Thanks to its versatility, the t-shirt has been a style staple since the middle of the 20th century. You can exercise and do chores in a t-shirt, and you can also wear it as part of a smart casual get-up for a first date.

I love t-shirts. It’s what I wear most days working from home.

For most of my life, I never tucked in my tees.

Like many people my age, I thought tucking in your t-shirt was something that only your dad or the dorky kid at your school who had no fashion sense did.

Well, I don’t know if there’s something that happens in brain development when you hit 40, and turn into your father, but I’ve been tucking in my t-shirt a lot more these days.

And I’ll be damned; I think it can look pretty sharp in certain situations. Even if you’re not middle-aged or someone’s Pops.

Below, I offer some guidelines that I follow when tucking in my t-shirt so that the vibes it gives off are more 1950s Marlon Brando than 1990s Bugle Boy.

The Evolution of the Tucked-in T-Shirt

While we wear t-shirts as a regular piece of clothing these days, they were originally underwear. Because they were underwear, men would tuck their t-shirts into their briefs or boxers to create a seamless undergarment beneath their outer clothes.

During WWII, GIs would often remove their buttoned uniform top and just wear their undershirt with their uniform trousers. They kept their tee tucked in to maintain a clean, disciplined look even though they weren’t in full uniform.

After WWII, veterans continued to wear their undershirts with trousers while working around the house. They kept their t-shirts tucked in because, well, that’s how they’d done it during the Big One.

That’s how most men in the United States wore their tees from the 1950s onward: tucked in.

As time marched on and style became more casual in the U.S., more and more men stopped tucking in their t-shirts. Wearing their t-shirts untucked was a way to separate themselves from the more uptight generation of their parents. Contributing to the trend was the fact that fewer men served in the military after the Vietnam War, and thus didn’t get into the tucked-in tee habit while in the service.

There was a short resurgence of tucked-in t-shirts in the 1990s, but then it faded along with Beanie Babies.

You’re starting to see more people — particularly young people, of both sexes — tuck in their t-shirts again. A lot of it is driven by Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s nostalgia for the 1990s. My ten-year-old daughter tucks in her t-shirts (emblazoned with the Vans logo — didn’t see that resurgence coming either). She loves that “90s vibe.“ 

The Benefits of Tucking in Your T-Shirt

Since I started tucking in my tee more often, I’ve discovered three benefits to the practice:

A tucked-in tee accentuates your v-shape. Having the masculine v-shape — broad shoulders that taper to a narrow waist — is attractive. When you tuck in your t-shirt, you accentuate your v-shape; it gives definition to your waist and makes your shoulders look broader. 

A tucked-in t-shirt looks put-together. A tucked-in t-shirt provides a clean line between your torso and your legs. It looks a little sharper than an untucked tee, which bunches and wrinkles as it drapes over your waistband. When you tuck in your t-shirt, it looks like you mean business.

A tucked-in t-shirt is practical. Your untucked t-shirt can get snagged on things in your environment. When your t-shirt is untucked, you no longer have to worry about that. This is why I’ve even been tucking my t-shirts into my gym shorts when I work out. 

Guidelines for Tucking in Your T-Shirt

Get a properly fitting T-shirt. A t-shirt that is too big won’t look good tucked in. It will give you that early 1990s Bugle Boy dork look. You also don’t want to go too tight either. We’ve got the guidelines for proper fit here.

Note that a tucked-in t-shirt looks best on those with a fit physique. If you’ve got a paunch, a tucked-in tee will only accentuate it, and you’ll probably want to keep your shirt untucked. 

Keep it simple. Opt for t-shirts without prominent patterns, text, or busy designs. Go for simple stripes or a solid color. It will just look sharper. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever tuck in a graphic tee. I’ve got a few graphic tees that I tuck in occasionally, but the designs are simple.

Stick with long pants for your bottom garment. I’ve tried tucking in my t-shirt with a pair of khaki shorts and it didn’t look good. Too 1990s dad-ish. Stick with tucking your tees into long pants — jeans and chinos. The one exception for shorts that I make is when I’m working out. Tucking my tee into my shorty gym shorts makes me feel like a Golden Era bodybuilder. 

