Polo shirt: what it is, history of origin, interesting facts

Polo shirts are made of thick knitted fabric. Often they have short sleeves. There are less popular models with long sleeves. The polo has a lapel collar and a button fastener on a short placket. Colored polo shirts began to be produced by French tennis player Rene Lacoste in 1933.

Polo shirt variations

The classic polo shirt is sewn from piqué cotton, a knitted material with a fine waffle structure. It is good air permeable, at the same time quite dense. The fabric protects well from the sun, and it is not hot, which is important for athletes.

There are several variants of polo shirts:

• The classic polo shirt has a straight cut that slightly emphasizes the figure. There are small slits on the sides of the shirt at the bottom. The front may be slightly shorter than the back. Colors are monochrome: white, blue, green, black, red or pastel.
• Slim fit polo shirt fits the figure. It is often sewn from a thinner stretch knit fabric. Colors can be mottled, with prints and drawings.
• Relaxed fit polo shirt has a free cut and does not emphasize the figure at all. These shirts can be tucked into pants.

History of the polo shirt

There are several versions of who invented the polo shirt:

• Rene Lacoste, the first official manufacturer of the garment, is said to have sketched and ordered a batch of polo shirts for himself in the 1920s. But there is speculation that Lacoste was credited with the authorship in order to promote the brand.
• Polo players in 1920s England began participating in tournaments wearing T-shirts. To make their sportswear different from the undershirt, tailors sewed a collar to the men's undershirt with a 3-button placket.
• The famous polo player Herold Tweet mass-produced polo shirts under the name Polo Tweet. His company was created with money from the oldest golf tournament, where Herold won.
• In the 1890s there was a company that made clothes for polo players. The shirt had long sleeves and they were rolled up for comfort. Eventually they made short sleeves and a placket for 2-3 buttons.

It is not known for sure who invented the polo shirt first. If the creator had patented his work, which has become mainstream, now there would be no dispute about the authorship of this popular article of clothing.

Interesting facts about the polo shirt

The polo shirt has always been in fashion since its mass production by Rene Lacoste. It is considered the most versatile closet item.

Some facts about the polo shirt:

• It is the first T-shirt to have a logo on it.
• The famous crocodile Lacoste logo first appeared on the chest of a men's polo shirt.
• American President Dwight Eisenhower played polo in a Lacoste polo shirt. This cemented the success of the brand.
• The first polo shirts were sewn from a thin wool jersey, which was considered a «sporty» material.
• The design of the polo shirts was perfected by famous fashion designers. Frederick Perry decorated the collar and cuffs with two bright red stripes. Benjamin Sherman added a small button on the collar.
• When Ralph Lauren released the polo shirt in 24 different colors, it became particularly popular with Ivy League university students.
• In 1987, a special series of polo shirts was produced for the equestrian polo players, the Hackett Polo Team. They were brightly colored and numbered. Then these clothes appeared in stores, and they quickly sold out.

At first, the polo shirt was worn only by players of elite sports: polo, tennis, golf, yachting. Now it can be seen on office workers in hot countries, on travelers and tourists. Polo is used as an element of workwear. Women also wear polo.