimby Lane in Bridgehampton, and we had huge high hedges all around us.
Source: 27east.com
And when we were trying to come up with a name for the business, it was like an epiphany for both of us.
Meagan Ouderkirk: If you drive around, that's all you see — hedges.
Source: Pinterest
Alina Cho: And you're always wondering what's behind the hedge, right?
Source: Pinterest
Antonia DiPaolo: Exactly. It’s sort-of hidden, but you can still peek in and see a little bit. It’s a little like our line — we're not revealing so much of ourselves. It’s a little more feminine.
Meagan Ouderkirk: What we try to do with every single piece is make it conservative enough for the environment we're playing in, but also, and I don't want to use the word “sexy,” but feminine enough where if we're going to have a collar, let's show a little shoulder.
Photo Courtesy: Hamptons Magazine
If we're going to have a long skirt, let's show some waist.
Photo Courtesy: Hamptons Magazine
Alina Cho: It’s also made with the idea that you’re going to go straight from the court to cocktails, right?
Photo Courtesy: Hamptons Magazine
Meagan Ouderkirk: Yeah, because we're busy, we don't have time to go home and change and remake our faces. We're going from meetings to pickups…
Antonia DiPaolo: … to Round Swamp. And then back to Round Swamp.
HORSEBACK RIDING… SAILING… HUNTING… ICE SKATING… GYMNASTICS…
Alina Cho: What's the big dream for Hedge?
Meagan Ouderkirk: We’d like to expand to other countries. Japan, Korea — everybody loves golf over there and I feel like Hedge would be really successful.
Alina Cho: So, expanding internationally.
Meagan Ouderkirk: But then I also feel like there are other sports that...
Antonia DiPaolo: ... need help.
Meagan Ouderkirk: Whether it's horseback riding, sailing, hunting, ice skating, gymnastics.
Antonia DiPaolo: Or we want to create things that you could wear for a plethora of different sports. Because that's who we are, essentially. I love to play tennis. Then, I go play golf, and then I go swimming.
Alina Cho: Great idea. I always say the most successful designers are the ones who are filling white space. And that's exactly what you're doing.