Layer with a jacket. Layering your tucked-in t-shirt is something that I like to do. It adds some depth and interest to your look. I like to wear a cotton field jacket when I tuck in my t-shirt. A jean jacket, chore coat, or unstructured blazer would work as well. 

Get a cool belt. Wearing a cool belt gives you an excuse to tuck in your t-shirt: you’re tucking in your tee so people can see your rad belt. My go-to belt when I tuck in my t-shirt is the Cowboy belt from Zilker (that’s what I’m sporting in the left pic above). I also like to rock a thicker, more traditional leather belt, which has a cool Thunderbird belt buckle that I found on eBay (right photo). Besides adding some visual interest to your tucked-in t-shirt fit, a belt also accentuates your waist a bit more, enhancing your v-shaped silhouette.  

Like I said above, I don’t tuck in my t-shirt all the time. But it’s nice to have it as a styling option to mix into my get-ups. Give it a try yourself, and see if it just might be one of those things that Dad got right.

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White jeans are a nice way to mix up the sartorial staple that is denim. 

Not everyone is a fan of white jeans on dudes, though. They don’t like how high maintenance they seem — that you have to keep them clean, since spills and stains will show up prominently on the white fabric. Or they think the look is too bold, too Euro, or too 80s. 

It’s true that white jeans are harder to keep spotless, but you don’t avoid wearing a white dress shirt just because it’s prone to stains, do you? Just be a little more vigilant. The intentionality and non-practicality of white jeans are part of what makes them look a little dressier and more stylish and refined than blue jeans, which makes them a great choice when you’re putting together a “smart casual” outfit.

It’s true too that they’re different, but they needn’t be different in a way that conforms to off-putting fashion stereotypes.

If you’re an average guy who’s thinking about trying white jeans for the first time, you’ve already summoned up the confidence to wear pants that will draw some extra attention, and probably don’t want additional attention due to the fact that you’re not wearing them well. 

If you want to wear white jeans in a way that will stand out, but only in a good way, just follow these guidelines:

1) Don’t wear them if you’re on the heavier side. Black is slimming. White is widening. White jeans on a big dude will just enlarge his legs and make him look bigger. Only wear white jeans if you’re on the trimmer side.

2) Choose white jeans with some heft and structure. There are other white pants out there — white chinos and trousers. But these are even harder to pull off than white jeans and can feel too country club and foo-fooey or too much like the garb of the neighborhood ice cream man or an asylum employee. It’s the texture and structure of white jeans that tip white pants into pull-off-able territory. So lean into that when choosing a pair, opting for ones that have some heft and structure (and won’t show your underwear).

3) Only wear them in the spring and summer. Some fashion-forward style gurus will tell you you can wear white jeans year-round. And it’s true that the “no white after Labor Day” rule has loosened in modern times. But white still reads very much as a warmer weather color. If white jeans attract attention in any season, they’re going to garner some head-scratching stares in the dregs of February. So only bust them out in spring and summer. It’s actually nice to have some seasonal clothes you take out and put away as the year progresses; it’s a hedge against the horror of the same old thing.

4) Wear them with a blue top. White jeans are a blank canvas; you can pair them with a top in pretty much any color, except white; a white tee or dress shirt + white jeans creates a look that’s too homogenous, unless you’re also wearing a colored jacket on top (but then you won’t be able to remove the jacket without turning the outfit into a full-on white-out).

While you can pair your white jeans with a variety of colors, for the most foolproof, eye-pleasing combo, wear them with a blue top. You’re simply inverting your standard blue-jeans-on-bottom, white-shirt-on-top look.

This pairing can take the form of white jeans + a casual shirt like a blue henley or a blue and white striped tee. A navy polo + white jeans is a particularly good look.

Another can’t-miss combination is white jeans + a blue button-down. Choose a light blue Oxford (you have added an OCBD to your wardrobe, haven’t you?) or a denim or chambray shirt. 

To up the formality level, add an unstructured blue sports jacket over your lighter blue button-down. A brown jacket works as well.

