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Polo: The Shirt With No Holes
Polo shirt time. But which ones to buy? We choose the best.
Polo shirt with jeans or cords is a classic combination and just the job for this time of year. Smarter than a t-shirt and not as restrictive and more breathable than a normal full button up shirt, I practically live in polos. Indeed I’m wearing one as I type this. There’s a staggering array of polo shirts available - from the ones that some people have to wear at work through to posh branded ones that cost a fair few quid. Here’s my pick of the bunch.
Ralph Lauren custom fit
I really like the fit of these, then again I am on the slimmer side, so probably not one for the huskier gentleman. Everything’s right about Ralph Lauren polos, the material, the weight, the cut, two buttons, the lot. The only thing that I’ve never been overly happy with is the flappy panel bit at the back that makes me realise why a dog gets tempted to chase its own tail. Avoid the ones with the big horses though, they’re more suited to cockney cab drivers and blokes with parrot haircuts. You can pick one up for around £65.
12th Man
This is a new brand, that has the hook of only making 99 pieces in each garment style. So in effect, everything is a limited edition, if you’re into that kind of thing. Their animal of choice - you’ve got to have an animal on your polo - is a raptor of some description. Possibly a hawk. They come in at a pricey £78, then again they are hand finished and made in Italy.
Victorinox
Yup, the makers of the knife with the saw, scissors, nail file and thing for removing stones from horses hooves (handy if you do actually play polo I imagine) make polo shirts too. Pretty basic looking but they do the job. Nice and comfy and a good fit and best of all you can pick from up for about £30 which is around half their RRP.
Nicole Farhi
One of my favourite labels. I love everything she’s done from jackets and cords and cardigans through to shorts, chunky knits and sunglasses. You should have at least one Farhi item in your wardrobe, so why not a polo shirt? A bargin at around £60.
Façonnable
I’m a big fan of Façonnable. The French brand do some great jumpers and long sleeved polos, and a nice selection of Yachting gear - not that I go yachting but nor do I play polo or run marathons - including this stunning jacket. Indeed one of my clothing based regrets over recent years was not picking up a beautiful tweed Façonnable hunting jacket from their shop on 5th Ave in New York. I’ve never seen that jacket since. Anyway, they also do a good line in polos, that are slightly roomier, making them ideal for the pie connoisseur. Expect to pay around £60 or so for one.
Fjallraven Crowley Pique Shirt
Right. I know some of you (hopefully if you’ve found your way here to reading this) may now me mocking my choice here as being at least 5 years out of date, and now worn by every man and his dog, but Fjallraven do make some quality, durable gear. Their short sleeved check shirts are still my favourite and their G1000 material is practically indestructible. So feel no shame in jumping on the Fjall bandwagon and purchasing one of their polos for around £60 or a lot less online. I’ve also included this because Norrøna don’t make polos.
CP Company
Unlike most of the other polo shirts on this list, CP tend to change their styling every year, just so it’s different. The current incarnation of the CP polo shirt has the logo in a little box, which isn’t particularly subtle. I prefer their old embroidered logos that were the same colour as the shirt. That aside, these remain my favourite polos. OK so you end up paying around £20 extra for the privilege of wearing one, but you tend not to see them every day and the quality is very very good - 100% cotton, three buton, great fit and long lasting. Expect to pay around £85.
Lacoste
I may as well save the best til last. Whatever you think about Lacoste - it may conjour up images of trackie and baseball cap clad scallies on BMX’s or whatever they ride these days - you can’t deny their polo shirts are ace. Well, you can deny it but you’d be wrong. You know exactly what you’re going to get. Just about any colour you can think of, great quality, superb fit and let’s be honest, the coolest badge around. Worn by everyone from the aforementioned scallies to preppy types, they can’t all be wrong. They’re also pretty affordable at £60, but if you fancy splashing out another £25 then I’d recommend the ‘marl’ versions which will make you stand out from the crowd.
What colour should I wear?
Whatever the hell colour you want, though if you’re anything like me, I’d match it with my trainers. I avoid hoops because I don’t particularity like them and they do look a touch too scally. Also pink. Used to have loads of pink stuff but then it became quite fashionable and was sported by just about every young lad with too much hair gel up and down the land queuing to get in a Revolution on a Saturday night. The same goes for Munsingwear (or Penguin) I ordered a load of Penguin polos from the US, when you couldn’t get them over here, got a fair bit of wear out of them until they became staple wear for children’s TV presenters and Dermot O’Leary. Straight in the charity bag. Oh, and avoid the collar up Danny Dyer look, it makes you look a tit.
Honourable mentions to Mulberry - not only do they make bird’s handbags, but they did do a fine line in menswear which they seem to have now axed, which is a real shame, it is in fact a peach coloured Mulberry polo that I’m wearing now - and Gant - who do some excellent stuff too.
So get online or out to the shops and celebrate summer with a new polo or two, or three.
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COMMENTS
Why are the fart flaps so long on RL polos (an already generous length polo)? Probably something to do with actual polo players or the like.
yip,the polo is now a staple diet for any wardrobe all year round......you are right with the usual suspects....wish you hadnt mentioned 12th man though as i have a few and never see anyone else wearing them,lacoste and faconnable big thumbs up
think you missed out Aquascutum K
Good call. Also Smedley, Paul Smith, Gant - as I mentioned.
Gant and Paul & Shark along with Ralph Lauren make the best quality polo's although its been 8 years since I bought any P&S. This year I've mostly been wearing Benetton which are cheap and well made plus like rocking horse shit to find unless you go to that there London
I'll have a look at Benetton next time I'm in that there London. There's a big shop on Regent St.
aye thats where I get mine from
Lacoste polo's and great quality in the same sentence? Up to about 10 years ago then yes but for the last decade you can spit peas through them. For quality & fit it's got to be Gant.
