A polo shirt is a knitted shirt with a soft collar and a short buttoned placket, usually with short sleeves. It sits between a T-shirt and a button-front shirt, which is why it works with classic wardrobe pieces such as chinos, Bermuda shorts, loafers and boat shoes.
This guide covers the decisions you face when buying one. It explains which fabric suits your climate, how the shirt should fit, whether to tuck it in, what to wear it with and how much to spend. Prices were checked on brand websites in October 2026, in dollars for the United States and pounds for the United Kingdom.
Long-sleeved knitted polos, like the one above, carry the look into spring and autumn and sit neatly under a jacket. Short-sleeved piqué or jersey polos are the summer default.
A polo can also be dressy. Sunspel says it re-tailored its Riviera polo, a Supima cotton mesh shirt first designed in the 1950s for the heat of the French Riviera, for Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale (2006).
What Counts as a Polo Shirt
Every polo shares the same parts. The body is knitted rather than woven, usually in cotton piqué or jersey. The collar is either ribbed knit or a woven shirt fabric. A short placket closes with one to three buttons, and the sleeves end in a ribbed band or a plain hem.
The hem tells you how the shirt is meant to be worn. A longer back, known as a tennis tail, keeps the shirt tucked in when you move, while a straight hem, often with side vents, looks neater worn outside your trousers. The polo is a core garment in Old Money styles such as Preppy, Sloane Ranger and BCBG, because it looks finished without a tie.
Where a Polo Works
Smart casual. With tailored trousers and a navy jacket, a plain polo replaces a shirt and tie for lunches, gallery openings and summer drinks. Pick a fine piqué or a knitted polo with a collar firm enough to sit under the lapels.
Sport. The knitted polo began on the tennis court and was later taken up by golfers, and both sports still have rules. Wimbledon requires players to wear almost entirely white. Many golf clubs require a collared shirt, and Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England asks visitors for a collared shirt tucked in and does not allow round-neck T-shirts.
Campus and weekends. Piqué polos in navy, white and pastel shades are part of contemporary collegiate style, worn with chinos, shorts and loafers or canvas shoes.
Business casual. The Emily Post Institute lists the polo among the shirts that suit business casual and recommends it over a T-shirt for summer office days. Choose solid colours, a collar that holds its shape and a hem long enough to stay tucked in.
Everyday casual. With jeans, shorts or chinos and clean trainers, a polo is the smarter alternative to a T-shirt for errands, travel and family weekends.
How to Choose Your Polo Shirt
Fabric
The right fabric depends on your climate, how often you will wear the shirt and where it sits in your capsule wardrobe. Start with the label, because two polos that look alike can feel very different.
Cotton piqué. The classic choice. Piqué is a textured knit. Lacoste, which still sells its original L.12.12 in cotton petit piqué, calls the knit highly breathable and says it let players sweat less.
Silk and cotton blends. A little silk gives a soft sheen and a smoother feel, which suits evenings and dressier outfits. Read the care label before you buy, as blends are often more delicate than plain cotton.
Linen. Linen absorbs moisture and dries faster than cotton, which makes it comfortable in hot weather, but it creases easily. Orlebar Brown, for example, makes a polo in 100% linen jersey (£195, about $260 at October 2026 exchange rates).
Performance fabrics. Golf and tennis polos use fabrics built to move sweat away from the skin. Some are blends rather than pure synthetics, such as Nike’s Fairway Fresh golf polo at 59% cotton and 41% polyester ($120, about £90).
Synthetics. Sports brands sell all-synthetic polos for the way they move sweat away from the skin. For everyday wear, cotton looks and feels more natural.
Stretch blends. A small amount of elastane adds stretch to a fitted polo. Brooks Brothers’ Golden Fleece stretch polo, for instance, is knitted from Supima cotton with 4% spandex.
Premium cottons and wool. Supima is the trademark for American Pima, an extra-long-staple cotton, and Sunspel’s Riviera polo is made from it (£140, about $190). Sunspel says its Sea Island cotton knitted polo uses cotton sourced from the West Indies and spun in Switzerland. Fine merino knitted polos, such as Sunspel’s (£235, about $315), suit cooler days and can be worn under a jacket.
Piqué or Jersey Knit
Piqué has a raised, waffle-like texture that holds the shirt slightly away from the body, so it feels airy and looks crisp. It is the more traditional choice for a summer polo.
Jersey is smooth, like a good T-shirt, so it lies closer to the body and feels softer. It is the better choice if you want a polo that looks more relaxed, or one that sits smoothly under knitwear.
Sleeve Construction
Set-in sleeves, sewn into the armhole at the shoulder, give a neat shoulder line. Some sporty polos use raglan sleeves, which run in one piece up to the collar with a diagonal seam and give more freedom to move the arm and shoulder.
Sleeve Cuffs
Ribbed cuffs grip the arm and give a sporty, traditional finish. Plain hemmed sleeves sit looser and look more casual. Some makers offer both, as L.L.Bean does with the banded and hemmed versions of its Premium Double L polo.
