# The quintessential polo shirt?



## wrecklesseric2 (Sep 24, 2006)

What is the best "trad" polo shirt these days? I have been wearing the Lacoste polos, but they just don't last very long and have become so trendy these days. What are all your thoughts on the BB Golden Fleece polo? I had once read a post here that said this was the polo shirt of the Ivy League in the 50's and 60's, with the golden fleece logo and all.


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## dmac (Jun 30, 2006)

Try one of the logoless polos from O'Connells or H. Herzfeld. Truly the best, especially in darker trad colors.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

The Brooks Brothers shirts are too voluminous, IMO. For some reason, I swim in the Large, but the Medium is too small. Go figure.

Modern-day Lacostes just don't fit me right. They're too short, and the collars always look too large.

I like PRL polos the best, but I'm not enamored of the logo, and I refuse to pay more than the outlet/Marshalls/T.J. Maxx price for them.

For sheer bang-for-the-buck, I think it's hard to beat Lands' End.

If you're in a pinch, even Target's $10 "Ultimate Polo" shirts will suffice, and at that price, they're practically disposable.


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## Northeastern (Feb 11, 2007)

Many here will endorse logoless polos or bemoan the lack of quality in the current generation of BB Golden Fleece polos. I will throw my support behind the Classic Fit Polo from Polo Ralph Lauren.
https://www.ralphlauren.com/product...t_112007_Mrlclassics_seeall&parentPage=family

The solid color ones fade nicely after awhile and get better with age. I wouldn't spend the $75 list price, but you can get the same stuff at your Polo outlet or at a place like Marshalls.

Pony and all, I'll take one of these any day over any other offering.


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## AdamsSutherland (Jan 22, 2008)

Northeastern said:


> Many here will endorse logoless polos or bemoan the lack of quality in the current generation of BB Golden Fleece polos. I will throw my support behind the Classic Fit Polo from Polo Ralph Lauren.
> https://www.ralphlauren.com/product...t_112007_Mrlclassics_seeall&parentPage=family
> 
> The solid color ones fade nicely after awhile and get better with age. I wouldn't spend the $75 list price, but you can get the same stuff at your Polo outlet or at a place like Marshalls.
> ...


I completely agree.
And if the pony really bugs you, I'm sure it's not impossible to cut all 720-something stitches Ralph brags about.

Now if only they made something that had the chest width and sleeves of an XL and the length of a L...
Oh the woes of working out.


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

RL's boys XL polo fits me perfect, and can be had for $5-10 at marshalls.
Fr some reason the boys neck hole is significantly bigger than that on the men's shirts.


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## wrecklesseric2 (Sep 24, 2006)

What would be the thinking around here of a PRL polo monogrammed in place of the pony?


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## Hayek (Jun 20, 2006)

I like Press the best strictly in terms of fit. It's roomy and loose without being ultra baggy like some other brands. Also, the tail is a great length. It's not really short like Lacoste of really long like Polo. The sleeves are also nice; Polo sleeves tend to be short and they get shorted with time and the BB slim fit also has shorter sleeves than I'd like. 

Everyone has different preferences. I would buy a few different brands, wear them around for a season, and figure out what works for you.


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## ksinc (May 30, 2005)

I like the Ralph Lauren POLO GOLF polos.


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## AdamsSutherland (Jan 22, 2008)

wrecklesseric2 said:


> What would be the thinking around here of a PRL polo monogrammed in place of the pony?


I received 2 as a gift. One white with royal stitching and one navy(but not the conventional navy) with pink stitching.
I get compliments (and even more questions) about the monograms everytime I wear them-which isn't too often- still I think it's a nice touch. Not worth the extra money IMHO though.

My favorite detail of these shirts is that the pony is moved to the bottom right corner of the front ... subtle when untucked, and better yet, invisible when tucked.


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

AdamsSutherland said:


> And if the pony really bugs you, I'm sure it's not impossible to cut all 720-something stitches Ralph brags about.


I wouldn't suggest trying it.