Once you’ve gotten more comfortable wearing white jeans, you can branch out to different color tops. Neutral colors (black, brown, gray), earth tones (tan, moss, olive), and pastels (mint green, pink) work well. Black or another solid, bold color does create a starker look, but this kind of color blocking can also draw the viewer’s eye upward, making you appear taller. 

As far as footwear for any of these get-ups goes, it’s fine to wear white sneakers, though this monochrome look can create the visual effect of your pants melting into your shoes; if you go white/white, it’s best if your shoes are a different tone than your pants. Navy canvas sneakers, like Converse, look good when you’re wearing your white jeans with a blue top. When you’re wearing a button-down shirt, nicer sneakers still work for a more casual look, but when you’re trying to smarten the outfit up, opt for chukka boots or loafers. 

If, even with the above confidence-increasing guidelines in your back pocket, you’re still not ready to wear bright white jeans, but want to dip your toes into the world of light-colored denim, try a pair in cream or off-white instead. 

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I wouldn’t call myself a denim-head, but I do appreciate a quality pair of jeans.

A type of jeans that I’ve experimented with in the past is raw denim jeans.

What’s raw denim?

Most denim jeans you buy today have been pre-washed and treated with a process called “sanforization” to soften up the fabric, reduce shrinkage, and prevent indigo dye from rubbing off. Raw denim (sometimes called “dry denim”) jeans are simply jeans made from denim that hasn’t gone through this prewash/treatment process.

The big selling point of raw denim jeans is that they start their life as a blank canvas that becomes personalized to you. While mass-produced jeans come with faux fading and distressing that is the same for every single pair, with raw denim, the fading and distressing are created by your body type and how you wear them. Also, the fit of raw denim becomes tailored to your body. Each pair ends up being uniquely yours, with a more custom look and feel.

If you want to try out raw denim jeans without breaking the bank, Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit (STF) jeans can’t be beat. (Note: I don’t have any affiliation with Levis, nor is this a sponsored post.) They’re an American classic (your grandpa probably owned a pair of Levi’s 501s), they only cost $50 on Amazon, and they’ll last you a long time.

Because 501 Shrink-to-Fit jeans haven’t been pre-washed, you have to go through a special sizing and shrinking process to end up with the right fit. 

Levi’s provides some guidelines on how to go about this process. I followed them with mixed results. 

Below, I share what those results were and the tips I gleaned from my experiment in shrinking Levi’s 501 STF jeans.

How to Size Your Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit Jeans

The key to getting the right fit with Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit jeans lies in understanding the sizing process and accounting for the shrinkage that will occur. The size you choose will depend on the shrinking process you plan to use. Levi’s provides the following option-dependent guidelines: 

• For the old-school technique, buy true to size in the waist and two sizes up in length. Wear them in the tub and keep them on to dry.
• For those who want to machine wash and dry the jeans, we recommend ordering up. For your waist, increase 1″ for sizes 27″-36″, 2″ for 38″-48″, and 3″ for 50″ and up. And for your inseam, increase 3″ for sizes 27″-34″ and 4″ for 36″ and up.
• For purists who like their denim unwashed, no need to size up. Buy them true to size.

To figure out which sizing/shrinking method provided the best results, I tried all three methods. Below are the results.

The Old-School Shrink-to-Fit Method

The old-school shrink-to-fit method requires you to buy 501s that are true to size in the waist and two sizes up in length. You then wear them in the tub and leave them on to dry.

I usually wear 33×32 in jeans, so this method required me to purchase 501s that are 33×34.

Instead of simply wearing the jeans in the tub, I opted for a more involved process that I’ve seen on other menswear sites that people claimed provided equal results without having to wear soaking wet jeans and drip indigo dye around the house. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Soak the Jeans

Fill your bathtub up with hot water. Turn the jeans inside out to minimize the amount of indigo dye lost during the soaking process. Place the jeans in the tub, ensuring the hot water fully covers them. Allow the jeans to soak for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. 

The indigo dye that came off during the soak.

Step 2: Hang Dry

Remove the jeans from the tub and hang them up in the shower. Let them hang until they’re no longer dripping with water.

Step 3: Towel Dry

Once your jeans have drip-dried, place them horizontally on the floor between two towels. Step on the towel-covered jeans to extract as much water as you can. Flip the jeans right side out and repeat stepping on the towels.

