Finding the perfect polo shirt can be a daunting task, with various factors to consider such as fit, material, and color. Whether you’re dressing for a casual outing or a more formal occasion, understanding the intricacies of polo shirts is essential.
In this guide, we will explore the key elements to look for when selecting a polo shirt, helping you strike the perfect balance between style and comfort. From different fits to fabric choices, join us as we unravel the secrets to finding your ideal polo shirt.
In This Article
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- Key Takeaways
- Polo Shirt, Golf Jersey, Tennis Polo or Polo Jersey?
- What’s the Difference Between Polo, Piqué & Piké?
- How To Find Your Well-Fitting Polo Shirt
- Is a Polo Perfect?
- The Size & Shape of Your Body Type
- The Length & Width of Your Polo Shirt
- The Custom Fit Polo
- The Fabric of your Polo Shirt
- The Origin & History of The Polo Shirt
- The Brooks Brothers’ Influence of The Modern Polo Shirt
- Conclusion
Key Takeaways
- Fit matters: When choosing a polo shirt, pay attention to the fit that flatters your body type. Opt for a slim fit for a modern, streamlined look or a classic fit for a more relaxed and comfortable feel.
- Fabric selection is crucial: Consider the fabric composition of the polo shirt to ensure optimal comfort and durability. Cotton is a popular choice for its breathability, while blends offer a balance of comfort and wrinkle-resistance.
- Pay attention to collar and placket details: The collar should hold its shape and lay flat, while the placket should have the right length and number of buttons to suit your style and occasion.
- Color and pattern choices make a statement: Experiment with different colors and patterns to add personality to your outfits. Classic colors like navy, white, and black are versatile options, while patterns like stripes and checks can provide a touch of flair.
- Versatility is key: Look for polo shirts that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Pair them with chinos or tailored trousers for a smart-casual look, or wear them with shorts for a more relaxed style.
- Take care of your polo shirts: Proper care and maintenance, such as washing them in cold water, avoiding bleach, and air-drying or tumble-drying on low heat, can help extend the lifespan of your polo shirts.
Remember, finding the perfect polo shirt is a combination of personal preference and understanding the key factors that contribute to comfort and style. By considering these takeaways, you’ll be well-equipped to make informed choices and enhance your wardrobe with this timeless wardrobe staple.
Polo Shirt, Golf Jersey, Tennis Polo or Polo Jersey?
A polo shirt is not just a polo shirt. Here are some tips to help you find the polo shirt that suits you best, so it will help you feel comfortable and has the best choice of materials. Polo shirts come in all sorts of colours, materials and shapes. What to choose and what looks best? These are often questions that come up when choosing a polo shirt. Sometimes it can be difficult to find the right polo shirt and fit that matches you and the occasion of when you wear it.
The body measurements you have also makes the difference of how you end up looking with the different styles, fabrics and brands you can choose. And the Question, is the Polo a Polo Shirt, Golf Jersey, Tennis Polo or Polo Jersey? What we usually call a Polo or Polo Shirt have countless names and are available in at least as many designs.
What’s the Difference Between Polo, Piqué & Piké?
Polo: A polo shirt, polo shirt or polo is a kind of T-shirt with a collar, closure with typically two or three buttons and maybe a chest pocket. Polos are usually knitted cotton rather than woven fabric and are typically piqué or in jersey knitting, also used for polo shirts in Barbados Cotton, in silk, merino wool, synthetic fibers or other blends. Polo is most used English term for a Polo Shirt, which comes from the inspiration for the type of clothing: “The Polo”.
Piké: Piké is an alternative spelling for the fabric piqué, from which the polo shirt is made. The confusion is not eased by the fact that in countries like Sweden, where people say Pique when they talk about the polo shirt.
Piqué: Piqué is an international term for the fabric and is used in some countries as a synonym for a polo shirt. Traditionally pronounced “pee-kay” but often called “peek” by most people this refers to a certain type of fabric that many polos are made from.