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=68157&highlight=logo


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## Sartre (Mar 25, 2008)

In my experience, Paul Stuart makes (by a mile) the highest quality polo shirt. However, the shirts must be flat or line dried which is not only a pain but can leave them feeling somewhat stiff. If you risk putting them in the dryer on "low," the survival rate is only two out of three.

The last Brooks polo I bought was too thin. My kids and their friends are all wearing the Vineyard Vines polos which seem (surprisingly) well made.

Tjs


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## hbs midwest (Sep 19, 2007)

Northeastern said:


> Many here will endorse logoless polos or bemoan the lack of quality in the current generation of BB Golden Fleece polos. I will throw my support behind the Classic Fit Polo from Polo Ralph Lauren.
> https://www.ralphlauren.com/product...t_112007_Mrlclassics_seeall&parentPage=family
> 
> The solid color ones fade nicely after awhile and get better with age. I wouldn't spend the $75 list price, but you can get the same stuff at your Polo outlet or at a place like Marshalls.
> ...


Precisely...I have not come close to paying full retail for PRL golf shirts since the very early 90s...mrs hbs, the young one, and I stock up at the outlet store during special events, notably Thanksgiving Friday pre-dawn madness. I have several which are 13-14 years old, and still presentable.

hbs


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## nringo (Oct 5, 2007)

Sartre said:


> In my experience, Paul Stuart makes (by a mile) the highest quality polo shirt. However, the shirts must be flat or line dried which is not only a pain but can leave them feeling somewhat stiff. If you risk putting them in the dryer on "low," the survival rate is only two out of three.
> 
> The last Brooks polo I bought was too thin. My kids and their friends are all wearing the Vineyard Vines polos which seem (surprisingly) well made.
> 
> Tjs


The Vineyard Vines ones are very well made, and a nice, soft fabric. Good fit too.

My favorite though are the PRL custom fit polos, unfortunately they don't appear at the outlets much or Marshals/Filenes, but I usually find a deal on them at Bloomingdales or the RL store.


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## wrecklesseric2 (Sep 24, 2006)

It is my understanding that the outlet fabric/material is not the same quality. My sister-in-law worked for GAP in San Francisco and noted that outlet stores are generally not of the same quality.


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## Southern Comfort (Jul 25, 2007)

wrecklesseric2 said:


> It is my understanding that the outlet fabric/material is not the same quality. My sister-in-law worked for GAP in San Francisco and noted that outlet stores are generally not of the same quality.


Is this in reference to BB, RLP, or both? From my understanding BB has an outlet line of clothing (a tad thinner than the regular ones in my opinion), but does RLP do this as well with their outlets?


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

I don't know about being "trad", but I like Land's End polos. I think it's the best trade off in price vs. quality that I've found. Considering that almost all of my dress shirts are Lands End, I simply cannot justify paying more for a polo than I do a dress shirt.

Cruiser


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

wrecklesseric2 said:


> It is my understanding that the outlet fabric/material is not the same quality. My sister-in-law worked for GAP in San Francisco and noted that outlet stores are generally not of the same quality.


This varies from store to store.  Some have special lines made just for the outlet -- Brooks Brothers' new-line '346' is perhaps the most obvious example, but J. Crew does the same (shirts with the 'oarman' logo), as does GAP, and certainly many others. I don't know that Polo does this, though I have seen damaged goods at the local Polo outlets. (But, BB and J. Crew, and probably GAP and any others, don't _only_ carry outlet merchandise, for what it's worth.)

Does anybody know if companies have to differentiate between what's offered at retail stores and what's offered in the outlets? BB has 346. I've seen J. Crew and GAP tags that said 'Factory Store' on them. I've got an OCBD and a lambswool sweater that came from J. Crew that have the little 'oarman' logo on them, but nothing else to signify that they're not the real deal. (That is, assuming that the 'oarman' logo is only found on outlet goods. Here's a post about it, but who knows if it's true.)


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## tntele (Apr 12, 2007)

My favorite polo shirts are the one made by Robert Talbott. Expensive, but they don't shrink, have a soft hand, and fit perfect. I know Hansen's have them online...


