What to Wear to Australian Open 2027
January 11–31, 2027 · main draw from January 17 · Melbourne Park, Melbourne
The Bureau of Meteorology's Olympic Park figures for January, the figures on our Melbourne January guide; Olympic Park sits beside Melbourne Park. Daylight is for 24 January.
Australian Open 2027, Melbourne Park, 11–31 January: 27°C / 81°F days, heat above 30°C, and a cool change that drops 20°C in an hour.
- Pale, breathable cotton — sun on open stands all afternoon
- A brimmed cap and SPF50+ — Cancer Council's Slip, Slop, Slap
- Court sneakers — a day walking between outside courts
- A light jacket — the cool change arrives in about an hour
- One small bag that fits under the seat
- A large bag or suitcase — refused at entry
- Glass — on the prohibited list
- Dark, heavy fabrics in the midday sun
- Leaving the layer at the hotel on a hot morning
Packing philosophy
Dress for sun, then for the change. The Australian Open runs at Melbourne Park from 11 to 31 January 2027: qualifying in the first week, the main draw from Sunday 17 January, the singles finals on the 30th and 31st. The Bureau of Meteorology's Olympic Park figures give January 26.8°C by day and 16.5°C at night, with nearly 9 days reaching 30°C, and the Bureau explains the swing: hot northerlies, then a cool change that can drop the temperature by up to 20°C in about an hour. A ground pass means hours walking between outside courts in open sun. Cancer Council's Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide sets the base: covering clothes, SPF50+, a brimmed hat, shade and sunglasses. So pack white cotton, a cap, court sneakers and a light jacket in a bag small enough for under the seat.
A day at the Australian Open is summer on concrete and a sudden southerly at five. Dress in white cotton for the sun and keep a jacket in the bag under your seat.
What the dress code actually is
The Australian Open has no spectator dress code, but it has entry rules and a heat policy. The tournament's prohibited-items list for the 2026 edition allowed one small bag per person that fits under a seat and ruled out large bags, glass, tripods and similar items; check the 2027 list before you go. On hot days the AO Heat Stress Scale, from 1 to 5, decides play: at 5, matches on outside courts are suspended and the arena roofs close, which is a signal to find shade yourself. Tennis whites are a Melbourne Park habit rather than a rule, and they are also the coolest thing to wear in the sun. Cancer Council's sun-safety advice applies from the first ball: cover up, SPF50+, a brimmed hat, shade and sunglasses.
The capsule
01White cotton-piqué sleeveless tennis dress, green tippingTennis whites are the Melbourne Park habit and the coolest thing to sit in at 30°C. Cotton piqué breathes on an open stand, and a pleated A-line skirt moves when you walk the grounds between courts.
02Forest-green diamond-quilted hip-length jacketThe Bureau of Meteorology describes January cool changes that drop the temperature by up to 20°C in about an hour. A light quilted jacket rolls into the bag in the heat and snaps shut when the southerly arrives. Court green goes with white.
03White leather low-top court sneakersA ground pass is a day on foot between outside courts and the Garden Square. Leather court sneakers are made for hard courts and look right with whites, and a cupsole takes hours of standing in queues.
04Plain white cotton-twill capCancer Council's Slip, Slop, Slap asks for a hat, and on a stand a cap's brim shades your eyes without blocking the view behind you the way a wide straw brim does. White cotton stays cool and washes.
05Clear PVC crossbody with tan trimThe tournament allows one small bag that fits under a seat, and a clear one clears security fastest. It holds sunscreen, a phone and a water bottle across your body while you walk between courts.
06Men's court-green knit cotton poloMenswear gets its whites here: a fine cotton knit polo breathes in the sun and the collar covers the back of your neck. Court green with white tipping matches the jacket.
Day to night
White tennis dress or green polo · court sneakers · white cap · SPF50+ · jacket rolled in the clear bag. Gates, then the outside courts before the midday heat.
Jacket snapped on when the change comes · cap off after sunset at about 8:40pm. A night session in Rod Laver Arena as it cools towards 17°C / 63°F.
A suggested look — white pleated tennis dress with green tipping, white court sneakers, white cap, forest-green quilted jacket tied at the waist, clear crossbody bag with tan trim.
What to avoid
- A large bag or backpack
- Glass
- Dark, heavy fabrics in the sun
- No hat on an open stand
- No layer for the cool change
Frequently asked questions
Breathable white or pale cotton, a brimmed cap, sunscreen, court sneakers and a light jacket in a small bag. The Bureau of Meteorology's Olympic Park figures give January 27°C / 81°F by day with nearly 9 days above 30°C, and cool changes can drop the temperature 20°C in about an hour.
From 11 to 31 January 2027 at Melbourne Park. Qualifying runs in the first week, the main draw starts on Sunday 17 January, and the singles finals are on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 January.
For the 2026 edition the tournament allowed one small bag per person that fits under a seat, and prohibited large bags, suitcases, glass and items such as tripods. Check the 2027 prohibited-items list on ausopen.com before you go.
The AO Heat Stress Scale runs from 1 to 5, combining temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind. At 5, play on outside courts is suspended at the end of the current even game or tiebreak and the arena roofs close. Find shade and water well before that.
No, not for spectators. Tennis whites are a popular habit and the coolest choice in the sun. Cancer Council's sun-safety advice, Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide, is the real rule: cover up, SPF50+, a brimmed hat, shade and sunglasses.
Sources
- Australian Open — Australian Open 2027 dates announced (11–31 January, Melbourne Park) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Australian Open — Prohibited items — accessed 2026-09-29
- Australian Open — The AO Heat Stress Scale — accessed 2026-09-29
- Australian Open — Arrival & Entry: Melbourne Park entrances — accessed 2026-09-27
- Bureau of Meteorology — Climate statistics, Melbourne (Olympic Park) 086338, 2013–2026 — accessed 2026-09-26
- Bureau of Meteorology — Explainer: what influences air temperature? (Melbourne's summer temperature swings) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Cancer Council Australia — Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide — accessed 2026-09-29
