We Put the Most Popular Polo Shirts to the Test
Though initially popularized in France by tennis star Rene Lacoste, the pique polo is now an American country club hallmark that has transcended its sporty, preppy origins to gain membership – alongside the t-shirt and Oxford cloth button down – into the exclusive club of necessities. Still, the polo has its detractors. Poorly made and slovenly tailored polos are everywhere, business casual carries the day in all corners of the country, and many American men equate “dressing up” with looking like an amateur golfer. Odds are good that if the best dressed man in the room is wearing a polo shirt, so is the worst dressed man in that room.
In an effort to find the best polo shirts, which is to say the most wearable and attractive, I put four polos from iconic brands and various price points to the test. I wore them with a blazer, I played tennis, I put them through the ringer and the wash and after it was all said and done, the king of polo shirts retained his crown.
Why These Polo Shirt Brands?
Lacoste and Ralph Lauren (Polo Ralph Lauren, really) were the first to popularize the Great Athleisure Garment (GAG). To leave them off a list like this would be sacrilege. The crocodile. The polo player. These are icons. Moncler and Bonobos are not – at least not in this space – but they perfectly represent the insurgents coming for the embroidered crown. Moncler is a high-end Italian outerwear brand leveraging its chic appeal and access to high-end manufacturing to expand its product line. Bonobos is a downmarket brand monetizing a product not made from pique cotton at a more accessible price point.
How Do You Test a Polo Shirt?
Because the polo originated with Lacoste, you play tennis. This is done out of respect and also with the understanding that polo shirts, though delightful served with a gin and tonic, are sportswear. Sure they may not be the moisture-wicking affairs you pick up at Dick’s, but they are meant for athletics. Also, they look great a little worn-in. So that’s basically what I did–I wore them in playing tennis, playing with my kids, messing around in the yard and out to dinner in town.
The Lacoste Polo
Style: The Lacoste polo debuted in 1933 and is still made from pique cotton and emblazoned with its signature reptile–Rene’s nickname was “the Crocodile” thanks to how he devoured his opponents. By some accounts, Lacoste was the first brand to feature a logo on its clothing, and the Lacoste polo remains the one if you want to look like a Frenchman at leisure. When Lacoste took to the courts in an early version of the Lacoste polo little did he realize that he was defining tennis style—and arguably much of sportswear—for nearly a century.
Fit: I ordered the XL Lacoste classic polo shirt and of the four I tested, this one fit the best for my build—a nice trim fit without being constricting, and long enough that I wasn’t worried every time I bent over. The collar lays nicely, the placket lays flat, and the slightly longer tennis tail in the back is a nod to its origins as a piece of athletic wear without turning into some over-designed performance detail.
Durability: The Lacoste polo fared well after a good dozen or more washings. My only complaint is that the collar needs a bit of reshaping after each run through the laundry. I’ve been hanging it dry because I don’t want it to shrink, which it hasn’t.
The Lacoste is my favorite tennis polo. It’s comfortable and looks amazing on the court. It stands up to a few sets of vigorous tennis and I never worried that it would fly up on me while serving. I have enough holes in my serve without worrying about my kit.
Comfort: As the best all-around polo I tried, the Lacoste performed very well on the comfort front. Breathable, trim, and elegant, I certainly feel the best wearing this polo and it transitioned best from the tennis court to wearing under a blazer.
Moncler Tricolor Striped Polo Shirt
Style: The highest end polo I tested, the Moncler is certainly a handsome shirt. And though I like the red and blue tipping at the collar and armbands, the real statement with this shirt is the Moncler logo on the chest. The degree to which you love this shirt is likely highly related to how much you want people to see you in Moncler. For me, it’s hard to justify the high price on a garment that is neither high performance nor high fashion. Though it’s a classic design, this shirt started feeling more and more like a status symbol the more I wore it, which made we want to wear it less and less.
Fit: Tight, tight, tight. I bought the XL thinking that I should size up for a European brand, and thought that strategy worked well for the Lacoste polo, I’m probably an XXL in the Moncler. The body is nice and trim, the sleeves hit higher up the bicep, and at 6’1” this polo is juuuust long enough to hit my belt buckle. Unless you’re very slim, and like your polos to fit the same way, definitely consider going a size or two above your standard.
Durability: No complaints on the durability front—it’s stood up admirably to many washings. I will also note that of the four pique polos I’ve tried, the Moncler’s collar has stood up the best. It hasn’t rolled or buckled after laundering, holding its shape better than either the Lacoste or the Ralph Lauren.
The Moncler fared well playing tennis, though I confess that I wore it under a hoodie for fear that it wasn’t big enough to cover me through serves, volleys, and overheads.
