While most of the polos on this list are logo-less, this one’s insignia actually serves a valuable function—once your shirt has developed some sun-fading and collar frays, the contrast of that patina with the steadfast shield logo will be a high-low contrast moment worthy of applause and attention. Available in over 15 colors, with a vast range of sizes going from XXS to 5XL, once you’ve perfected your fit, reordering will also be a cinch.
The Good Bloke Pick: Fred Perry M12 Polo Shirt
Fred Perry’s pique polo—still made in England today—has been a fixture of British counterculture since the 1950s. (Wearing them was the one thing Blur and Oasis had in common.) The heavier weight but still soft pique is knitted on traditional machines, in a factory literally called the UK Pique building, in an area called—we’re not kidding—Spinney Hill. The iconic wreath and collar trim remains, and is now available in 20 colorways.
The Office-Friendly Pick: Stoffa Cotton-Pique Polo Shirt
Not only is this polo the exact color of a blue dress shirt, but it also has collar detailing and a classy, button-free placket that combine to repel any allegations that you’re dressed too casually for a workplace. Though of course, its 100 percent cotton pique material means you’ll still feel like you’re a few steps from the beach, mentally at least.
The Budget Pick: Uniqlo Dry Pique Polo Shirt
The Qlo’s polo offering, of course, has a price that can’t be beat. With loyal fans among shoppers who could afford polos five times the price—like GQ columnist Chris Black, who buys three of these at a time—it’s pill-resistant, with ribbed cuffs and, again, a price tag that will help you wear it with the all the devil-may-care abandon polo shirts are designed for.
The Endless Summer Pick: J.Crew Washed Pique Polo Shirt
A step up from Uniqlo in terms of finishing and style, J. Crew’s washed pique polo shirt feels borrowed straight from 1993. That’s a very good thing.
The Court-Classic Pick: Lacoste Classic Pique Polo Shirt
Lacoste literally invented the pique polo in 1933, and this genre-defining polo is worn today by prepsters and punks in equal measure. Today, each one is still knitted according to a well-guarded formula, using 12 miles of thread and that iconic crocodile logo (made up of 2367 stitches.)
The Bond-Approved Pick: Sunspel Pique Polo Shirt
British maker Sunspel may have invented one of the earliest t-shirts, but James Bond (well, Daniel Craig as James Bond) wears their polos. Note that Sunspel’s cut is a little closer to the body, but that may be just what you’re looking for.
The Fashion Guy Pick: Auralee Off-White Button Up Polo
Tokyo-based Auralee—the extremely wearable standout designer of the last two Paris Fashion Weeks—offers this highly-covetable, tuck-in-or-out pique polo in a gorgeous Ivory color.
The Stealthy Pick: Reigning Champ Supima Pique Ace Polo
It tracks that the makers of some of the best premium athletic wear out there would also make a well-fitting, soft, easy to move in polo. But the black buttons on this black colorway mean theirs is also the most serious-seeming polo on this list—you could imagine it being a part of the SEAL Team Six on-boarding pack.
The Strategically-Pocketed Pick: Banana Republic Pique Polo
Banana Republic is no stranger to second chances. So it follows that the resurgent mall brand knows its way around the polos once associated with the worst type of golf pro shops. Its luxe-leaning riff comes done up in a blanket-soft cotton for an ultra-smooth finish, a flourish only upstaged by the nifty pocket by its chest. A decade ago, we might’ve suggested leaving a few pens in there ironically for maximum geeky-cool points. Now, though, we’re suggesting it genuinely.
The No-Frills, No Notes Pick: Todd Snyder Pique Polo
Todd Snyder’s play on pique is, naturally, a little special and a little dressier. We’re not fully back in knit territory, but the cotton-tencel blend makes this a finer weave than classic pique, and the three-button placket is just a touch more formal than the standard two.