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

In my experience, the RL Polo shirts from the outlet are of inferior quality. In fact, the fit even differs from those sold by normal retailers -- so much so that I had to return one from an outlet (in my normal size that I have been wearing for years).

I still don't mind polos with logos -- my favorites are Lacoste and BB, because I like the fit and quallity. I know that there has been quite a bit of discussion regarding logoed vs. logoless polos on the forum. Personally, I feel that sometimes the color of the logo against the shirt's background can add something.

I actually bought a few VV polos, but my experience has been that they are cheap quality for the price. If I'm going to be suckered into paying more for a brand name, I'd rather go with Lacoste (better quality, better fit).

If you prefer to go logo-free, then I think the LE polos are a really good value (relatively high quality at less than $20). LLB polos also are decent.


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## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

wrecklesseric2 said:


> What would be the thinking around here of a PRL polo monogrammed in place of the pony?


Monogram doesnt really reduce the tackiness, in my opinion.


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## trims (Apr 12, 2007)

Southern Comfort said:


> Is this in reference to BB, RLP, or both? From my understanding BB has an outlet line of clothing (a tad thinner than the regular ones in my opinion), but does RLP do this as well with their outlets?


Polo has an entirely separate division for outlet-only clothes. Although not clearly labeled as the '346' from Brooks. They are definitely a different quality, and I've found a much different cut also. The polo's for example have much longer sleeves.

Generally in my experience, anything that is there in a full range of sizes with a good selection is outlet-only quality. Your only chance for 'real' PRL is on the random racks.


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## AdamsSutherland (Jan 22, 2008)

I didn't know that about PRL polos... surprising considering I wear them more often than any other piece of clothing...
Granted I've only purchased 4 or 5 (of probably just less than 30 over the past 4 years) from PRL stores/online/department stores...

I'll have to do a comparison. Granted I'm not looking for shorter sleeves... just a shorter body...


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## paper clip (May 15, 2006)

LE gets my vote for the following reasons:

- no logo - nice fabric - colors hold up - collars don't flatten and pinch under in the regular wash - choice of hemmed or banded sleeves - come in talls - can be had on overstocks for a great price - always returnable to sears if you don't like.


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## The Continental Fop (Jan 12, 2007)

I wonder if the LE polo fans here are referring to current production or polos from years past. I used to wear nothing but LE polos until they downgraded the spec after Sears took over, bringing the shirts down to near-Old Navy grade. IMO Bean's current pique polos are much nicer for the same money, though one must accept that "night" really just means "navy" when all is said and done.


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## jph712 (Mar 22, 2007)

I have had soem Nautica polos that have held up very well. The logos on the shirts were/are all color keyed to the color of the shirt and were barely noticable.

Other than those I really like the ones I have purchased from Lands End, they really seem to fade slower than some of the more expensive shirts I have purchased elsewhere and 'fit' better to top it off.


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## SouthernBeau (Aug 15, 2007)

Unless you simply refuse to wear a polo with a logo, Southerntide makes the best performing shirt i have ever owned.


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## AdamsSutherland (Jan 22, 2008)

How long have you had your Southern Tide shirt though?
I know many of us look for longevity and durability.


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## browning806 (Sep 4, 2007)

I like BB and Polo if I want to spend money.

LL Bean is a solid choice and good fit. You can get three for the price of one of the above.


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## CM Wolff (Jun 7, 2006)

Re: differences in Brooks Brothers' outlet polos vs. full-line polos...I honestly do not see any difference. Last night, I laid out two full-line polos and four "346" polos (all purchased in the last month) next to each other and could not find a single difference in construction, size, stitching, or country of origin (China). I had my wife help me conduct a blind test of the fabric weight - I could not identify the 346 vs. full-line polos by touch/feel/weight of the fabric with my eyes covered. Finally, I put both the 346 and full-line polos in front of a bright light and did not come up with any differences in transluency. To these eyes, these are the same shirts.


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## SouthernBeau (Aug 15, 2007)

AdamsSutherland said:


> How long have you had your Southern Tide shirt though?
> I know many of us look for longevity and durability.


only had it for a little over a year but allen only started the company two years ago. FWIW It is of better construction than the many RPL and lacoste polos I've gone through over the years.


