Forget any preconceived notions you have about polo shirts. The menswear staple has officially shaken off its associations with golf dads and Britpop-loving teens to deservedly reclaim its status as a reliable smart-casual go-to for just about any occasion. Scroll on for everything you need to know about this unassuming wardrobe hero – from its origins to the best men's polo shirts to buy in 2025.
The history of men's polo shirts
As its name suggests, the polo shirt – or a version of it – was originally invented for polo players in the late 1800s. John Brooks, an American haberdasher and grandson of Brooks Brothers founder Henry Sands Brooks, noticed on a trip to England that polo players were sewing buttons on their shirt collars to prevent the collars from flapping around during games. He took the idea home to the US and began producing shirts with button-down collars en masse.
It wasn't until the 1920s, however, that the polo shirt as we know it today was born, all thanks to the French tennis icon René Lacoste. Frustrated with the rigid codes of tennis wear, which required players to wear a heavy and uncomfortable long-sleeved button-up shirt, Lacoste began wearing a short sleeved shirt in a lightweight cotton pique – a soft, breathable and casual shirt style that improved his freedom of movement and performance. Soon enough, he was approached by American manufacturer André Gillier to collaborate on the creation of the modern tennis shirt. In 1933, La Chemise Lacoste was founded, adopting the crocodile as its logo in a nod to Lacoste's nickname.
Over the decades, polo shirts became popularised off the court amongst sporty middle-class types – from British mods to American East Coast preppies and even presidents – President Dwight D. Eisenhower and President John F Kennedy were both big fans. In the late '60s, a young designer by the name of Ralph Lauren launched a brand called Polo. Emblazoned with a trademark polo player, the polo shirt became the uniform of America's leisure-loving elite.
Fast forward to today and practically every menswear brand has created its own version of the men's polo shirt, harnessing all manner of cuts, fabrics and patterns and elevating the garment beyond its sporty origins.
How to wear a polo shirt
Occupying that sweet spot between a collared shirt and a T-shirt, the polo shirt lends itself easily to being dressed up or down. Channel weekend ease and team it with shorts, denim jeans or chinos, or smarten it up by layering it under a blazer and tucking it into high-waisted tailored trousers. Its lightweight construction and smart-casual appeal make it the ultimate holiday shirt, perfect for taking you from the pool to cocktail hour. Throw on a pair of espadrilles and slip into off-duty mode.
Best men's polo shirts to buy in 2025
Velasca
Velasca is proof you don’t need to overthink Italian style – it just works. Its polo shirts are an easy win: Milanese elegance cut with casual charm, giving you enough sprezzatura to get away with saying sprezzatura without sounding absurd. Velasca is reassuringly authentic, which makes it ideal for men who prefer their sophistication to speak quietly.
ASKET
ASKET’s polos are annoyingly perfect – annoying because you’ll wonder why every other polo doesn’t just do what these do. The Swedish label is obsessed with precision, stripping the polo shirt back to its bare essentials. No gimmicks, no logos, just exceptional fabrics and clean lines.
The Resort Co
The Resort Co knows the power of suggestion. Its polos say “holiday” without turning you into the sort of bloke who packs exclusively white linen. They’re simple but refined, made with Mediterranean ease rather than forced glamour. These polos won’t singlehandedly land you an invite onto someone’s yacht, but if you find yourself there anyway, you’ll look like you belong.
Luca Faloni
You can’t fake Luca Faloni’s kind of elegance. It’s built into every polo – luxurious, but subtly so, as though shouting about quality would be bad manners. Everything here is about slow luxury: fabrics you’ll appreciate the more you wear them, colours that quietly elevate your style, and an unmistakably Italian knack for making the simple look effortlessly sophisticated.
Artknit Studios
Artknit Studios makes polos feel like a grown-up decision rather than a wardrobe default. The Italian label operates with admirable clarity, crafting knitwear that’s understated but never bland, luxurious yet reassuringly practical. Every polo is thoughtfully considered, from quietly elevated yarn choices to cuts that speak of effortlessness rather than effort. Wearing Artknit Studios feels quietly confident – the sort of clothes you choose because they reflect who you are, not who you want others to think you might be.
WAHTS
WAHTS does polo shirts with the kind of effortless sophistication you usually only see in airport lounges. Think sportswear practicality meets sharp contemporary cuts – polos you’ll happily live in from the office to weekend brunch, without ever needing to change. WAHTS’s charm is in how little it needs to shout about itself.
ISTO
ISTO polos feel refreshingly straightforward, like they’re built on common sense rather than fashion hype. The brand takes sustainability seriously – but it won’t bang on about it. Instead, it quietly produces exceptionally well-made polos that last. ISTO is perfect if you prefer style that’s rooted firmly in reality rather than runway fantasy.
Wax London
Wax London makes the polo shirt feel easy again. Its polos manage that rare trick of being totally relaxed without looking like you’re phoning it in. The cuts are sharp enough to suggest you know your way around a clothes rail, yet the overall feel is low-key and fuss-free. Essentially, Wax London polos are for people who care how they look, but don’t need you to notice.
David Gandy Wellwear
David Gandy Wellwear’s polo shirts make comfort seem genuinely cool. Wellwear is less concerned with chasing fashion headlines and more interested in shirts you actually want to wear every day. They’re reassuringly uncomplicated, built to look quietly confident, never trying too hard. Ideal if you’d rather look like you’ve made an effort without actually making one.
Polo Ralph Lauren
There’s a reason Ralph Lauren’s polos became shorthand for style that just works. It might be predictable, but that’s the point. Polo Ralph Lauren isn’t about reinventing wheels, it’s about knowing exactly how wheels should look – and turning them out impeccably season after season. Comfortably familiar but never dull, it remains the definitive standard.
Lacoste
Lacoste invented the polo’s modern cool, and even after decades, it still sets the pace. The crocodile logo means something – it’s shorthand for laid-back style with zero effort required. Lacoste polos are worn with the relaxed ease of someone who’s been around long enough not to worry what people think, which is precisely why everyone still wants one.
LESTRANGE
LESTRANGE’s polos are made for men who prefer dressing well to be as straightforward as possible. Everything it does is considered, understated, and versatile – no loud branding, no faff. The appeal here is that each polo shirt will quietly solve style dilemmas rather than create them, ideal if your approach to clothes is pragmatic rather than performative.
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