| The polo shirt is not a new fashion creation. | | | | and market their own version of the polo |
| It first appeared as part of the fashion | | | | shirt. It appeared everywhere. You could wear |
| scene in the late 1800s. Oddly enough, and | | | | them to work, at home and in actual sporting |
| fittingly so, polo shirts were first | | | | events. Firms branded their version with one |
| described as such in reports on polo players. | | | | or another "cute" symbols. |
| Male Polo players of the Hurlingham Polo Club | | | | |
| actually wore them in Buenos Aires in 1893. | | | | After the 1970s, the polo shirt lost its |
| This makes the Polo shirt, possibly, as one | | | | place in the popular culture. Fashion passed |
| author suggests, the first true sports shirt. | | | | it by until the turn of the new century. The |
| | | | early 2000s saw the reintroduction of |
| Polo shirts had a specific purpose. They were | | | | Lacoste's version in a limited edition - a |
| a lightweight and practical shirt to wear for | | | | black Lacoste polo shirt with a silver |
| a sporting event. Writers described them as | | | | crocodile. By 2006, polo shirts began to |
| being ideal for hot weather. Over time, the | | | | emerge, once again as the preppy choice. |
| polo shirt has come to be considered the | | | | Lacoste, Nautica, Ralph Lauren (Polo) or |
| perfect sport shirt. | | | | Tommy Hilfiger polo shirts were all becoming |
| | | | fashionable, appearing on and off the courts |
| By the 1930s, the polo shirt was firmly | | | | and greens. The polo shirt has been making a |
| entrenched as a fashionable and practical | | | | comeback among women's fashion. |
| article of clothing. Although traditionally | | | | |
| considered as white, colored shirts had been | | | | Why is this happening? The reason is the same |
| available as early as the late 1920s. | | | | as it was for its earlier existence. Polo |
| Pastels, greens, blues and reds soon joined | | | | shirts are about serving two disparate needs: |
| the stereotypical color scheme. The gender | | | | function and style. Not to malign the average |
| changed as well. American women were wearing | | | | T-shirt, but polo shirts have the ability to |
| them in the 1930s. | | | | address the casual with a status style. They |
| | | | are versatile as well as functional. |
| The polo shirt, therefore, has a long and | | | | Moreover, they have a designer's touch, that |
| proud sporting history. It is best known | | | | little brush with "fame" granting each |
| because of one man - Rene Lacoste. | | | | garment a special status. |
| Erroneously, it is considered a Lacoste | | | | |
| invention. He and Andre Gillier joined forces | | | | People still wear the polo shirt in an |
| and produced a version of the polo shirt. | | | | athletic environment. It appears on golf |
| Lacoste however, didn't market his shirt | | | | courses and on tennis courts. Polo players |
| until 1933. Moreover, his advertisements | | | | sport them in their matches. They add a touch |
| indicate he referred to it as a "golf" and | | | | of class to a skirt, jodhpurs, shorts or |
| not a "polo" shirt. His shirt type was not | | | | pants. Yet, today, the polo shirt appears on |
| marketed in the United States until 1951. | | | | the backs of people performing their |
| | | | day-to-day and mundane tasks. Its |
| In the 1970s, Lacoste's gold shirts became | | | | adaptability, however, allows it to become |
| considered a status symbol. These polo shirts | | | | part of their social and semi-professional |
| were still referred to as golf shirts but the | | | | daily obligations. Suburban moms can wear it |
| marketing indicated they were suitable for | | | | to do practical things then move onto social |
| both home wear and for out on the tennis | | | | affairs. Designers such as Leon Levin are |
| courts. Their long tail made them easy to | | | | able to tailor their polo shirts to active |
| tuck in the back of shorts or skirts. | | | | women for use on the coarse or at home. |
| | | | |
| The popularity of the newly remarketed polo | | | | The polo shirt possesses versatility. It is |
| shirt is the result of the philosophy of the | | | | good for both casual and social functions. |
| age. The preppy look is very in, in the | | | | Anyone can wear it. In truth, it is adaptable |
| 1970s. Other companies follow Lacoste's lead | | | | to today's women's fast-paced lifestyle. |