Comfort: Considering the very narrow fit, I wouldn’t call the Moncler polo particularly comfortable. The armbands are tight, and the length, as mentioned above, means that you can’t tuck it in, and I knew that reaching for anything on a high shelf would mean baring my stomach to the world.
Ralph Lauren’s Custom Slim Fit Mesh Polo Shirt
Style: Though Lacoste might hold the title for the OG polo shirt, on American shores, there’s not a more iconic polo than Ralph’s. Since 1972, its suggested an East Coast establishment life of leisure better than probably any other garment. I’ll spare you the image of popped-collar preps in three different fluorescent shades of Ralph polos, and instead focus on the truly classic style you get with that polo player embroidered on the left breast. The collar does pop nicely—if you’re into that sort of thing—and has a handsome roll. All told, this looks and feels like an essential polo shirt. No 12% spandex or any gimmick, just a classic American look in a sober shade of hunter green.
Fit: You’d be forgiven for being utterly confused by Ralph’s polo sizing options. They offer three different options: Classic, Custom Slim, and Slim. I went for Custom Slim in a size large, thinking that splitting the difference in my usual size would result in a casually elegant fit. Little did I realize that what I was getting would feel a full size too big.
When I go back to Ralph, I’ll certainly be choosing the Slim fit, because there’s plenty of room in the shirt that I got. That said, a loose polo certainly confers an oversized 90s feel, so if your vibe is more Jerry Seinfeld than Tyson Beckford, go Ralph and go big.
Note: At the time of writing, there were just 7 colorways available in the Slim fit, but something like 50 in the Custom Slim and Classic.
Durability: After probably 15 or 20 wears, I’m happy to report that the Ralph polo has kept its shape and the collar has weathered the washing. Because of it’s roomy fit, I put it through the dryer hoping to shrink it a bit, but nothing doing. My other durability test is to play a round or two of tennis in each shirt. The Ralph passed the tennis test easily.
Comfort: As noted above, this polo’s generous cut has made it quite comfy indeed. I like the tooth of the pique cotton—it’s soft but not fuzzy—and the extended tennis tail gives you just a tick more coverage in the seat. The armbands aren’t constricting and the placket lays well.
Bonobos Jetsetter Performance Polo
Style: For me, a polo shirt is best when made from pique cotton, so I was skeptical of the 50% pima cotton, 50% Drytex acrylic Bonobos Jetsetter. But after wearing it many times, I’ve begun to see the appeal. Yes, it strikes a decidedly more athleisure note, but the fabric blend is sleeker than pique, which gives you a slightly different look than a classic polo. If you like the athletic look, you could do far worse than the Jetsetter, and I can see this shirt working well on a plane, where you may want the comfort and performance of your gym clothes without actually wearing them.
Fit: The Jetsetter is a very handsome trim fit. I’m not especially svelte, but the shirt should fit many body types well. It’s got a nice drape for a 50% synthetic fabric and the collar comes to a sharper point than the pique shirts, which gives it just a touch more elegance than your average performance wear.
Durability: Absolutely no qualms here. Easy in and out of the washer and dryer, no need to reshape the collar, and no need to worry about the shirt shrinking either. After the Lacoste, this is my second-favorite to wear on the tennis court. The performance fabric stood up to the swings and the sweat.
Comfort: I found the Jetsetter very comfortable, but it is a trimmer fit, so those who like their shirts roomier, the Ralph Lauren Slim Fit is likely more up your alley. The hand of this polo’s fabric is quite soft, the details are polished without being fussy, and as the only polo I tested without armbands, the sleeves weren’t constricting in the least.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Polo Shirt
So, what’s the best polo shirt?
In a sense, these tests were always about figuring out if a different polo could compete with the OG, which is always going to be Lacoste. The truth is that these polos all have a lot to recommend them, but none exceeded the Lacoste or made a totally convincing case for not just wearing the genuine artifact. That said, the same argument could be made about the Ralph. So would you rather tip French or American? Either way, you can’t go too wrong.
Is there a non-sports argument to be made for the performance polo?
Not really. You see these things at conferences and in airports because they are comfy if you’re a bit sweaty and a bit on the go. But they don’t look or feel amazing. They are more of a solution than a garment.
Should I wear a polo shirt to play tennis?
Look, you don’t have to. And considering how dominant synthetics and old t-shirts are at my club, anything with a collar will stand out just a bit. But, if you want to cut a more distinguished figure than the pickleballers on Court 4, and nod to tennis history without going full cotton sweater and white flannel pants, then a polo is ideal. Especially if there’s a Pimm’s Cup in sight when your match is over.
Should I tuck in my polo shirt?
An age old question! If you follow the dictum: wovens tucked, knits un-, then you’d leave your knit pique cotton untucked. But the truth is, a tucked polo can cut a nice figure, especially under a blazer. If you’re truly betwixt, opt for the French tuck–surtout with the Lacoste.