The Best Men’s Polo Shirts To Look Sharp This Summer

At once indispensable and yet wildly underrated, few pieces of menswear can carry off the effortless heavy lifting of the classic polo. Previously the remit of tennis pros and the country club set, in the ensuing decades, the polo shirt has found favour in a vast array of subcultures, both predictable and totally surprising.

Whether you’re keen on modish athleticism, Milano-ready tailoring, or even a hint of tropical vacay flair, the likelihood is that there’s a polo design in menswear’s sprawling, increasingly intersectional universe that will help nail your chosen look.

Here then are some of the best polo shirts you can buy.

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Nana Judy ‘St Tropez’ Knitted Polo 

Part of Aussie casualwear label Nana Judy’s latest seasonal offering, this ‘St Tropez’ is an appropriately versatile polo for those looking for a do-all shirt that will take you from tee-off to tippling time.

Crafted from 100% cotton and featuring a classic collar design without buttons, it’s available in both brown and black, making for an easy-wearing bit of kit that always looks good. Wear yours with moderately tapered trousers for a polished everyday look.

Anglo-Italian Long Sleeve Polo

A perennial favourite among us Boss Hunting staffers, London-based Anglo-Italian is as good as they come if you’re in the market for the platonic ideal of the classic polo shirt. In founder Jake Grantham‘s consummate style, these are made using 100% piqué cotton that is pre-washed in order to achieve the finished product’s dusty, comforting colour.

Other details, such as the curved barrel cuff, reinforced pocket, and just-long-enough collar, speak to the thoughtfulness behind this design – one that will reward pairing alongside staples of the ‘Italian industrialist’ uniform (think wool fresco trousers or a well-worn pair of Japanese denim).

Frescobol Carioca Vidal Polo

If you’ve got a little bit of budget to play with, the Vidal polo from Frescobol Carioca is a strong contender.

Not just because of its 100% cotton material and “coastal” blue colourway, but because of how it’s been constructed using an intricate jacquard stitch pattern that weaves the brand’s signature wave design into the fabric itself.

With a classic silhouette, three-button collar, and another option in khaki green, there’s plenty to appreciate here.

Boss Structured-Cotton Polo Shirt

In keeping with Boss’s revival as a slick urban label (with an avowed focus on techwear), this “cotton-structured” polo shirt has a sharp, clean-cut look that works in pretty much any social setting.

While its 100% cotton construction isn’t particularly unusual, its zip-closure collar is a relative rarity, bringing with it a detail that’s sure to catch the attention of the eagle-eyed around you.

Loro Piana ‘Camino’ Brushed Cashmere & Silk Polo Shirt

No list of the internet’s most excellent polo shirts would be complete without at least one entry from Loro Piana. The reigning kings of jet-set style in the 21st century do, of course, make shirts in conventional plant-based fabrics, but it’s cashmere for which the brand is so famed.

More closely resembling a wearable cloud than your average tennis shirt, this brushed polo features an interesting combination of cashmere and silk. Predictably, the sensation of Loro Piana’s cashmere is quite something to behold (never mind wear); and to this, the brand has added a practical embellishment in the form of strong, highly breathable silk.

Venroy Open Neck Cotton Polo

With an open neck line, bold contrast collar, and ribbed hems, this option from Venroy is proof that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to classic wardrobe staples. Thanks to its sharp collar design, it makes for a great option to you can wear casually, or pop over the collar of your favourite blazer for maximum Goodfellas-esque effect.

NN07 Huxley Knitted Polo

Along with brands like Barena and Hartford, NN07 were early adopters of the Italo-Scandi aesthetic that now reigns supreme across Australia.

At a glance, there’s nothing revolutionary about the Danish label’s neat, streamlined designs, but a winning combo of comfort, quality, and affordability (relatively speaking) has ensured a steady fanbase. 

Designs like the Huxley knitted polo exemplify why. Made using 94% organic cotton, this shirt features an open weave that looks best layered over a singlet and makes it perfect for a day at the beach.

Orlebar Brown Terry Towelling Resort Shirt

Inspired by the one-piece bathing suit Sean Connery famously wore in Goldfinger (1964), this ‘Resort’ shirt by British leisurewear brand Orlebar Brown has been a staple among well-heeled vacationers for a number of years now.

In many quadrants, the brand’s original design was responsible for reviving the popularity of terry cloth: a distinctive evocation of woven cotton that is both plush and extremely absorbent. As its name suggests, akin to a towel.

This poolside take on the classic short-sleeved polo comes in an array of essential and seasonally appropriate colours, though we’re big advocates of the ‘Riviera’ blue — precisely because it recalls the Golden Age of coastal vacationing. If it’s good enough for 007…

P. Johnson Ice Cotton Polo

Another in the canon of dressy, sartorially inclined polo shirts, this short-sleeved design from Australian stalwart P. Johnson seeks innovation in the material realm — with breathable ‘Ice Cotton’ that is woven in a jersey-style fabrication.

Technically, there’s nothing to stop you from wearing this in a casual application, but the sum of details makes it clear that this is a polo shirt best accompanied by a certain sporty casualness.

Also available in similarly versatile shades of green, off-white and black, this offers a cool and light-wearing staple all throughout the summer.

Rodd & Gunn Masons Flat Knit

From the jump, we talked about minimally styled polos that are modish in their simplicity, and if what you’re after is a shirt that is unfussy and well-made, Rodd & Gunn’s Masons Flat Knit polo may just be the ticket.

Made using a classic pique stitch for improved breathability when the mercury climbs, it’s 100% cotton and just about perfect for enjoying the summer sun.

Uniqlo DRY-EX Polo Shirt

For over a decade, UNIQLO has led the charge when it comes to smart, deftly designed everyday clothing — ‘lifewear,’ if you will. Its range of DRY-EX polo shirts is emblematic in that regard: made out of recycled polyester treated with a streaky ombre effect. 

Unlike your run-of-the-mill short-sleeved polo, these DRY-EX designs are made with a tubular construction. The lack of side seams gives the shirt a looser, more amply draped feel, making it a great option for polo wearers who favour an overall look that is more street than sartorial.

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