The Polo Shirt
A collar above..
The Polo Reconsidered:
Somewhere in between the ease of a T-shirt and the structure of a shirt, sits one of the most enduring pieces in menswear. The polo shirt has always occupied a useful middle ground. Less formal than a button-down, more considered than a T-shirt, the polo brings just enough structure to an otherwise relaxed style of dressing.
Its origins may lie in sport, but the modern polo has moved well beyond the court and course. Today, the polo is defined less by logos and more by fabrication. Fine-gauge knits, textured cottons, open collars and softer constructions that give the familiar silhouette an altogether more refined character.
The Knitted Polo:
The knitted polo is perhaps the most versatile interpretation, with a finer fabric that changes the way the garment sits on the body. Softer and more fluid that traditional sportswear, it can be worn with tailored trousers or beneath an unstructured blazer without feeling overly formal. Paired with denim or relaxed shorts, it retains the ease that made the polo an essential in the first place. Paul James Knitwear approaches the style through its expertise in natural fibres and traditional knitwear, with lightweight and ultra-fine cotton constructions bringing texture and breathability to the silhouette.
The Carioca Approach:
Inspired by Rio de Janeiro, Frescobol Carioca takes a distinctly warmer-weather approach.
Relaxed proportions, tactile fabrics and subtle texture give its polos an effortless quality suited to coastal dressing. Cotton piqué sits alongside knitted cotton, cotton-linen, cotton-silk and other elevated fabrications, taking the polo from simple sportswear into something altogether more considered. Worn with linen trousers, tailored shorts or relaxed denim, it is the kind of piece that requires very little styling, particularly when the fabric is allowed to do the work.
The New Middle Ground:
Menswear continues to become less rigid. Tailoring is softer, shirts are more relaxed and the distinction between dressing up and dressing down has become increasingly blurred. The polo fits naturally into that shift. It provides a collar without the formality of a shirt, texture without unnecessary detail and enough structure to make even a simple pair of trousers feel intentional.
Perhaps that is why the polo continues to endure. It doesn't demand attention. It simply makes getting dressed well considerably easier.
Frescobol Carioca, Custi Mikelo and Paul James Knitwear each offer their own interpretation of the polo. Spanning relaxed Mediterranean sensibility, refined knitwear and effortless resort dressing. Different in character, united by versatility, they reaffirm the polo’s place as one of menswear’s most adaptable staples.