Collar Construction
A ribbed knit collar is the standard, and it suits most outfits. A woven collar, such as the oxford-weave collar Brooks Brothers puts on one of its piqué polos, looks closer to a shirt collar, which helps when you wear the polo under a jacket.
Whichever you choose, check the collar before you buy. It should have enough body to lie flat on its own.
Placket and Buttons
Two or three buttons are the norm. Fred Perry’s shirts have two, and Todd Snyder’s piqué polo has three. A single-button placket, as on Orlebar Brown’s Bruno polo, looks cleaner and a little dressier. Leave the top button open unless you want a deliberately buttoned-up look.
Pockets
A chest pocket makes a polo more casual and practical. For a polo you will wear under a jacket, a plain front looks neater.
How a Polo Shirt Should Fit
Brands use their own fit names, so compare the measurements as well as the label. Lacoste’s fit guide gives a size medium chest width of 54 cm for its Classic Fit, 52 cm for its Regular Fit and 50 cm for its Slim Fit. Polo Ralph Lauren calls its Classic Fit its roomiest cut, and its Iconic Mesh Polo comes in Classic, Custom Slim and Slim fits.
For a classic, close-fitting polo with set-in sleeves, start with a shoulder seam near the edge of your shoulder and sleeves that sit close without gripping. Raglan sleeves and deliberately loose cuts have different shoulder lines. Button the shirt and check that the chest does not pull across the placket, then sit and reach forward to check comfort. If you intend to tuck it in, tuck it first and raise your arms to check that the hem stays inside the waistband.
Sleeve Length
Sleeves that end higher on the arm look sharper and more athletic. Slightly shorter sleeves give a more vintage look, while longer, looser sleeves look more relaxed and current.
Hem Length and Tucking
Decide before you buy whether you will tuck the shirt in. A tennis tail is made for tucking. Polo Ralph Lauren’s Classic Fit mesh polo, for example, is cut about an inch longer at the back than at the front.
For a polo worn untucked, choose a straight hem that ends around the middle of your trouser fly. Tuck it in for golf, for business casual and under a jacket.
Colours and Patterns
Start with the colours that go with everything. White, navy, grey, light blue and dark green work with chinos, denim and grey trousers, and our guide to colour selection for the old money aesthetic explains how to build on them.
Because polos are warm-weather shirts, pale yellow, pink, coral and other pastels earn their place in summer. Wear one pastel at a time, with neutrals around it.
Keep patterns simple. Fine stripes, tipping on the collar and cuffs, and small all-over textures look classic. Large logos and loud prints pull the shirt towards sportswear.
Outfits by Occasion, Climate and Budget
Summer office. A navy or white piqué polo tucked into grey wool trousers or stone chinos, with a brown leather belt and loafers. Add an unstructured navy jacket for meetings. Here is how to correctly style a blazer.
Golf. A cotton piqué or performance polo tucked in, golf trousers or tailored shorts, a belt and golf shoes. Check the club’s dress code first, as many ask for collared shirts and some for tucked-in shirts.
Hot climate. A linen or cotton mesh polo, untucked if the hem is straight, with Bermuda shorts or light chinos and boat shoes or espadrilles. Choose white or pale colours, which stay cooler in the sun.
Cool climate. A long-sleeved merino or cotton knitted polo with flannel or cord trousers, suede loafers or boots, and a tweed or navy jacket on top.
Evening. A fine-gauge knitted polo in navy, black or cream, tailored trousers and polished loafers. Keep the collar down and the top button undone.
What to Spend
Under $60 (about £45) in the United States. Brooks Brothers’ Golden Fleece stretch Supima polo was on sale from $49.99 (about £37), and L.L.Bean’s Premium Double L polo costs $44.95 (about £34). The Brooks Brothers shirt is 96% cotton and the L.L.Bean shirt is all cotton.
$95 to $140 / £80 to £110. The heritage tennis shirts sit here. Lacoste’s L.12.12 costs $115 or £95, Fred Perry’s M3600 $110 or £80, and Fred Perry’s M12, still made in England, $140 or £110. Polo Ralph Lauren’s Iconic Mesh Polo costs $118 (about £88) and Todd Snyder’s piqué polo $98 (about £73).
£140 to £285 (about $190 to $380). This is where fabric becomes the reason to pay more. Sunspel’s Riviera costs £140 (about $190), Orlebar Brown’s Bruno piqué £175 (about $235), Sunspel’s merino knitted polo £235 (about $315) and its Sea Island cotton polo £285 (about $380).
Luxury. Designer polos, such as Thom Browne’s jersey polo with its 4-Bar stripe at $760 (about £565), cost several times more without being more practical. Buy them for the design, not the function.
Prices change often and sales are frequent, so treat these figures as a guide to each price band rather than a quote.
