Serena Williams has not given one reason for every change in her appearance. She has described her evolving hair and fashion as personal expression, confidence and, at times, a practical focus on tennis. Separately, when a 2024 video led to claims that her skin looked lighter, she denied bleaching her skin and attributed the appearance in that video to lighting, stage makeup and sun exposure.
How Serena Williams has described her changing style
Williams has spoken about her hair and clothing as choices that changed with her own tastes and priorities, not as one dramatic transformation with a single cause. In Vogue’s 2022 “Life in Looks” retrospective, she recalled her mother making clothes for her and her sister Venus when they were young. Williams chose her own beads and said, “I felt like that was my freedom, was being able to pick out my beads.”
Later, she wanted fewer beads and wore more cornrows. In a subsequent period, she moved to a ponytail, which she associated with pulling her hair back, concentrating on business and playing tennis. As she put it, “My hair evolved, that’s when I started wearing a ponytail, just pulling it all back, and just being about business, and about playing tennis.” The account describes gradual changes in presentation; it does not claim that one hairstyle or motive explains every look.
Fashion as individuality and culture
At the 2023 CFDA Fashion Icon award, Williams said she had explored fashion and style to distinguish herself. The Associated Press reported her describing the tennis court as a place to express her “individuality and my confidence and most importantly, my culture.” Her remarks make self-expression a clear part of how she understands her distinctive court fashion.
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Confidence and comfort
In the Vogue retrospective, Williams also described becoming more confident and learning to feel comfortable in a body she saw as different from the typical athlete of that era. That is a personal account of growing confidence, not evidence that a particular look resulted from weight loss, a cosmetic procedure or a specific beauty treatment.
What Serena Williams said about the 2024 skin-tone speculation
A separate question arose after a video of Williams at a school event circulated in 2024, prompting online speculation that her skin looked lighter. In an Instagram Live, she rejected the skin-bleaching accusation and attributed how she appeared in that video to lighting, stage makeup and changes in sun exposure. ABC News reported her statement on December 3, 2024, quoting her: “I’m a dark-skinned Black woman, and I love who I am and how I look.”
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That explanation applies to the appearance in the video that prompted the speculation. It should not be treated as the explanation for her hair and fashion choices across her career. Nor do comparisons of photographs establish that someone has bleached their skin or had a cosmetic procedure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the two explanations should not be conflated
- Hair and fashion over time: Williams has described changing her style as self-directed expression, confidence and, in some periods, a way to focus on tennis.
- The 2024 video: Williams denied bleaching her skin and cited lighting, makeup and sun exposure as factors in how she looked in that specific clip.
For broader context on her courtwear and personal style, the Associated Press report on her 2023 CFDA Fashion Icon award records her remarks about individuality, confidence and culture.
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