You can't go wrong with a classic Lacoste, any colour you want and the fit is always bang on. I did pick you a Peaceful Hooligan one the other day on their site though and it's mint. Will be having a few more for my summer travels I think!
Top article Keith, Mulberry do (did?) indeed make quality polo. And Benetton are certainly a top pick.
bang on about Lacoste, by far the best around! Victorinox ones are good quality as well. I'm still a sucker for a Fred Perry now and again as well!
Lacoste, Ralph, Benny, Vic are cack. Try Pal Zileri you whopper's
Good choice with the fjall polo. One advantage is that it's made of polyester and dries very quickly. Good news for a sweaty bastard like me. You can perpire profusely but it doesn't show up. I'll second the recommendation of Benetton, decent quality and fits over my beer belly no problem.
Sunspel Riviera Polo - lovely, lovely.
I canny believe you missed out BOSS. There is no polo that site, fits or looks better than a nice plain BOSS. Around £65.
Logo = idiot.
Oh, you're the one that called Bryn 'old'. (smiley face here)
No mention of Vivienne Westwood? They're a bit pricey, but the three button detail is unique and guaranteed to stand out a bit more than a Ralph
PAUL & SHARK still big up in Lpool. Tommy
Think the quality of Lacoste has suffered somewhat, still up there with the best in terms of aesthetic appeal though.
Aertex, Gabicci, Carhaart, Munsingwear, Hackett, Marks & Spencer (if you are not badge man. Or if you are on your uppers, Primark basics are alright.
youve forgot the most iconic polo shirt ever "fred perry"
i really like the all saints polos, at £30 a pop there great value to.
ralph dark blue with read rider, timeless classic that ive owned for nearly 15 years, gets worn at least once a week.
*red
You can't beat a ralph polo been wearing them the best part of 20 years there timeless and they last forever have one in nearly every colour, must agree with the above the navy is the best.Lacoste polos now are like wearing a tea bag.
No Fred Perry?
Lacoste has deffo gone down the pan the last few years and the prices have gone up.I can go to cheshire oaks and get two ralph lauren polos for the same price and not that many people in liverpool are into ralph.
The last lot of RL I bought was from Cheshire Oaks, bargain price. Not as good as the custom fit stuff though. Stocked up on some of that the other week in that there London.
Sixty quid for a t-shirt? The worlds gone gibbon and clink.
The long flap at the bottom of a polo shirt actually originated from the tennis-playing days of Lacoste etc. It meant the shirt didn't come un-tucked when players were bent over waiting to return the ball. Also known as the tennis-tail.
I can't believe you're actually willing to pay upwards of £50 for a POLO. Do you not have anything more worthwhile to spend your resources on? Some of those prices exceed my entire weekly budget. What about donating half the cost of any one of those polos to someone/a charity, where it would quite likely feed them for a week? Unbelievable.
Lordylord - I'm flogging myself right now as penance for the sheer indulgence spending my own money as I wish. I do admire your quite mentalist logical approach though.
...no Penguin Munsingwear?
Bill - re Penguin. See third to last paragraph. Been kids TV presenter fodder for years.
Boss,Ralph and Vic'nox in pima cotton are nice;polyester on a polo shirt though,perish the thought.
Have to say, my entire "polo" shirt collection revolves around Fred Perry and Stone Island. And very lovely they are too.
one you have missed is conte of Florence quality polo's from a underrated label
None of the above for me. Folk do comfortably the best polos I've seen lately, great colours, understated, and no logo bar a little leather tab attached to the bottom button. Not bad at about £50-60 and they do a long sleeve too
I would have Sunspel on my list having bought a few last summer.
trumpet blowing - check 'beefy polo' (Hanes) on our url - www.barone.co.uk - if you need quality & value.
yes, bennetton do some very good polos for the money. Got one in Bergamo for about 30 euro. with regards to the flappy bit on the ralph custom fit. Try the slim fit, same cut as custom just sans flappy bit at the back
Yeah Ralph are the best. Any colour yer want, as well as some very natty stripey ones for the summer.
Great post. Would've added Lyle and Scott as well though. You have to buy a size too big though otherwise you end up looking like a cunt. Soul Cal are decent as well for a cheaper option.
Quite partial to a Burberry polo, heavyweight for winter and lightweight cotton for summer. Cant take any article on polo shirts seriously that omits Fred Perry though.
For those asking why no Fred Perry. Perry hasn't been relevant since the late 70s unless you are a Weller wannabe. Leave it for the fun boys.
RAF Simons Perry is expensive but the odd item very decent. Sunspel sheer quality. Not pique though so less hardy.
Conte of Florence nice slim fit Italian polo's
moncler have some decent looking polo's out for the summer and if you're a bit flush Hermes have some decent ones as well. .
There is only 1 brand you'll ever need. Fred Perry. Classic colours not the new style.
no. fred perry's for pseudo mod indie kid tossers....
You launched a load of Penguin polos you'd spent good money on into a charity bin because tossers like Dermott & Co started wearing them? Isn't that a bit like stopping listening to an underground band purely on the basis that other people that you thought were bellends started listening to it too? If its a good shirt (which the Penguin is) then why give a fuck if some T4 testicle starts wearing it (providing you don't juxtapose it with arse displaying low cut jeans, Nathan Barley haircut, lensless glasses and the general look of a tit).
Fred Perry, lacoste, vivienne westwood and stussy are the best. Lyle And Scott and Ralph Lauren have been ruined by chavs.
lacoste lacoste lacoste, for fit, quality and overall uber coolness....
Anybody got any idea as to the price of the Benetton polos. Nothing showing on their website. Cheer, HKH
lacoste and boss,for me.
SABOTAGE
