Our Picks For Polos

The Best Men’s Polo Shirts: 9 Styles For Every Type of Guy

Comfortable as your favorite t-shirt, and ready for pretty much any occasion, the best polo shirts have never been better.

by Beau Hayhoe

Updated: Feb. 1, 2022

Originally Published: Aug. 10, 2021

3 polo shirts are featured against a navy blue backdrop

Is there a more versatile piece of clothing for men than the polo shirt? It’s the Swiss Army knife is shirts. Dressier — but still as comfortable as — your favorite t-shirt, and yet still works for laid-back situations. It’s easy to wear to work, and it’s not as stuffy as a traditional dress shirt.

Best of all, the polo shirt has a style lineage up there with the best of ‘em. First worn by sporting gentlemen, it’s been turned into a cool-as-can-be look by style icons over the years. The best polo shirts today fit better and feel more comfortable than ever before. Many are also more teched up, made with just enough stretch and moisture wicking to keep you cool and comfortable all day. The eight men’s polo shirts below — some traditional, some a bit more modern — are all excellent choices.

The Best Polo Shirts to Buy Now

Proof 72-Hour Merino Polo

The folks at Proof designed this polo shirt so someone could feasibly wear it for three days straight and it wouldn't stink. Regardless of whether you follow through on that or not, it’s a great polo to have in your closet. Made of a merino wool blend fabric that's surprisingly breathable as well as moisture-wicking and antimicrobial, it also features a tailored but not comically tight fit. It’s available in a wide range of colors, from Olive to Heather.

$88

Mack Weldon Vesper Polo

“Vesper” shares its name with the iconic cocktail as well as James Bond’s love interest in Casino Royale. It’s as fitting an homage as it gets to the more expensive version of this shirt favored by 007, one of the all-time great polo wearers. All the proper details are in order, from the breathable micro-mesh fabric (made from Pima cotton and wood pulp-based modal) to the crisp navy color. Whether it’ll make you any better at Baccarat or spycraft remains to be seen.

$68

Nordstrom Short-Sleeve Tipped Polo

The “tipped” design (contrasting colors on the sleeve cuffs and at the collar) gives this shirt a bit of retro, dressy appeal. The use of cotton jersey fabric also makes it a winner. Jersey fabric, first produced in the Isle of Jersey in Great Britain, is soft, stretchy and flattering when worn in the right size.

$23

Rhone Reign Performance Polo

The performance polos of today are definitely winning on the leaderboard over golf polos from years past. This streamlined performance polo shirt is a great example, using raglan sleeve stitching, more commonly found on T-shirts and henleys, to showcase the shoulders (never a bad thing). Polyester-stretch fabric, infused with UPF50+ sun protection, makes it fit for the links but easily wearable back at home.

$59

Banana Republic Don’t-Sweat-It-Polo

As its name suggests, this polo is built to prevent your torso from feeling swampy. Moisture-wicking tech helps that cause. So does a touch of spandex in the cotton-blend fabric, as it provides some stretch to help you feel cool and breezy, not constricted.

$44

How to Look Good in a Polo Shirt

To find your new favorite polo focus on fit and fabric. The polo should be flattering to your form, with sleeves that lightly hug — not strangle — your biceps and shoulders.

The proper polo shirt also isn’t too tight through your chest and stomach. It should hit at about your belt line, so you can wear it tucked or untucked. The fabric should ideally be lightweight and breathable. This could mean it’s made from cotton or cotton blends, or with performance-minded stretch fabrics (including merino wool). Older polos were typically made only from cotton pique, a stuffier fabric prone to overheat. Avoid those if you’re able.

Wellen Hemp Polo

The Wellen Hemp Polo is made with organic cotton and hemp, two highly sustainable materials — hemp even regenerates soil as it grows. The resulting polo is form-flattering, nicely priced, and looks especially great with light wash jeans, chino shorts, or linen trousers.

$58

Todd Snyder Made-in-L.A. Slub Montauk Polo

Made in the city of angels from garment-dyed cotton, this polo is ultra soft. It’s also unique, ditching the buttons in favor of a relaxed placket perfect for sunny Saturdays hanging around the house.

$79

Taylor Stitch Polo in Dark Navy Jacquard

The standard polo gets a subtle but sharp upgrade here via the use of intricate jacquard knit stripes. It’s a fancy way of adding texture to this sleek navy polo shirt, which happens to be dressy enough for casual Friday and cool enough for a child-free night on the town. Organic cotton adds a sustainable touch.

$78

Lululemon Evolution Short Sleeve Polo

Lululemon is making some of the best performance polos out there. This one, for instance, is stretchy and teched up to keep you cool, but fits like the golf shirt you’ve always dreamed about. It’s comfortable, temperature controlled, and comes in a variety of great colors.

$88

This article was originally published on Aug. 10, 2021