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## trims (Apr 12, 2007)

CM Wolff said:


> Re: differences in Brooks Brothers' outlet polos vs. full-line polos...I honestly do not see any difference. Last night, I laid out two full-line polos and four "346" polos (all purchased in the last month) next to each other and could not find a single difference in construction, size, stitching, or country of origin (China). I had my wife help me conduct a blind test of the fabric weight - I could not identify the 346 vs. full-line polos by touch/feel/weight of the fabric with my eyes covered. Finally, I put both the 346 and full-line polos in front of a bright light and did not come up with any differences in transluency. To these eyes, these are the same shirts.


They're not the same, but Brooks outlet version is much closer to their original than Polo in terms of fit at least.

Both are made to different specs from the retail version though.

Think of it this way, if you're going to sell the same exact shirt at the outlet store for 20% less, what's the point? They have to reduce the costs in order to cover the lower selling price. This goes for most of the 'basics' like polo's, chino's, etc.

The outlet's started as a way of getting rid of last seasons stock and defective merchandise, now they are turning into huge markets, and the smart companies have learned to tap that market to its fullest potential.


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

trims said:


> They're not the same, but Brooks outlet version is much closer to their original than Polo in terms of fit at least.
> 
> Both are made to different specs from the retail version though.
> 
> ...


I agree that this probably is true. However, in my opinion many of the items at the BB outlet are of relatively high quality and are virtually indistinguishable from similar items sold at BB stores (polo shirts are an example of this). I haven't found that this necessarily is the case with items at other outlets (J. Crew and Gap, for example), which produce products specifically for the outlets that are noticeably inferior.


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## Relayer (Nov 9, 2005)

My favorite: Jos A Banks Traveler Polo. 

NOTE: if you prefer a polo to fade, this is not the shirt for you.

Also stain resistant and won't pill, shrink, or wrinkle.

Very nice fabric and no logo. 

On sale at their web-site right now for $50


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## CM Wolff (Jun 7, 2006)

trims said:


> Think of it this way, if you're going to sell the same exact shirt at the outlet store for 20% less, what's the point? They have to reduce the costs in order to cover the lower selling price. This goes for most of the 'basics' like polo's, chino's, etc.


I might think of it the opposite way...that the outlets allow BB to sell the same product (e.g. the polo shirts that I am finding to be exactly alike) at different price points to different customers. By charging less at the outlet, they might be selling to a customer that might not pay the higher price at the full-line retail store.

If the BB's production cost per shirt is the same, BB's profit margin on the outlet stores is less than the full-line retail. However, BB's sales volume increases by having outlets and regular retail. As long as BB doesn't compete with itself and keeps its outlets and full-line retail stores in separate markets, it should be able to sell the same shirt at both price-tiers successfully.

I always thought that price discrimination in the form of selling the same products at different price points is one of the best strategies for maximimizing the net benefit to the seller.

You may be right that there are different specs to the shirts, but I just don't see them - what other differences should I be looking for other than the ones I mentioned?


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## trims (Apr 12, 2007)

CM Wolff said:


> I might think of it the opposite way...that the outlets allow BB to sell the same product (e.g. the polo shirts that I am finding to be exactly alike) at different price points to different customers. By charging less at the outlet, they might be selling to a customer that might not pay the higher price at the full-line retail store.


I agree with you in theory, but I can assure you this is not the case. There is no way BB or anyone could regularly sell their garments at a 20-30% discount and turn a profit (Well, maybe Jos A. Bank :devil. Margins in the garment industry are much tighter than you may imagine, it literally comes down to pennies in cost making a huge difference on a garment.

The point is, if you can't tell the difference, someone is doing their job well. They're not meant to look or feel inferior, but every possible cent is wrung out of the process. The fabrics, trim, labor costs have all been reduced in every way possible.