Collar Up or Down
Keep the collar down for almost every occasion. A turned-up collar is a style statement rather than a rule, and it works only when the rest of the outfit is plain and the gesture looks unplanned, a touch of sprezzatura rather than a pose.
Polo Shirt Brands Worth Knowing
The labels below all sold men’s polos when we checked in October 2026. For a wider list of heritage labels worn by Preppy, Sloane and BCBG dressers, see our guide to authentic Old Money brands.
Tennis heritage. Lacoste and Fred Perry, both founded by tennis champions, and Izod, which sold Lacoste’s shirt in the United States for four decades. Fred Perry still makes its M12 in England.
American classics. Polo Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, J.Crew, L.L.Bean, Banana Republic, Club Monaco, Tommy Hilfiger and Todd Snyder, plus the Southern labels Southern Tide, Southern Marsh, Southern Proper and Criquet.
British makers. Sunspel, known for its Supima and Sea Island cotton polos, and Orlebar Brown, which makes piqué, linen and merino polos.
Designer labels. Thom Browne and Missoni, for whom the polo is a vehicle for stripes, knit patterns and colour.
Golf and tennis. FootJoy, Nike Golf, Adidas, Under Armour, Puma, Oakley, Ashworth, Travis Mathew, Callaway, Wilson, Babolat and K-Swiss make performance polos for the course and the court.
Polo Shirt Care
Sunspel advises washing cotton polos at 30 to 40°C to limit shrinking, avoiding the tumble dryer and folding polos rather than hanging them, because hanging stretches the neck and shoulders. Labels differ between makers, so follow the one in your shirt.
A Short History of the Polo Shirt
British army officers and tea planters took up polo in India in the 1850s, and the Silchar Polo Club, founded in 1859, is often called the first. The Hurlingham Polo Committee drew up the first rules in 1874. Players wore long-sleeved shirts and buttoned their collar points down so that they would not flap.
Those collars gave Brooks Brothers an idea. The company says John Brooks saw them at a polo match in England in 1896, and it introduced its button-down collar shirt in 1900. Brooks Brothers still sells its Original Polo button-down, but that is a woven dress shirt, not the knitted polo of this guide.
The knitted polo comes from tennis. René Lacoste won the United States championships in 1926 and 1927, and in the late 1920s he played in a short-sleeved shirt of knitted cotton piqué instead of the long-sleeved shirts then usual on court. Lacoste dates the shirt to 1928. In 1933 he and André Gillier founded the company that sold it, with a crocodile embroidered on the chest. The emblem came from his nickname, which the brand traces to a bet over a suitcase.
In the United States, Izod sold the shirt under licence as Izod Lacoste from the early 1950s until 1993. Fred Perry, the British tennis champion, launched his own shirt in 1952 with a laurel wreath emblem, and Ralph Lauren introduced its Polo shirt in 24 colours in 1972.
The tennis shirt was later adopted almost everywhere as standard golf wear. Golf and country clubs still list collared shirts in their dress codes. For how the polo became part of American campus style, see our guide to the Ivy League set.
Polo Shirt Questions
Who invented the polo shirt?
The knitted polo as we know it is René Lacoste’s short-sleeved piqué tennis shirt of the late 1920s, sold by his company from 1933. Earlier polo players wore long-sleeved woven shirts with buttoned-down collars.
Is an expensive polo worth it?
Up to a point. Between about $95 and $140 (about £71 to £105) you get the heritage tennis shirts from Lacoste and Fred Perry, and above that you pay for finer cotton or wool, as with Sunspel’s Supima and Sea Island polos. Designer polos cost far more for the label. Brooks Brothers and L.L.Bean cover the lower prices.
How many polos do I need?
Three to five cover most needs. Start with white and navy piqué, add a long-sleeved knit for cooler days, and then one or two colours you like.
What does piqué mean?
Piqué is a cotton knit with a small raised texture, used for most classic polos. Lacoste says its petit piqué let tennis players sweat less.
Do you tuck a polo in?
Tuck it in for golf, business casual and under a jacket, and choose a shirt with a longer back hem for that. Leave it out with shorts or jeans if the hem is straight and ends around the middle of your trouser fly.
Is a polo shirt formal?
No. It is a casual shirt that can be dressed up to smart casual and business casual. Where an invitation asks for a jacket and tie, wear a shirt and tie instead.
Should I choose long or short sleeves?
Short sleeves suit warm weather and sport. Long-sleeved knitted polos work in spring, autumn and under a jacket, and in winter under knitwear.
How do I wash a polo shirt?
Follow the care label. Sunspel recommends 30 to 40°C, no tumble dryer and folding rather than hanging, which keeps the collar and shoulders in shape.
Style Like a Pro with The VOU
If you want help choosing polo shirts for your colouring, build and preferred style, The VOU’s stylists offer paid packages.
A complete Fashion Styling package identifies your three closest fashion styles, with outfit ideas and brands for each, and our colour and body shape analyses cover colouring and fit.
To ask about the packages, contact The VOU’s stylists.