Men's Clothing Forums banner

Who makes the best polo shirt?

126K views 272 replies 96 participants last post by  Dogrescuer 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm sure the question has been asked before. But there are new offerings each year. So I'll ask again.

Who offers the best short-sleeve polo shirts?

By best, I'm thinking looks good, fits good, feels good, priced reasonably, and durable (i.e. doesn't fade or fray after 3 wearings).

Brands I have in mind now are:

  • LL Bean
  • Brooks Brothers
  • Orvis
  • J Crew
  • Lands' End

RL Polo is probably out of the picture for me because of the logo. Same with BB, unless the logo blends in with the shirt and is relatively inconspicuous.

I'm also not on board with the "wrinkle free" stuff. I have no issue with ironing when needed.

Your recommendations are welcomed. Thanks!
 
See less See more
#200 ·
I do not understand the disdain for small logos on a polo shirt. I don't like oversized logos in the least. However, a small polo player, alligator, or a lamb hanging from somewhere is not offensive at all.
In fact, I feel it gives the polo shirt a little bit of character and breaks up the monotony of it.
A polo with no logo at all actually appears bland and cheap looking to me.
Just my opinion--whatever it is worth.
 
#204 ·
Lacoste has the best quality and style for me. In a straight or fit version, Lacoste is a beautiful build and enhances the biceps a little bulky. Really a great ally, especially to go on vacation by ensuring elegance, simplicity and comfort!
I find that the Lacoste L! Ve range is more interesting, in terms of creativity. I was pleasantly surprised by the Lacoste Sport range, which is slowly moving towards techwear, while remaining creative in design.
 
#206 ·
Lacoste has the best quality and style for me. In a straight or fit version, Lacoste is a beautiful build and enhances the biceps a little bulky. Really a great ally, especially to go on vacation by ensuring elegance, simplicity and comfort!
This is my opinion, too. That said, I really like the comfort, quality, and colours of my LL Bean polo shirts, despite them being "boring" by comparison.
 
#209 · (Edited)
For me, I dig Spier & Mackay's polo shirts the most right now.

I don't know about perfect, the fit could be improved and given more room in the chest. Sizing up is a good idea from your usual size, they fit very slim.

The button down collar ones in particular stand up nicely under a sports coat and look great worn on their own. I'll never go back to regular polo collars ever again.

If anyone is interested as a first time buyer, I can get you a referral link for 20% off, and I get $20 off. Feel free to pm me if interested.

I think this would bring the price down to $26USD per shirt, including shipping.

Here is a pic I found of a pair.

 
#217 ·
I wore my white BB Golden Fleece polo (open collar) to church, under a summer weight navy blazer, this morning. It makes it easier to strip down for comfort on those oppressively hot and humid days , typical of this time of year in central Florida! I'm still one of the better dressed gentlemen at our services. BB's knit polo's are a favorite on mine for good reason. ;)
 
#221 ·
⇧ I caught a few minutes of the 1956 movie "A Kiss Before Dying" the other day (clothes looked really interesting so I hit record and will watch it when time permits), but Robert Wagner (yes, that guy, but very, very young) was wearing a similar shirt (his was a full button front though). This is the best pic of it I could find:

Shoulder Standing Eyewear Gesture Flash photography


And she is Paul Newman's future wife - Joanne Woodward
 
#222 ·
⇧ I caught a few minutes of the 1956 movie "A Kiss Before Dying" the other day (clothes looked really interesting so I hit record and will watch it when time permits), but Robert Wagner (yes, that guy, but very, very young) was wearing a similar shirt (his was a full button front though). This is the best pic of it I could find:

View attachment 32873

And she is Paul Newman's future wife - Joanne Woodward
That type of collar was very popular in the mid-1950s. I have pictures of me, at about five, wearing one. It was pink, paired with charcoal shorts and saddle shoes. Yikes!
 
#237 ·
Is anyone able to compare Brooks Brothers' Original Fit with current Lacoste L1212? I pretty much only have the BB ones and a large fits great. I've read that Lacoste tends to shrink much more and, while the L1212 is the "classic cut," it still runs smaller than BB. Due to both of those things, I am wondering if I am in need of an XXL in Lacoste? Or would anyone suggest otherwise? I like having extra room and full cut polos, but I don't want to end up swimming in it.
 
#239 ·
I wear a size L in Bean, BB classic fit, and Ralphie traditional fit but a I wear a size 6 (XL) in Lacoste classic 1212. Same overall fit. So yeah, the Lacoste classic 1212 fits one size small in my experience.
 
#241 ·
One thing that really annoys me about the Ralphie shirt, and one of the main reasons I don't own a dozen of them, is the cloth tag that says "classic" fit or whatever is sewn to the shirt's yoke. It's a bad spot if you're the sort of person who is annoyed by tags, but as I learned to my regret taking those tags off is difficult and can result in tearing the cloth. If they were sewn to the neck seam it would be easy to remove. I kinda like Bean best: they print the info on the inside of the shirt and it wears off fairly quickly; no tags to rub.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GregorSamsa
Top