But if you like it, save money and buy the 346! :icon_smile_wink:


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## nringo (Oct 5, 2007)

CM Wolff said:


> I might think of it the opposite way...that the outlets allow BB to sell the same product (e.g. the polo shirts that I am finding to be exactly alike) at different price points to different customers. By charging less at the outlet, they might be selling to a customer that might not pay the higher price at the full-line retail store.
> 
> If the BB's production cost per shirt is the same, BB's profit margin on the outlet stores is less than the full-line retail. However, BB's sales volume increases by having outlets and regular retail. As along as BB doesn't compete with itself and keeps its outlets and full-line retail stores in separate markets, it should be able to sell the same shirt at both price-tiers successfully.
> 
> ...


I agree with this; price discrimination is one of the best ways to maximize producer surplus. While some of the BB outlet clothing is different, some is exactly the same (some of the merino sweaters; they fit the same feel the same, made in the same country, just different label as far as I can tell).

And this is why outlets aren't usually close to large metropolitan areas and are a little ways out of the way. You don't cannibalize your mainline stores and you target people that might not be willing to pay full retail at those stores; but would be willing to drive a little ways more to get a deal.

I confess I don't know that much about the margins in the garment industry; but I think the outlets are a combination of reducing input costs for some of the goods, but for some its the same but just trying to maximize profits w/ price discrimination.


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## nringo (Oct 5, 2007)

trims said:


> I agree with you in theory, but I can assure you this is not the case. There is no way BB or anyone could regularly sell their garments at a 20-30% discount and turn a profit (Well, maybe Jos A. Bank :devil. Margins in the garment industry are much tighter than you may imagine, it literally comes down to pennies in cost making a huge difference on a garment.


I don't have first hand experiences with the garment industry; but I'm just looking at Polo Ralph Lauren's financials on google finance and it looks like their gross margin is about 50%.


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

trims said:


> I agree with you in theory, but I can assure you this is not the case. There is no way BB or anyone could regularly sell their garments at a 20-30% discount and turn a profit (Well, maybe Jos A. Bank :devil. Margins in the garment industry are much tighter than you may imagine, it literally comes down to pennies in cost making a huge difference on a garment.
> 
> The point is, if you can't tell the difference, someone is doing their job well. They're not meant to look or feel inferior, but every possible cent is wrung out of the process. The fabrics, trim, labor costs have all been reduced in every way possible.
> 
> But if you like it, save money and buy the 346! :icon_smile_wink:


As nringo stated, the 346 merino sweaters are the exact same as the Brooks Brothers ones. A former employee confirmed this -- there's a thread about it floating around here somewhere, maybe in the Fashion Forum. Not that they do that with everything, of course, but it's certainly reasonable that if they do it for one thing they'd do it for another.

Perhaps it makes more sense if you look at it this way: assuming the 346 and BB garments are exactly the same, they're not selling 346 goods at a discount, but rather are marking up the BB goods that much more. They're not losing profits on the 346, but making more profits off the BB. Just a thought (though I think it's been well established that this is not their normal mode of operating the outlets).


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## Willx45x (Mar 16, 2007)

I own two Southern Tide shirts and I think they are far and away the best made polo shirt I've ever owned - the fabric is better, more flexible and the construction is ridiculously solid. That said, they are $60+ and some people just won't pay that for a polo shirt (me included, depending on the day).

For the money, I love the BB '346' polos. I picked up two the other day for just over $20/each after all the discounts were taken (I used a BB card). I think they're better quality than my RL Polo shirts and I like the golden fleece emblem. They also have a large selection of colors, from summer colors to darker trad colors. Great shirts for the money, especially if they are running some sort of promotion.

w


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## BAB (Dec 22, 2007)

polo ralph lauren or j. lindeberg


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## Wall Street Panic Snopes (Feb 24, 2008)

Just came across the Putter Winbrook polos. Anyone have experience with them? Price / quality? Their website is lacking in info. You can't even find a retailer without emailing the company.


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## B R A N D X® (Mar 15, 2008)

wnh said:


> I wouldn't suggest trying it.
> 
> https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=68157&highlight=logo


In college I used to cut the polo pony off with scissors and then pin the hole tight with a saftey pin. Guess that was more punk than trad though!:aportnoy:.............. :icon_smile_big:


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