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Models have the runway, actresses the red carpet and — when it comes to showing off their latest styles — tennis players have center court.

Venus Williams returns to Sam Stosur during their match at the U.S. Open in New York on Tuesday.

One emerging trend is to incorporate a cocktail-attire look into their performance clothes, especially if they’re playing under the lights at night. And, says tennis star Maria Sharapova, there’s no better place to pull out the stops than the U.S. Open.

“It’s the place to do something fun and a little out of the box,” says Sharapova, the 2006 U.S. Open champ who is nursing a shoulder injury and not competing this year. “It’s the biggest crowd and it’s what people are talking about. I was fortunate to play — and win — in the Audrey Hepburn dress.”

That dress, with its sparkly neckline, satin-bow waistline and keyhole openings down the back, started a wave of red carpet-worthy ensembles. Tiffany & Co. even outfits Sharapova in jewelry for tennis events and a collection of earrings, called Tiffany for Maria Sharapova, is sold in stores around the world.

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The movie-star glamour and ladylike sophistication of the 1920s is being reinterpreted for fall 2008.

Chris Benz, Donna Karan and Milly are just a few of the names returning to the nonchalant romanticism of the flapper era. Heidi Handler, designer for fashion line Lovenia, pays close attention to details such as beading and fringe, which were trademarks of the 1920s. In Brian Reyes’ fall collection, he focuses more on longer hemlines and ruffles, while Benz plays with the masculine undertones that began appearing in women’s fashion during the era.

“The 1920s were a lot of fun,” Handler says. “It was a time of escape, and with the current war and state of the economy, we could all use an escape.”

In Pictures: Fall Fashion’s ’20s-Inspired Looks

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