The Pique Fabric Explained
A pique fabric is created using a dobby loom attachment. It is typically woven or knit and has patterns of fine ribbing or cording. Pique fabric differs from your standard jersey t-shirt as it has a textured, waffle weave look whereas jersey tees have smooth, flat surfaces. Woven piques usually have parallel cording running the length of the fabric and knit piques oftentimes feature ribbing or waffle weaves. This is particularly nice for knit pique polo shirts that are worn in warm summer months.
How To Find Your Well-Fitting Polo Shirt
It’s not rocket science to find the right Polo, and you should not be confused by other fashion experts’ taste buds, ethics or old fashion rules. Or whether there may be large logos or emblem stitching on half of your polo. If you like, you like it.
The most important thing to consider is whether you like the polo shirt and how it fits on you. But for those of you who really want to immerse yourself in your purchases, we review a few factors that may be interesting to take a closer look at.
Is a Polo Perfect?
A polo shirt is far from perfect for everyone – the first time you try it on. Here are some considerations before you decide so you can look great. Among other things. material choice, color, how it fits your body.
Polo shirts come in all sorts of colours, materials and shapes. But what do you really need to keep an eye on when trying on a polo shirt? There is often a big difference between the polo shirt you try on and the body measurements you have.
The Size & Shape of Your Body Type
Once you have found the colours and designs you like, the next thing you need to look at before buying your shirts is the size and shape to fit your body type. No matter how nice or expensive the polo jersey is, it will not do any good for your style if it does not fit properly on you or suit your body type. Do not compromise on size of model-fit.
There are a multitude of sizes for clothing and fashion from country to country, and even between brands in the same country, sizes and fits vary greatly between different fashion manufacturers and brands.
Lacoste uses its own sizing system, where the sizes are divided into the scale 2-9. The most common sizes of polo shirts are classified with the system from Small – XXL.
The Length & Width of Your Polo Shirt
Find the right length, width and sleeve size on the polo shirt. The length of the polo goes from top to bottom. You can see that it is the right length of the polo shirt when it falls just above the middle of the zipper on your pants or shorts. If it goes further down than that, your polo shirt becomes too baggy and hangs on your body. If, on the other hand, it is shorter, it appears to have shrunk during washing.
In terms of length, your polo should not go more than halfway down the buttocks if you plan to let it hang outside the pants. If it has a so-called “tennis tail”, which is a polo that is longer at the back than at the front, it is usually best tucked into the pants.
The polo shirt should fit reasonably well. It should not be too tight, but also not hang like a sack on the body. The shoulder seams should sit where your shoulder ends, and lengthwise it should preferably not go down over the middle of the buttocks unless you plan to use it tucked down into the pants.
The Length of Your Polo
A suitable length for the sleeves is halfway between the shoulder and the elbow. If you are well trained and want to show your biceps or triceps to the ladies or show your male competitors you have beaten them with bigger biceps, you can just tilt the fold up once or twice.
If you have nothing to brag about, let the polo shirt help you not to look bloated and check yourself in the mirror how you look with the different models.
How Your Body Shape Impact the Choice of a Polo
The width and fullness of your upper body are crucial to the width of the polo shirt. When you put on your polo shirt, it should feel comfortable. A good rule of thumb is to grab both sides of the sweater with your fingers, then measure how much fabric you grab between your fingers before touching your body. If you can measure 5-7 cm of fabric on each side, you have found a good fit for your polo shirt.
Polo’s for Active People
If you’re gym freak, it’s probably more difficult to find the right match since most parts of the Polo will feel to big and baggy, off course, your peers can see why you have the baggy version while your triceps helps you confirm that, so though you have the right brand of Polo Shirt and it maybe fits your shoulders and arms, it’s not helping you to tell anyone around, especially the women, that you are a Gentleman with stile. You should probably go for a bespoke polo shirt, or a slim fit version that tightens up in your waist.
