# Suit trousers with polo shirt?



## Max79 (Jan 4, 2014)

Hello, everyone!


I'm new to both dressing well and this forum, so please try to be lenient with me. 


I usually wear chinos and the occasional pair of jeans, but as I am not very adventurous regarding the colour of the former (I prefer „stone“ and „khaki“) and want to wear jeans less often, I considered alternatives, and suit trousers came to mind. Now to my question:


although I like wearing shirts once in a while, I prefer polos. Is it acceptable to combine suit trousers with polo shirts? If so: should the polo always be tucked in, or could suit trousers be worn rather like casual ones when worn without the jacket? I was looking at a pair of mid grey trousers, and thought about mostly wearing them with dark blue, logo-less polos and a variety of shirts.


Thanks in advance!


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

If you mean orphan suit trousers, then probably not. If polo shirt and wool slacks, then yes, on less formal days.


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

Suit trousers don't go well with polos. Suit trousers should also not be separated from the suit jacket, otherwise you'll have worn out trousers and a perfectly useless suit jacket. If you want to wear wool trousers, they work best when they are in a less formal gabardine weave. And the polo should be tucked in.


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## Dieu et les Dames (Jul 18, 2012)

Yes, but not to the office. It's a casual look.


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## Canadian (Jan 17, 2008)

I do not claim to be an expert on German fashion. 

Around here, many of my co-workers wear dress slacks with polo shirts. They are the type who get up in the morning, examine their closet, pick out pants and shirts which are least offensive in odour and head to work. I personally own pants in a variety of shades. However, if I feel the urge for a casual shirt with my suits (and I rarely wear suit pants without the jacket, for the reasons mentioned above) I might wear a lightweight sweater. A polo shirt is an option, but one needs to examine the broader context. Also, some brands like Lacoste and even Denver Hayes are better than the 5.99 special at Walmart. It's not snobbery, it's design. 

If you are able to, procure some polo shirts which are universal. Wear them with chinos (cotton trousers) or casual slacks, then slowly decide which can be added to a suit ensemble. Some people get to work, hang their jacket on their coatrack, and go about all day in their shirtsleeves. The look of a man with a polo and dress pants would not be unusual, provided it isn't too cheap looking. I say, looking, because one can get terrific polos from workwear shops (ie Denver Hayes from Mark's Work Warehouse) and if they are conservative, they can make the transitions.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

In my view, weaing a Polo shirt with dress trousers is akin to wearing brown LWB with a black tuxedo. It;s an inappropriate mix of casual and formal styles. I would stick to casual pants, such as khakis, linens, poplins. Save the dress pants for an OCBD if you want to wear them casually. Suit pants demand a suit jacket, period. The material and cut identifies them as orphaned trousers. 

While fashionable among teenagers and young men, tuck in the shirt, dress like an adult.

If you want to diversify, try British Tan, Navy or Olive khakis. Spring/summer pastels in poplin are a fun way to add color and mix it up with the polos. They take a bit of self confident, devil may care attitude to pull off. I could see Cavalry twills working, but may be a bit too warm to wear at the time of year you'd be weaaring polos.

I don't get jeans, they were designed for pioneer and mining work, and khakis are so much more comfortable. What makes them appropriate for everyday wear? They are too hot in the summer and not warm enough in the winter, and only come in shades of blue and black. But if you do wear them, at least make sure they are clean, unshredded, and fit, and are not low rise. Nothing looks worse than diaper *ss, except butt crack.


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## ilikeyourstyle (Apr 24, 2007)

I think it looks mismatched. If you want to wear wool pants, select a dress shirt and/or wool/cashmere sweater to wear with them.


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## mhdena (Jan 4, 2008)

Dress trousers (not borrowed from a suit) look great with a nice silk or cashmere polo shirt that doesn't have the collars flying about, always tucked in in this example. And look good with a nice sport-coat-blazer. Nice business casual look also.

You see this look at upscale resorts, golf clubs etc. 

A Cotton polo that you would wear with khakis should stay with cotton pants, not wool dress pants.


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

Dieu et les Dames said:


> Yes, but not to the office. It's a casual look.


It's dressy enough for most days in my office. The boss's boss rarely wears a tie, let alone a jacket and only visiting firemen wear suits.


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## Max79 (Jan 4, 2014)

First of all, thank you all for the numerous quick responses.


