The Complete Men's Polo Shirt Buying Guide

Polo shirts give men the option of being casual and comfortable, while still looking classy and well dressed. They are designed specifically to fit in a way that provides the maximum amount of comfort while still looking less casual than a regular T-shirt. The shirts are so versatile that they can be worn around the house, to do business in, to the store, to a semi-formal event, or in sports. However, by simply tucking in the shirt and adding a belt, the polo becomes more formal while still remaining just as comfortable.

Traditional men’s polo shirts are characterized by a slim fit, fairly tight sleeves that reach halfway to the elbow, a loose collar, and a vertically cut neckline that buttons and reaches down to the chest area. This guide will provide the information needed to quickly find and select the correct type of polo shirt. It will do this by going over how to know if a polo fits properly, explaining the different types of polo shirts, giving advice on when and how to wear men’s polo shirts, and then covering where to find and purchase the shirts.

History of the Polo Shirt
The polo shirt is named after the attire worn by the polo players back in the 1800s. However, the shirts they wore were actually long sleeved and different than the modern shirts. The polos worn now were fabricated by a professional tennis player in the mid 1920s. The original tennis shirts were made of a stiff material that was very uncomfortable so he developed a new shirt that had several advantages.

It had short sleeves to keep the players cool and eliminate the problem of long sleeves rolling down during the game. It had a soft collar which could be loosened or tightened with buttons. The collar could be flipped up behind the neck to keep the sun at bay, and the knitted fabric was lightweight and kept the players cool. It was also designed to stay tucked in when a tennis player reached up to hit the ball.

When the creator of the shirt, Lacoste, retired in 1933, he and a friend in the clothing merchandise business teamed up to begin producing and selling the newly designed polo shirts.

How to Select Men’s Polo Shirts
There are a few things to consider when shopping for men’s polo shirts. Sizing must be perfected first before moving on to select the type and style of shirt. From there, it is just a matter of knowing where to purchase the preferred polo shirts and how to wear them well.

Fitting Men’s Polo Shirts
Polo shirts are not designed to be to too loose or billowy. They should be form fitting without being tight. The seam of the sleeve should be over the corner of the shoulder bone. The armholes should not be tight or loose. There needs to be enough room for natural motion without restriction or too much fabric. The torso of the shirt should not move away from the body more than three to four inches when pulled on. The classic polo shirts have sleeves that should reach halfway between the shoulder and elbow. However, there are also long sleeved polos that need to reach to the wrists when the arms are held out away from the body.

Types of Men’s Polo Shirts
There are about six different types of polo shirts. Each one has advantages, disadvantages, differing price ranges, and may or may not be customizable. Polo shirts are popular as a fashionable clothing item as well as for customization such as embroidery and screen printing. The shirts can be ideal for customizing because they are typically affordable, comfortable, come in all varieties of colors and materials, and are great for branding companies or sports teams. However, not all of the shirts are ideal for this so it is important to know which types of polo shirts can be customized and which ones are just for style or function. When considering customization, it is important to understand that screenprinting is often inexpensive but does not last as long, while embroidery is more expensive but holds up.

When selecting a type of polo shirt, keep in mind that certain shirts are best for specific occasions. Cotton shirts are very casual and are only slightly more dressy when tucked in. Performance shirts are casual and sporty, but are not dressy. Silk polos are only dressy, while jersey knit and polyester can be casual or slightly dressy.

How to Wear Men’s Polo Shirts
Polo shirts are versatile in that they can be worn on a golf green one day, and in a conference room the next. They should be worn with straight cut pants or shorts because they are fitted. Polo shirts can be dressed up by tucking the shirt in with a belt as well as by getting a higher-end type of polo. Darker shirts should be worn with a lighter wash of pants, while lighter colored polo shirts should be worn with a darker shade of pants.

Shopping for Men’s Polo Shirts
All types of polo shirts are easily found in department and general clothing stores. Other brick and mortar places to shop are at men’s clothing outlets, sporting goods stores, and at embroidery and screenprinting shops. Many websites also specifically specialize in certain types of polo shirts like performance, business, or printable shirts. However, many men find it far more convenient to simply to go online to websites like eBay where they can find all the types and styles of shirts in one, convenient place.