The Cool Fit – Be Yourself
The Slim Fit Polo is the most common fit that can be purchased and it can also be found in even slimmer versions such as Super Slim Fit. This fit is usually best suited for you who are in reasonably good shape, because it fits relatively tight at the chest and arms.
Ralph Lauren Fits
This is the newest fit by the Ralph Lauren designers and it takes inspiration from the European styles featuring the shortest front and back hems of any Ralph Lauren style to date and creating a fit which seems even more tailored than the custom fit. Having built their reputation on American heritage, this move shows they are looking to reward their loyal European following with an adaptation of their own tastes.
It is worth noting that if you have a very well-trained upper body, it may be worth considering a slightly wider fit so that the clothes do not end up sitting like an extra layer of skin, but will have a slight loose fit, matching the shame of your fit body.
The Custom Fit or Custom Slim
The Custom Fit Polo
Custom Fit or Regular Fit is what is most often called a normal fit. Ralph Lauren also calls this type of fit Core Fit. Designed as a fashion-oriented version of the more traditional Classic, the Custom Fit polo raises the armholes and trims the sleeve length, body width and overall length by 1.5 inches each, giving a neater, more fitted look overall. The fit is a little more spacious around the chest and is suitable for you who want a slightly more airy fit or have a slightly strong upper body.
The Aprodite Store has an explaining guide about Custom Fit Polo Shirts here: What is Ralph Lauren Custom Fit? or better, read Ralph Lauren’s style guide here: Find your fit, fabric, and style – or create your own with exclusive patches and monograms, plus Ponies, Polo Bears, and more …
The Classic Fit
Classic Fit or similar designations for a slightly more spacious fit are not quite as common today as in the past. This type of fit is more spacious and suitable for you who do not have the most well-trained body, or who want a more airy fit. As a rule, this fit is a little wider in the sleeves and around the chest and is a little longer, which means it is suitable to tuck into the pants if you wish.
The Fabric of your Polo Shirt
When it comes to the material, there are many different materials, from cheap shit to expensive quality. To make it a little more manageable, we review some of the most common materials you may come across. Choose natural materials for your Polo, you will clearly notice the difference.
Cotton is the most common material used to make clothes, and the polo shirt is no exception. The original Lacoste was made of cotton, among other things. The material provides a relatively cooling effect in hot weather, is quite abrasion resistant and feels soft against the skin.
Functional Materials
Functional materials, ie. usually blends of synthetic material in unique technical fabrics, which are often used for more sporty polo shirts and sometimes give an unsurpassed cooling feeling and are very effective at transporting moisture away.
Polyester polo shirts give you a warm and restrained experience, and you quickly get sweaty by wearing polyester polo shirts. Polo shirts made of unnatural fibers are uncomfortable to wear.
Synthetic Polo Materials
Synthetic materials and blends are common in clothing, where you either want to push the price or achieve unique material properties, where you combine the properties of several different materials.
Often synthetic materials such as polyester not so much, absorbs odors less and does not get so easily soiled as natural materials such as cotton. A common combination is to combine cotton with a form of synthetic material to get the best of both worlds.
Most importantly for choosing your Polo Shirt, you should feel good wearing. Look at people you see around, rip out pictures from magazines or notice when you see a look you find likeable, and aim to buy your Polo that make you feel good, suitable for the situation you are wearing it for, and with whom you’re meeting with.
Find the latest models, and shops of where to buy your polo here: Shop Your Polo
Read the history of the Polo here: The History of the Modern Polo
The Origin & History of The Polo Shirt
Although we know very well some of the most iconic manufacturers of the polo shirt, such as Lacoste, Brooks Brothers, Fred Perry and Polo Ralph Lauren, very few people have much knowledge of the origins of the otherwise well-known jersey.
