# Removing a polo logo (pics)



## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

I know there are those of you who like certain Ralph Lauren offerings but eschew the pony logo. I have in the past read multiple comments or questions concerning the removal of said logos, but to my knowledge there does not exist documentation of this on the forum. So, I set out to conduct a little experiment with a polo that I purchased from Aeropostale a few years ago that had seen its share of stains and the like. The results:

The bulldog logo from the outside. Note how thick the embroidery is:

The logo from the inside:

Seam ripper at the ready:

Afterwards. The color of the shirt makes it difficult to pick up the damage, but it's there:

With fingertip pushing up. Note the large hole where the head was, as well as the condition of the fabric that was underneath the logo:

One more after shot:

*Conclusion:* Even without washing, I imagine that the damage to this particular shirt is too extensive to ever look good again. The holes, I assume, are too large to close, and the fabric will probably always 'hang' a bit funny in that spot. It's not a large area, of course, but with nothing else going on on the shirt, it's sure to draw some attention.

That said, I cannot speak for the results of every brand of polo shirt. A quick glance at my one Polo polo seems to reveal a logo that is not nearly as heavy, not in the thickness of the thread nor in the area that the logo occupies. With such a logo, I could imagine this procedure ending a bit more positively, but of course I can't say for sure.

I am also unsure as to how my technique affected the outcome. I wasn't as gentle as I could have been (the entire process took probably 15 minutes), though I do doubt that the shirt would have turned out well even with a gentler, more time-consuming approach. It would have turned out better, perhaps, but I can't say that it would have been serviceable. Regardless, the very process of removing the stitching requires a certain amount of tugging on threads, so a level of damage is to be expected, at least with a logo as thick as this one.

Finally, it appears as though, even without the holes, the fabric directly underneath the logo was still under too much stress (with stretching, twisting, etc.) to really come out well. Again, though, this may very well not be the case with higher quality shirts, at least not ones with obnoxiously large/thick logos. And I would think that such a flaw would be better masked by a polo of a darker color, such as navy.

So, there you have it.


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## bigCat (Jun 10, 2005)

Lacoste is much easier, all you need is a sharp knife and patience.


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## HL Poling and Sons (Mar 24, 2006)

But what about that odd logo? I've never seen the bulldog. You say it's Ralph? I kinda like it!

HL


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

HL Poling and Sons said:


> But what about that odd logo? I've never seen the bulldog. You say it's Ralph?


Not RL, Aeropostale (high school clothes...kinda like American Eagle, but trendier).


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

Yeah, teenage American Eagle-ish clothing. It was bought before I had much knowledge of clothing. Really, a good choice for a sacrifice such as this.


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## sweetness360 (Dec 13, 2005)

I've been wondering if it would be worth it to have my tailor simply cut out the ponies on my polos and replace them with swaths of the same (or possibly contrasting) fabric. I like the fit of my PRL polos but I don't like the ponies. 
Has anyone done this?
Would it be a good look?


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## xcubbies (Jul 31, 2005)

sweetness360 said:


> I've been wondering if it would be worth it to have my tailor simply cut out the ponies on my polos and replace them with swaths of the same (or possibly contrasting) fabric. I like the fit of my PRL polos but I don't like the ponies.
> Has anyone done this?
> Would it be a good look?


That sounds like a great idea. That's certainly one way to turn a $35 shirt into one that costs $75. Maybe you can buy two shirts in the same color so he can take a patch out of the second to put on the first.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Good photos. It just seems like too much a risk to bother with, and any damage is both irreparable and located front-and-centre so it could never be overlooked. Which I think your photos have proved.

DocD


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

sweetness360 said:


> I've been wondering if it would be worth it to have my tailor simply cut out the ponies on my polos and replace them with swaths of the same (or possibly contrasting) fabric. I like the fit of my PRL polos but I don't like the ponies.
> Has anyone done this?
> Would it be a good look?


I'm not sure I understand what you mean by this. Just cut off the pony and have a patch applied? I think that would look pretty silly. There is a simple way to resolve this problem if you don't like the pony....buy shirts without logos.


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## zignatius (Oct 8, 2004)

Hilarious thread. While you can't fault wnh for informing the brethren that chest-bug removal can't be done, laxplayer is just making too much sense.

After a brief non-logo-polo hunt, I decided on JCrew ... currently selling its pique polos at 2/$50.

If you like Lacoste and RL prices, these are probably the liberated polos for you. I'm sure they're nice and I like their colors: 
https://www.grasscourt.com/bin/store.cgi?category=shirts


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## sunnisalafi (Feb 20, 2005)

Is the pony logo really so offensive to warrant all this effort??

If you hate logos, buy shirts without them. 
I don't get it.


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## Joe Tradly (Jan 21, 2006)

Can we relax a tad? 

More times than once has someone suggested removing the horse, or other logo themselves. The chorus rises up: don't know. never tried it. can't be done. can be done. someone should try it. why would I try it. could be cool. oh, how i wish someone would just try it.

Ok, WNH tried it. He took a careful photo montage. It didn't work. He wanted us to know so we could put this issue to bed. 

Folks, this is an internet clothing message board. This is what we do. 

Lay off the hostility, k?

JB


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## xcubbies (Jul 31, 2005)

Joe Tradly said:


> Can we relax a tad?
> 
> More times than once has someone suggested removing the horse, or other logo themselves. The chorus rises up: don't know. never tried it. can't be done. can be done. someone should try it. why would I try it. could be cool. oh, how i wish someone would just try it.
> 
> ...


I must be insensitive, but I didn't see any hostility. Some joshing, yes.


