Polo shirts or as some may call them tennis shirts or even golf shirts have been around for quite some time now. Even dubbed as a staple article of clothing in a man’s wardrobe, this style of shirts are no longer limited to use for sports activities but also in a man’s daily life. With the fashion world picking their noses into these polos, the stylish selection of men’s polo shirts is endless, whether they are sold at a traditional brick-and-mortar store or from a convenient online store. The many designs, prints, textures, colour combinations and more has revamped the style of the original polo and made them more stylish than ever. Here are three interesting facts you probably did not know about this men’s shirt style that has become a perennial favourite.

1. The history of the polo

No one really knows when exactly the first polo was founded but its first appearance could be tracked to somewhere in the late 1800s in Manipur, India. Originally designed as a thick, long-sleeved shirt made of cotton, these shirts were used in the many games of polo which the Indians were commonly known to partake in. After some British soldiers who were stationed in Manipur witnessed a match of polo, the sport quickly grew on the British and was introduced into England later in 1862 and so did the shirts.

2. The idea behind the shirt

When the shirts were brought over they went through some changes; design modifications if you will. As mentioned above, the original style of polos were long-sleeved shirts made of thick cotton but in time they were updated with shorter sleeves and collars that wouldn’t flap around while galloping on the field. As the decades went on, more and more changes were made until we are finally left with the short sleeved, cotton, collared polo we all are so familiar with.

3. The fashion revolution

With brands like Lacoste, Fred Perry and Ralph Lauren swooping in to the fashion scene, they have taken the humble polo shirt to another level. Fashion is known to always take part in any trend that booming. Clothing giants such as Ralph Lauren pushed the polo shirt to such peaks of popularity (especially after providing the wardrobe for the film The Great Gatsby) that the polo shirt became sort of a “power suit”,worthy enough to compete with those suits from high-end brands such as Armani. From Clint Eastwood, President John F Kennedy, James Dean and more, men have been taking on this style of smart casual shirts everywhere. Worn by presidents to movie stars, it’s no wonder the polo-shirt was an essential staple for every man to have even to this day.

Over the years, men have adopted the uniform of jeans or khakis with polos in different colours, and it works for a range of occasions. Today, designers and fashion trendsetters (from Ryan Gosling to Pharrell Williams) are putting their contemporary take on this classic piece, proving that the traditional polo will never go out of style.

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