The polo shirt we know today can probably be largely attributed to tennis legend René Lacoste, who in the 1920s began to make a short-sleeved variant of the clothes that polo players of that time wore, albeit in a more technical fabric quality called piqué.
The original polo shirt is from India
There are many sources that point in the direction of Rene Lacoste in 1926 and then there are other sources that link it to India in the mid-19th century.
We have to go even further back in time to find the origin of this garment, namely to the end of the 19th century and the city of Manipur in India, which was British at the time.
In India, British soldiers are thought to have witnessed a local polo match in the Indian region of Manipur. The British soldiers watched how the locals played a polo match, then decided to found the first polo club in India, which was also the first in the world.
A sport that later became very popular, not just locally but around the world. It is part of the story that the clothes worn for polo matches were shirts made of thick cotton fabric and with wide collars.
How a Sport Essential became The Mafioso’s Signature Style
To avoid getting the collars in the face when riding, they chose to fasten the players’ collars with buttons so that the collar does not get in the way when the horses rode around during the game.
It is said to be the birth of the first button down collar, which
later came to form the basis of two different fashion icons – the oxford shirt and the polo shirt. When the soldiers came home to Britain and introduced the game, they had the jerseys with them – and yes – then the legend of the polo shirt was created. It happened in the 1860s.
The Brooks Brothers’ Influence of The Modern Polo Shirt
On a business trip to England in the late 1800s, John Brooks, the heir to the American men’s equipment Brooks Brothers, watched a polo match. We do not know anything about his impression of the sport, but according to the story, he fell for the device that the players used to fasten their shirt collars.
The OCBD shirt – Oxford Cloth Button Down.
John Brooks took the idea of buttoning the shirt collars home to the United States, where it later led to the introduction of his famous button-down shirt – the OCBD shirt (Oxford Cloth Button Down) as they call it, “The Original Polo Shirt “.
Choose the Polo That Suits You!
Anyhow, the choice of your next, or first polo shirt, should be a reflection of yourself. It should state who you are, and not what anyone or everyone tells you to be or look like.
Pick your style, pick your colours and feel comfortable. It’s the state of time where any fancy or expensive polo shirt comes to life, not any fashion writers or designers idea of what looks good at them, but what looks good at you.
Guide to buy your next polo, including the resent Best Selling Brands & Styles.
The Polo Shirt – Ralph Lauren
“It was never about a shirt, but a way of living.” – Ralph Lauren Today, The Polo Shirt has become a lasting icon of American style and culture — as told through the new book, Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt. Published in partnership with Rizzoli International, the new book celebrates this icon of timeless style.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect polo shirt requires considering various factors such as the material, fit, color, and body type. There are different terms used to describe polo shirts, including polo, piqué, and piké, which can add to the confusion. However, the most important aspect is to choose a polo shirt that you like and feel comfortable in.
When it comes to fit, it’s essential to find a size and shape that complements your body type. The length and width of the polo shirt should be appropriate, falling just above the middle of your pants or shorts. The sleeves should be of a suitable length, typically halfway between the shoulder and elbow. Pay attention to your body shape and ensure the polo shirt fits well, neither too tight nor too loose.
There are different fits available, such as slim fit, custom fit, and classic fit. Slim fit polos are best suited for those in reasonably good shape, while custom fit or regular fit polos offer a more spacious and comfortable option. The fabric of the polo shirt is also crucial, with cotton being the most common and versatile choice. Functional materials, such as synthetic blends, are suitable for more sporty polo shirts.
Ultimately, the choice of a polo shirt should reflect your personal style and make you feel good when wearing it. It’s important to find a polo shirt that suits the occasion and the people you’ll be meeting. Remember that fashion trends and rules can be subjective, and what matters most is your own comfort and confidence.
Whether you prefer the iconic designs of Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, or other brands, finding the best-suited polo shirt is a matter of personal preference and understanding your own body type. So take the time to explore different options, try them on, and choose the polo shirt that makes you feel confident, stylish, and comfortable.
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