I think that I may have made a few mistakes in the phrasing of my question.


I should have mentioned that I did not intend to use trousers of a complete suit I own, for the very reason some of you already mentioned. Instead, I was thinking of purchasing a pair as separates.


By now, I am also unsure whether I was right in calling them suit trousers in the first place. I referred to them as such because one of the pairs I was looking at was indeed part of a suit. However, I realised that other examples aren't, with there being either no matching jacket available or them being sold in a different section of the store than suits and separates. As neither style nor colour or fabric seem to differ in any regard, what is the determining factor that differentiates the two, if any at all?


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

If you are referring to pairing wool gaberdine odd trousers with polo shirts in a dress casual setting, absolutely you may do so and "let he who is without sartorial sin cast the first criticisms against such practices!" There are indeed worse choices one might make. LOL.


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

Max79 said:


> By now, I am also unsure whether I was right in calling them suit trousers in the first place. I referred to them as such because one of the pairs I was looking at was indeed part of a suit. However, I realised that other examples aren't, with there being either no matching jacket available or them being sold in a different section of the store than suits and separates. As neither style nor colour or fabric seem to differ in any regard, what is the determining factor that differentiates the two, if any at all?


Odd trousers can sometimes be made in the same weave as suit trousers, but not always. Typically suitings are made in a plain or serge weave. Odd trousers can sometimes be found in a plain weave but rarely a serge weave. Odd trousers are often made in gabardine, which would be the best choice to wear with a polo. Gabardine, however, is not made into suits very often, except for some light-coloured summer suits.


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## TheoProf (Dec 17, 2012)

eagle2250 said:


> If you are referring to pairing wool gaberdine odd trousers with polo shirts in a dress casual setting, absolutely you may do so and "let he who is without sartorial sin cast the first criticisms against such practices!" There are indeed worse choices one might make. LOL.


I agree completely. Personally, I restrict the polo shirt to use with chinos, but I don't believe it's necessarily a "sartorial sin" (at least a mortal one) to do so.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Depends on the polo, too, like Canadian mentioned. Would I wear a Vineyard Vines or regular cotton pique PRL polo with wool pants? No. Would I wear a jersey-knit Peter Millar polo with the same pants? Yes, and I have. I will note that I approve of the wool pants/cotton pique polo combo when a long-sleeved sweater get involved. One staple that has served me well in many casual settings is a fairly trim pair of medium grey flannels, black BB polo, and dark colored (eg. chocolate brown, dark plumb) cashmere v-neck sweater. Sounds odd, but for a night out in the city, it works great.


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## red_shift (Aug 8, 2013)

At the outset I thought you were asking about wearing your suit trousers with odd polos. One of my first mistakes was to buy an thrifted pair of orphaned pinstripe slacks and I saw firsthand how they refuse to match anything but the exact same pattern.

If you mean is it acceptable to wear pants that aren't jeans or chinos with polo shirts in a casual business setting I think you would have no issue. I'm still building my wardrobe but I don't see any issue with wearing the dark brown wool slacks I've got on today with a polo or sweater, even though I have an odd tweed jacket, OCBD and tie on right now.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Max79 said:


> I'm new to both dressing well and this forum, so please try to be lenient with me. !


Nope! :icon_smile_wink:

And nope.

Nope.

But if you have dress slacks, I.e., well tailored trousers in wool, or similar cloth, that aren't part of a suit, you can wear them with dressy Merino or cashmere polos in the winter, or fine quality cotton knit ones in the summer.

Edit: Pertinent to absolutely nothing, I once slept the night outside the Munchen Hauptbanhof in a Karmann Ghia during Oktoberfest.

It's not recommended.


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## Max79 (Jan 4, 2014)

Flanderian said:


> Nope! :icon_smile_wink:
> Edit: Pertinent to absolutely nothing, I once slept the night outside the Munchen Hauptbanhof in a Karmann Ghia during Oktoberfest.
> 
> It's not recommended.


I will try to avoid getting into that very situation then. 

Thank you all for the responses and your patience with me. I now have a much clearer impression of what it is I'm looking for.


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## movie.buff216 (Jan 4, 2014)

Stick with chinos and jeans for polos, you can find some very nice chinos or pants that will work well with a polo, even a polo and a blazer. But keep the suit pant and jacket as intended. I don't like to wear a suit jacket or suit pants separate from the other.


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