A Men’s Guide to Polo Shirts: Looking Stylish and Smart

Polo shirts are dressier than t-shirts and tank tops but less formal than button-down shirts. In a polo shirt, you could feel justified going to work or a classy restaurant. You might even wear a suit underneath one with the proper design. Alternatively, you may put one on and wear shorts to the golf course or a casual supper with friends.

A polo shirt works well in practically every situation. The polo shirt is renowned for its nearly universal level of comfort besides its adaptability. Polos often hang loosely about the body, and the movable neck makes for almost continual ventilation. Although they may have originated on tennis courts, these staples are available in various forms for different situations today.

Different Men’s Polo Shirt Styles

Source: apetogentleman.com

When browsing through the range of men’s polo shirts online, you’ll notice several styles that vary in design, material, and function. It’s up to your unique preference as a wearer to decide which type is best for you. However, learning about them can make your shopping experience less overwhelming.

Classic Polo Shirt

The traditional polo shirt style features a button-up collar, short sleeves, and a relaxed fit. It is typically made of cotton or a cotton blend and comes in various colours and patterns. Classic polo shirts are versatile and suitable for many occasions, from casual outings to semi-formal events.

Performance Polo Shirt

Designed for activewear and made from moisture-wicking and breathable materials such as polyester, spandex, or a blend of both, performance men’s polo shirts are often used for sports and fitness activities, as the fabric helps to keep the wearer cool and dry. Performance polo shirts come in many styles, from fitted to loose-fitting, and often have a design with UV protection.

Fashion Polo Shirt

Source: nautica.com.au

These polo shirts are designed for style and often feature unique designs and embellishments, such as embroidery, prints, or contrasting collars and cuffs. They may also be made from luxurious fabrics such as silk or linen and are the go-to option for more formal occasions.

Custom Polo Shirts

Polo shirts designed and made to order, typically for corporate or team uniforms, are known as custom polos. You can customise them with a company logo, team name, or other design elements. The general features, such as the fabric, fit, and style, can also be modified to meet the wearer’s needs, with several colour and design options available.

These are the main types of polo shirts, but there may also be other variations, such as slim-fit, relaxed-fit, and more.

How to Choose the Right Polo Shirt for You?

Fit Your Body’s Size and Shape

Source: lazada.sg

Wear polo shirts that look well on you and suit your body correctly. Pick one that won’t shape your figure. You can follow this general guideline for a well-fitting shirt. Choose the one that fits your fingers comfortably by sliding two fingers under the sleeve.

Make sure to buy a polo shirt that complements your height by paying attention to the length. Your shirt’s hem should fall precisely at the waistband.

Check Shoulder Width and Sleeve Length

Regarding shoulder breadth, it should be equivalent to dress shirts and sitting on the shoulder bone. It should extend an additional 5 cm of fabric on each side. A fitting polo shirt for men has a sleeve that sits halfway between the shoulder and the elbow. Longer sleeves are more stylish, but shorter sleeves can make you look more retro.

Pick the Right Materials

It’s essential to select the ideal material while figuring out how to pick the perfect polo shirt. What is the best material for mens polo shirts? Polos are now available in a variety of materials for various uses. Men should generally take into account the following four primary sorts of polos:

Cotton

Source: apetogentleman.com

Cotton polo shirts are the most expensive because of their premium, lightweight, and breathable fabric. These items of formal business attire are timeless classics that will never go out of style. Contrarily, cotton cloth doesn’t hold vivid colours and is vulnerable to shrinkage after extended use.

Cotton and Poly Blend

These polos made of a poly-cotton hybrid combine the advantages of both materials. They are resilient and easy to maintain, soft and breathable. Because they cost significantly less than cotton polos, blended polos are an excellent choice for office and school uniforms.

Performance

Performance polos are made particularly for athletes and sports players. Commonly utilised materials include spandex and other lightweight textiles like polyester. The fact that it is UV-resistant and moisture-wicking is the best feature of this kind of polo. You can wear them to the tennis court, bowling alley, or golf course to improve your performance.

Poly

As their name suggests, the most affordable and durable polos on the market are poly polos because of polyester cloth. Contrary to cotton shirts, poly polo shirts won’t fade, shrink, or wrinkle with time. They’re best for heavy industry uniforms like those used in delivery, cooking, and mechanics.

Select the Best Colours for You

Source: poshmark.com

Polo shirts are a fantastic way for men to inject colour into their clothing. Choose neutral colours like pink, white, burgundy, light blue, green, purple, navy, or navy. While all these colours are lovely, your skin tone and hair colour will determine which one looks best on you. For instance, warm hues will look good against your fair skin.

After you’ve done with the basics, you can move on to patterns, like checks, stripes or something else. You may stand out from the crowd by wearing colours that contrast.

Shirt Collars and Pockets

Even though shirt collars are small elements, they can have an immense impact on the complete outfit. Sew a line to prevent soft collars from curling up at the edges to maintain their level and straight. Choose fitting collars to keep your look cohesive and blend everything. Pocketed polo shirts are liable to sag fairly quickly. Additionally, the pocket contents will be visible and can lose their shape.