Apr 19, 2022

Short Sleeve Polo Collection

Summer is now in full swing and with this in mind, our latest article from The Journal explores our short-sleeve polo range, available in the classic cotton-linen blend and the less traditional, Merino wool. In this blog, we outline what makes these two fabrics superb choices for short-sleeve polos.

Fun Fact: The modern Polo shirts as we see them today were first designed in France in 1929 by tennis player René Lacoste.

SHOP OUR SHORT SLEEVE POLO COLLECTION

Polo shirts were first introduced, as you may have guessed, during polo games played in British India circa 1850. The shirts were worn by riders and made using thick and generally cumbersome Oxford cotton cloth. The polo slowly developed over time to allow for more movement and comfort. In addition, the fabrics used on polo shirts became more lightweight and breathable, ensuring that they served their purpose.

WHERE ARE OUR SHORT-SLEEVE POLO SHIRTS MADE?

Knitted short-sleeve polos are the finest way to produce one of the most classic pieces of menswear, requiring a higher level of craftsmanship, knowledge and speciality machinery. We have chosen to use our partner mills and manufacturers in Italy, due to their design techniques, history of iconic menswear and incredible fabric choices available.

Once the premium fabrics have been selected, they are processed in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, using leading-edge technology to become a precious yarn collection. Once the yarns have been sourced and spun, it's then handmade by expert craftsmanship into your cool, stylish and luxurious polo shirt.

DESIGN FEATURES IN OUR SHORT SLEEVE POLO SHIRTS

Ribbed Hem & Sleeve Cuff
Within our collection of short sleeve polos, you will see a ribbed hem and cuff sleeve. Ribbing is often used for cuffs, shirt hems and, more generally, any edge that should be form-fitting. They're primarily created to keep the cold out and the warmth in; that's why you'll notice the cuffs and hem stick to your skin rather snugly. The benefit of ribbed details is that they provide shape and definition to your body and arms comfortably.

Button Neck Polo Collar
Initially designed for playing tennis in France in 1929, everyone knows the classic polo collar neck shape. Our timeless three buttons, quarter placket design, is perfect for opening and closing your collar, depending on occasion and preference. In addition, the collar shape within our polos has been designed to wing out slightly across the shoulders, offering any gentleman a smart, polished look.

Chest Patch Pocket
Our short sleeve polos in either merino wool or linen come with a chest patch pocket as standard. This is an added design feature to allow for three-dimensional texture to the outfit whilst providing a handy place to store any loose change or small items.

PREMIUM FABRICS USED IN SHORT SLEEVE POLO SHIRTS

To ensure any polo shirt is luxurious and long-lasting, the correct fabric must be used for a premium, contemporary finish. Our latest collection of merino wool and linen fabric polos have natural and unique benefits from the raw materials and fibres used.

Merino Wool
Merino wool is a natural fibre grown by Merino sheep. It’s thinner and softer than regular wool which makes it easy to wear next to your skin. Not only is the fabric extremely comfortable, each fibre within merino wool naturally helps regulate your body temperature, and cancels out odours.

The merino wool used on our short sleeve polo shirts is one of the finest fabrics in luxury and design, with a guarantee of quality and constancy over time for an ever-lasting product. Our polo tops offer a timeless product thanks to the consistency of the fibre, which is controlled and tested at each harvest.

Linen-Cotton
Linen is the ultimate summer fabric and a premium choice for our classic short-sleeve polo shirts. Linen is not only a strong, beautifully breathable material but it's generally considered more sustainable than most other fibres. This is due to using significantly less water in the production process, reducing its water footprint.

Linen is the perfect summer polo shirt, regulating your temperature with cooling and breathable properties in summer while also being anti-wrinkle and fast drying. A beautiful fabric that provides a superior step up on the classic cotton polo.

WHAT TO WEAR WITH A SHORT SLEEVE POLO SHIRT

Any premium and long-lasting polo shirt should ideally be under 200g in weight, ensuring it's super lightweight and durable in all seasons, especially in the summer months. Simply wear this item as your outer layer for a smart-casual finish in hotter months. Below we explore three ways to wear a short-sleeve polo shirt in style.

Pair with chino trousers
Chino trousers serve as a great middle-ground between casual jeans and formal suit trousers. Offering a cleaner line than traditionally pleated styles, they work brilliantly with any polo shirt for a smart-casual look in the warmer months. Of course, ensure your colours complement each other, but if you want a safe bet, stick with classic beige colour trousers which work with everything.

Choose complementary accessories
With the breathable and lightweight fabric used in our polo shirts, be sure to accessorise with the correct summer items, such as a smart trilby hat or classic slip-on loafers. Additionally, the chest patch pocket is the perfect place to store your sunglasses of choice. Polo shirts look fantastic when tucked into your trousers, so ensure your belt choices suit the outfit; a traditional black leather belt will never look out of place.

Layer under your sports jacket
If you want to opt for a smarter look, then you can easily create a formal outfit by layering a sports jacket or blazer over your polo shirt. By doing the collar buttons up all the way, an instantly smart look is formed. As your sleeves will be bare, ensure your jacket shell fabric or lining is soft, durable and comfortable for wearing, such as silk.

SHOP THE COLLECTION

What Makes Our Short Sleeve Polo Shirts So Special?

1. Our polos are made with the finest fabric across a range of linen-cotton and merino wool blends, all spun in Italy. The unique fabric properties of our polo collection such as temperature regulation and breathability make them the perfect choice by using beautiful and high-end fabrics that provides a superior step up on the classic cotton polo.

2. Once the raw materials are sourced, they are processed in Emilia-Romagna, Italy using leading-edge technology to become a precious yarn collection. Once the yarns have been sourced and spun, it's then handmade by expert craftsmanship into your timeless, stylish, and luxurious polo top.

3. We take the utmost care in the design execution of our short sleeve polos, which results in truly remarkable levels of detail. Within the collection, we offer our polos with a ribbed hem, chest pocket and three-button quarter placket as standard. All our fabric is yarn-dyed in-house and put through an extensive testing process to ensure the quality is second to none. Our short sleeve polo tops are available in eight timeless menswear colours, offering you full versatility with any outfit

4. Our short sleeve polo tops are perfect for all four seasons, our choice of either linen-cotton or merino wool fabric will help regulate your temperature by offering warmth in winter and cooling properties in summer. Our premium fabrics also have the benefits of being anti-wrinkle, fast drying and anti-odour.