Menswear Style Series: The Polo Shirt

As a slight change here at The Hero Piece we have decided to branch out into the world of men’s fashion to create our very own menswear series looking at statement pieces every man should include in his summer wardrobe this year. The series will range from the staple basics to the more fashion-forward items, all while remaining focused on pieces that can help any man to develop a real sense of style this summer.

To kick off the series we have decided to look at the Polo Shirt, although already a mainstay of most men’s wardrobes with so many brands and differing styles to choose from the polo shirt is still the perfect piece to complete your outfit and help to get your individual personal style across. 

One of the great things about the polo is just how versatile it is but it’s also important to remember not every polo suits every occasion. In recent years there has been a somewhat changing of the guard within polo shirt design, the classic and original players, namely Ralph Lauren, Fred Perry and Lacoste have been over taken by some new faces, some of which have decided to ditch the chest emblazoned logos and let their slick style do the talking instead, making them more ideal for certain occasions than others.

To give you a helping hand this summer we have chosen three different social situations and picked out the style and type of polo we think works best for each. As when it comes to  picking any item of clothing when given so much choice price tags can differ greatly. Like all key pieces we cover on The Hero Piece we firmly stand by "buy less choose well" but as the polo can be a real work horse wardrobe piece we have also included options from high street as well as top end retailers depending on the differing occasions we feel each polo shirt is suitable for. 

The Chilled Afternoon

Whether you’re still recovering from a late night and simply looking for a quick outfit to throw together or you’re meeting friends for a bite to eat and to just chill for the afternoon, a plain short sleeved polo is the perfect go to. Leaving it plain keeps your options open on whether to team it with jeans or coloured chinos while if you wish to add a speck of individuality you can even go for a button-less option with the zip down polo from River Island featured incorporating a bit of on trend 70’s style into your look.

                  Left - Montego Towelling Polo Shirt from Reiss | Right - Dark Red Knitted Polo from River Island

Day at the Office

As a slightly different social situation from a chilled afternoon with friends, a day at the office calls for a slightly different polo. Depending on where you work it may be best to keep it more reserved in terms of colours with the office maybe not the ideal place to experiment integrating new colours into your style. A long sleeved choice with traditional buttoned down look delivers the perfect balance of smart/casual needed for an office environment. 

                   Left - Sphinx Wool Polo from Reiss |  Right - A.P.C Knitted Cotton Polo from Mr Porter

Dining Out

After relaxing with friends and then working hard it’s now time to treat yourself by getting dressed up for a fancy meal. Whether for an important date in the diary or a family celebration we all take pride in our appearance to ensure we make the right impression but to prevent you spending too much time sweating over what to wear the polo is once again the ideal wardrobe companion. For this type of social situation we would go for a nice fitting polo with buttoned down collar. The collar makes sure that not all sense of formality is lost with the choice of shirt while the fit still shows off the polo when worn underneath a blazer adding to the tailored looked which can be achieved with jeans or full suit. 

             Left - Brunello Cucinelli Dutton Down Colllar Polo from Farfetch | Right - Boss Playster Polo from John Lewis

With the polo shirt such a versatile piece it really should be a key component of any man's wardrobe this summer, not only is the polo suitable for just about any occasion but they also give you unlimited options when it comes to completing your outfit, equally well matched with jeans, tailored trousers or shorts.