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## Joe Tradly (Jan 21, 2006)

xcubbies said:


> I must be insensitive, but I didn't see any hostility. Some joshing, yes.


You're not wrong. Hostility was the wrong word to use.


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## rsgordon (Dec 6, 2012)

I read this thread and searched the internet many times. I have a navy zip up jacket from Polo that I thought looked like a great jacket plus a little khaki horse that was enough to ruin it. I figured I would rather experiment with it and risk a little hole than continue wearing something I didn't like. I am very satisfied. All I used was a pair of scissors and a bit of patience.


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## cincydavid (May 21, 2012)

When I was in high school, way back in the 1980s, the guys from wealthier families were known for cutting off the emblem, and a circle of fabric around it, and just leaving gaping holes in their shirts. We all wore white undershirts underneath anyway, but it was their way of thumbing their collective noses at classmates who were brand conscious. I also seem to recall "gag" shirts with polo players riding alligators...don't recall when and where I saw that though.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)




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## rsgordon (Dec 6, 2012)

I am glad the first time I saw this was on the internet because in person I would be laughing embarrassingly hard


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## cincydavid (May 21, 2012)

I seem to recall another logo with dead crocodiles with their feet in the air like roadkill...I fried so many brain cells with excess drinking in my teens that I don't have a clue when or where I saw that. That belt would be a hoot to have!


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

Maybe one with half a polo pony sticking out of the crocodile's mouth? I'd wear it.


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## cincydavid (May 21, 2012)

Nicely done, topsider!


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## Spin Evans (Feb 2, 2013)

Dang, I was hoping logo removal would work. I've always like Boast's shirts, but I cannot stand that "Japanese maple leaf." 

And I desperately want an army of those croco-polo players. Anyone know of any critter embroidery firms?


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

Funny stuff, Topsider! :icon_smile_big:


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

It is! I'm thoroughly enjoying this thread. Keep it up, guys.


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## linklaw (Aug 1, 2007)

On mornings that the polo logo is really bothering me, I just cover it up with a stick on name tag. Its a great conversation starter and everybody I encounter that day calls me by name. On most days I just don't worry about the logo.


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## DannoRye (Feb 1, 2013)

Tried this myself once on some work-related polos from an old job. My results were about the same as the OP, but the shirts were relegated to lawn work even before I started messing with them.


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## Himself (Mar 2, 2011)

Spin Evans said:


> And I desperately want an army of those croco-polo players. Anyone know of any critter embroidery firms?


Justin Stitches (now Make) in Vancouver BC used to embroider almost anything to order. I haven't looked through their site but they had sweatshirts, jackets, and probably polo shirts ready to go.

I too would like to find a source for a "critter pants" project, maybe a few bolts of fabric.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

Trad gang sign.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

Himself said:


> Justin Stitches (now Make) in Vancouver BC used to embroider almost anything to order. I haven't looked through their site but they had sweatshirts, jackets, and probably polo shirts ready to go.
> 
> I too would like to find a source for a "critter pants" project, maybe a few bolts of fabric.


Just checked the website. Turns out they _do_ do polos. This bears investigation. Perhaps my crocodile eating a polo pony is possible. More importantly, perhaps the logo for my up-coming eStore will be possible, too.









The Sporting Gentry


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## L-feld (Dec 3, 2011)

I distinctly remember seeing ties with embroideries of a polo player riding a crocodile. Maybe made by Chipp? Similar to the belt topside posted. 

I would kill for one of those. I thought they were really funny. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## unrooted (Sep 7, 2012)

I don't know how many times I've found a Polo-polo at a thrift store and had to hang it back up. I figured a lot of damage would be caused by trying to remove the silly symbol. 

One of the first times I saw my boss in a Brooks Brothers embroidered shirt I commented that I liked his Brooks Brother shirt and I've never seen him wear it since. I pay a bit for clothing in hopes that it will look good for a long time, never so someone thinks that I pay too much for clothing, that's just embarassing!


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## eyedoc2180 (Nov 19, 2006)

I've got a few RLP OCBD that just won't wear out. One of them is white, with a white pony. Go figure. So, I it occurred to me to bleach the pony on the other white OCBDs. Results are fair, at least it is not such an eye-catcher. No way could these be pried off!


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## DannoRye (Feb 1, 2013)

eyedoc2180 said:


> I've got a few RLP OCBD that just won't wear out. One of them is white, with a white pony. Go figure. So, I it occurred to me to bleach the pony on the other white OCBDs. Results are fair, at least it is not such an eye-catcher. No way could these be pried off!


Yup, no chance getting one of those off without ruining the shirt. Especially the pinpoint ocbds. Mine are all the multicolored pony, but that sounds like a neat trick.


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## TradThrifter (Oct 22, 2012)

Every polo shirt I own has a logo of some sort. Now I feel really self conscious!


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## DannoRye (Feb 1, 2013)

Most of mine do too. Who cares? If it bothers you that's one thing, but if it bothers someone else, so what?


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## bpworks (Oct 30, 2009)

Another caution is that during the manufacturing process each shirt is marked with a colored mark where the logo is to be placed.


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## rsgordon (Dec 6, 2012)

I am not recommending what I did for shirts at all. I recommend just cutting a hole instead as suggested above.


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## eyedoc2180 (Nov 19, 2006)

rsgordon said:


> I am not recommending what I did for shirts at all. I recommend just cutting a hole instead as suggested above.


Oh, Man! A true coffee-thru-nose comment. Very good! :biggrin:
_________________________________
"...the jacket's gonna be cut slim and checked
maybe a touch of seersucker, with an open neck...."
Pete Townshend


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