Certain garments are considered fashion classics that are both timeless and iconic. In menswear, polo shirts have remained a staple and hot seller because of their versatility and polished appeal. Popped collars come and go but brands big and small are constantly trying to revolutionize the classic shirt. Three current versions of the fitted polo shirts for men that are popular both on the runway and at retail stores are influenced by traditional rugby wear, golf course styles and mixed textiles.

Ralph Lauren revolutionized American clothing and the Bronx, New York native’s take on what he thought was polo appropriate clothing should be affected men of all walks of life. His Polo brand was embraced by hip hop and gang culture in a big way using bold iconography, graphics and color. While the pony logo polo shirts will always remain hot sellers, the Ralph Lauren Rugby brand brought a whole new twist on polos and casual collared shirts. Influenced by rugby stripes jersey numbering, these bold takes on the polo helped with the resurgence of collegiate style among men of all ages. 

Lacoste’s take on the classic tennis and golf polo shirt has brought levity to the style that is sometimes deemed too stuffy and dull for most men. The brand’s signature bright and unexpected shades for men like hot pink, clementine orange and pale aqua, make taking a risk with color easier thanks to the clean silhouette. Much like Ralph Lauren’s Polo line, Lacoste also relies on their signature alligator to sell shirts thanks to key branding. They’ve toyed with the use of over-sized gators on the chest pocket and remixed it with varsity jacket touches like embroidered numbers for a fresh take on the Mens polo shirts.

The most recent interpretation of the polo is the use of mixed materials to inject a different kind of color pop. Fashion houses like Burberry and Gucci have used the front placket and collar as areas to brand with their signature house prints. This styling decision helped influence the popped collar trend to show off wealth and style. Five-year-old menswear brand Stone Rose has made a melange of prints in clean silhouettes their signature, using high-end materials sourced from textile mills in Italy and Turkey. The Stone Rose polo uses patterns like paisley, gingham, plaid and floral pop up on plackets, collars and in the seaming to breathe new life into the traditional polo. 

Whatever you chose, the Mens polo shirts is a menswear classic that you’ll keep in your wardrobe forever, no matter the current trends.

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