Are your polo shirts too boring? How fashion is reinventing a classic

The inventor of the modern polo, 1920s French tennis champion René Lacoste, would have had trouble recognizing such exterior designs. The Lacoste shirt was adapted from the large collar styles worn by polo players in India in the 19th century – hence the name. An elegant yet practical blouse for the yard, his model was a dress embellished with pique cotton, a breathable, bumpy woven fabric.

In 2022, polo plays a different role, telegraphing a very individual style. Menswear brands specializing in everything from streetwear to tailoring to haute couture are putting their own spin on the shirt. Mr. P does versions with puff collars and piping accents, while a Maison Margiela riff on a checked fabric is fringed at the waist like a picnic blanket (it looks better than it sounds, which is probably why it sold out). JW Anderson’s is adorned with a large art print of an elephant, a creature not known for its tennis prowess.

London-based designer Nicholas Daley, whose Jamaican-Scottish heritage informs his menswear, has collaborated on a series of polos with classic sportswear brand Fred Perry. One has a pair of zippered pockets and a corduroy collar; in another, “Fred Perry” is embroidered on the back in a bold, pop font.

Mr Daley, 32, said he wanted to “reinterpret the classic Fred Perry brand” and focus on “small details – from the antique brass chains to the contrast knit upper.[ing]— to help elevate the product.” Details like that, combined with stripes and bold colors — khaki and maroon stand out — make for a versatile polo, he said: “You can wear it to a business meeting during the day and down. [in] the mosh pit that same night.” Mr Daley pairs his with “a hunting vest, vintage slacks and a crocheted bucket hat made by my mum”.

Many designers are playing with the standard three-button polo. Some designs feature buttons up to the navel, a fashionable style known as “full-rifle”. Others remove all traces. Office-friendly iterations from Armory and Proper Cloth, with button-down collars and cuffs, graft dress-shirt DNA onto the polo’s genetic make-up. Meanwhile, the sleeves are often double-thigh tight (like Mr. Evans’ spotted polo) or oversized. And, with fabrics ranging from striped silk blends to cable-knit wool, you could say pique is pique.

The new breadth of fabric varieties “is definitely part of the appeal,” said Rhys Moore, 66, CEO of a fragrance company in Ridgefield, Conn. “The usual summer uniform” of Mr. Moore includes a linen shirt, but lately he’s been swapping in polos from Atlanta brand Onward Reserve in a quick-drying, moisture-wicking blend. Those “stiffer” polo collars and pinstripe prints make them sharper and more work-friendly than typical cotton ones, he said.

Sid Mashburn, an Atlanta-based designer, has smartened up his polos by adding a collar, “like [you would] for a dress shirt,” he said. Result? Collars that stay up and “look great under a jacket.”

Mr Mashburn thinks sharper polos, such as his soft cotton-cashmere models, are ideal as many men return to offices and social events but don’t want to give up comfort. “They’re dressier than a T-shirt or sweatshirt without being obnoxious,” he said.

They can also be fun and attractive, said Steve Shuck, co-owner of Austin men’s store Stag. From Japan’s Beams comes a tangerine orange knit polo finished with brown and white checks, while New York’s Barque proposes a loud argyle print. Mr. Shuck said such fast-selling styles are “a throwback to the late ’50s Italian Riviera look.” Ripley’s Talented” romping through menswear.

Andreas Klow, 42, a partner at a law firm in Malmö, Sweden, actually found inspiration for polo in director Anthony Minghella’s 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley. Like his desperate victim, Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), he considers polos a staple of warm-weather “association” and this summer has favored the cheeky ones from Resort Co. “It’s a cool option if you want to jump around the bar in the pool.”

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