21 Sophisticated Polo Shirt Looks To Wear For Any Occassion

The term Polo shirt was originally used to describe the long sleeved, thick button down shirts used to play Polo. In the 1920’s a tennis shirt embroidered with a polo player on it was the first of it’s kind and by the 1950’s, even tennis players referred to the style as a ‘polo’ shirt.

It’s a classic and very versatile item. It can be worn with jeans, shorts and even a suit with the proper fit. To look more sophisticated, the polo shirt should be fitted but not tight. Length also plays a key role. Try to find one with detailing on the bottom where the side seams come together. This will allow it to be worn either tucked or untucked. And yes, tucked is ok. I would reserve this look to be worn with a slim fitted, flat front dress pant. We are going to give you some options for color blocked, contrast tipped, stripped and solid.

Things to avoid – Boxy pique styles and a very long cut.

Color Blocked The term color blocked is just what is sounds like. Large blocks of colors make up the shirt. This can be two colors or multiple colors. There is no rule to follow but I would avoid blocking done on a diagonal. This appears cheap and will easily become dated. Complimentary colors should be used. Grey and blue or white and navy are a couple of examples. Color blocking on a polo shirt is a bold modern look that can also be slimming for the husky guys but again, fit is imperative.

Contrast & Stripped Contrast can mean a different color pinstripe around the color and sleeves known as ‘contrast tipping’. It can also mean a different color collar and matching band around the bicep. For stripped polo shirts, avoid vertical stripes. They are too distracting and rarely look appealing. If you are more husky in size, avoid the stripes all together since the only style that looks good is horizontal stripes. This will make you appear larger. Thinner guys rejoice as this style might be best. The pants must be solid. Go with a dark color chino or jean or the outfit will look too nautical.

Solid Polos The most important thing to decide here is button color. The wrong color or white buttons can ruin the look. We prefer clear or matching colored buttons. White buttons can be tricky, so be sure to pair it up against the pant you are looking to match it with before you commit.