Pique for Play

The polo shirt was the first sports shirt, created early in the twentieth century for men who played, you guessed it, polo. Originally a short sleeved white knitted wool pullover with a turned-down collar, the polo was the pattern for the tennis shirt of the late 1920's. Men kept finding new uses for it and today the polo is as ubiquitous for casual wear as the dress shirt is for more formal occasions.

We arguably have the polo to blame for the current glut of clothing items with cute little logos. 1953 saw the introduction of the short-sleeved Lacoste shirt, a cotton knit with a long tail and an alligator on the breast. It was a high quality shirt and quickly became popular.

I've never been fond of long sleeved polos but I like the short sleeve versions in both linen and cotton. In my opinion, properly made polos should have a tail, so they stay tucked in while the body is moving, and both logos and breast pockets should be avoided (Bullock & Jones, which offers some otherwise attractive versions, seems unable to execute a polo without a breast pocket). Solid colors are best, particularly classics such as white, navy, chocolate brown and wine. And contrast collars can add a stylish touch.

My favorite source for polos used to be a U. S. mail order company named Tuttle, which had its own, now apparently discontinued, line of double mercerized cotton shirts in two weaves and what must have been thirty colors. Some of them are still available on the company's online clearance page where they are good values at $54.50, and there are still a variety of other versions at prices ranging from $45 to $125, including the original, resurrected and rehabilitated Lacoste. Unfortunately it still comes with a little alligator on the breast.