If ever there was a garment to define smart-casual style, then the polo shirt would be it. Today, it’s a seamless hybrid between a classic tee and a button-up shirt — the collar offers a laid-back polish that looks as good worn with denim as it does paired with tailoring for lower-octane events or warm-weather weddings.
Easy and effortless, consider the polo shirt as versatile as your favourite pair of jeans thanks to its ability to be dressed up and down. It’s no surprise, then, that it’s become a go-to in the unisex wardrobe. With its origins on the sporting fields, it’s today found well beyond the stadium, finding a sartorial home in bars, boardrooms and on beaches around the world. Lightweight cotton versions are ideal for packing in the vacation suitcase, while long-sleeved woollen iterations are a sharp alternative to a crew neck sweater for cooler months.
And in the era of hybrid working, business dress codes have shifted and are now more casual than ever; the polo shirt has come to the fore as a refreshing alternative to the crisp cotton shirt, but, with its collared, button-up detailing, remains smart enough to maintain a sense of office uniformity. And, in grey, navy and black, it looks effortless paired with boardroom-ready suiting.
Over the decades, the polo shirt has undergone many reincarnations. Originally designed for polo players, the top has its origins in 1850s India, when players needed lightweight kit to play in the hot and humid conditions. Short-sleeved and crafted from breathable, knitted cotton, the styles were bright white, which reflected the heat. The style found its way to England in the 1920s: a sartorial import resulting from Great Britain’s colonisation of India during the Empire.
It's adaptability meant it found its way into other sporting arenas: it became the top of tennis, today widely associated with Wimbledon, and golf. Polo players started wearing colourful versions embroidered with emblems in the Twenties: the earliest indication this silhouette would become a blank canvas for sporting and sartorial expression.
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By the 1930s, it was incorporated into modern wardrobes as a utilitarian staple: it was then that John Smedley introduced the knitted Isis polo shirt, cementing its status as an off-pitch go-to. Today, it’s a brand best-seller — sales have doubled since Spring/Summer 2020, and its appeal shows no signs of slowing. With its distinctly oversized collar and easy-fit shape, it’s part of a 14-polo shirt offering that includes renditions crafted from merino wool, Sea Island cotton and Anglo-Indian gauze, which is ideal for packing on warm-weather vacations.
Of course, the polo shirt is ripe for reinvention each season. And modern versions from John Smedley include colour-block details that feel like a smart take on Bauhaus style; others have colour-contrast collars or feature Fair Isle-style Intarsia patterns that are a beautiful take on the classic.
Today, it remains a top that transcends not just decades, but demographics. Younger generations have found appeal in its association with modern prep — a mix of streetwear-meets-uptown polish — and its easy-to-layer nature. The polo shirt, much like the roll neck, can be paired under knitted vests or under sweaters as a warming, winter look.
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No matter where you’re heading and no matter the season, the polo shirt is a go-to that takes the guesswork out of dress codes. Off to a dinner party but unfamiliar with the dressiness of the restaurant? Pair a black version with tailored trousers. Jetting off to a beachside wedding? A white cotton version will work well with lightweight, linen suits and won’t crumple inside your suitcase. Got an interview for a start-up? A polo is a respectful choice that makes a good impression without leaving you feeling like you’ve overdressed.
One thing’s for sure: this timeless classic will remain a go-to in your closet for years to come, come rain or shine, work to weekend.