Step 4: Wear Your Damp Jeans

While the jeans are still damp, it’s time to put them on and let them dry on your body. As the jeans dry, they will shrink and conform to your body shape, resulting in a fit that is unique to you. I recommend going commando while wearing your damp jeans. Your body heat will help speed up the drying process. Also, I’d avoid doing this in the winter, lest you freeze your bits.

Make sure to avoid sitting on any light-colored upholstery during this time, as there’s a chance you’ll get some indigo rub-off on it.

Old-School Tub Method Results

Here’s what my 33×34 501s looked like before going through the old-school shrink-to-fit process:

Before

Here’s what they looked like after going through the old-school shrink-to-fit process:

After

The waist fit fine, but I wasn’t happy with the inadequate shrinkage that occurred along the inseam, and especially around the knees, where there was a lot of bunching. Overall, the jeans still felt too baggy and loose.

Perhaps they’ll shrink more if I soak them again. 

The tub-soaking method also left me with jeans that felt pretty stiff. That will likely work its way out as I wear them regularly. 

One advantage to the old-school tub method is that your jeans will keep more of their classic indigo denim color than if you do the washing machine method. 

Overall, I wasn’t happy with the result this process gave me. The fit was too off. 

Washing Machine and Dryer Method

I then tried method two: throw your jeans in the washing machine on the cold cycle and then tumble dry.

For this method, I needed to buy 501s that were one inch bigger than my waist size and three inches bigger than my inseam.

So, for a 33×32 pant size, I needed to buy 501s that were 34×35. Levi’s didn’t offer a 501 with a 35-inch inseam, so I went with 34x34s. Even if they offered a 35-inch inseam, I think they would have been way too big even after shrinking.

Make sure you launder the jeans with other very dark colors, as they’ll release plenty of indigo color in the wash and blue fuzz in the dryer. I set the dryer on medium heat.

Here’s what the 34×34 jeans looked like before shrinking:

Before

As you can see, they’re pretty dang big. Really, really baggy. I didn’t think they’d be able to shrink enough to provide a decent fit. 

After the first wash and tumble dry, the 34×34 jeans shrunk more than I’d expected but were still a tad too baggy. So I put them through the washer and dryer again (continued shrinkage can occur over the first several washings and dryings). 

Here’s what they looked like after that second washing and drying:

After

The waist fit perfectly. The inseam shrunk quite a bit. They’re a tad baggier than I like in jeans, but the overall fit was definitely better than the old-school method.

The other advantage of using the washer and dryer method is that the jeans feel less stiff and more broken-in than the ones treated with the old-school method.

Another thing you’ll notice with the washer/dryer method is that the color of your jeans will change to more of a royal blue. This is due to more indigo coming out of the fabric during the washing process. That could be a plus or minus, depending on your preference. 

True-to-Fit, Shrink-to Fit-Jeans

I also tried buying a pair of 501s Shrink-to-Fit at my true-to-fit size.

Here’s what they look like:

Not too shabby. Again, a little baggier and bunchier in the knees than I think is ideal.

If you’re going to buy 501 Shrink-to-Fit Jeans with your true-to-fit size, you can’t ever wash them (yes, ever). They won’t fit you afterwards.

Which Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit Method Should You Use?

I thought the washer and dryer method provided the best fit out of all the methods. Also, it was a heck of a lot easier. 

I can see the appeal of the tub method. It’s like making French press coffee. It feels like you’re crafting your jeans. I also liked the resulting color of the old-school shrunk jeans over those that went through the washer. But based on my experience, the ROI wasn’t worth it.

Regardless of the method you use, you’ll want to wash your jeans minimally over the first year to allow your unique fades to set in the fabric. If you’re happy with your current fit and want to maintain it, let them air dry after washing (or dry on your body to allow the fabric to further conform to your physique). If you want more shrinkage (the jeans will stretch out as you wear them), put them in the dryer. 

Would I Recommend Shrink-to-Fit Jeans?

After all the rigamarole I went through with fitting the 501 STFs, I’ve decided it’s a lot of work to get a pair of jeans that fit . . . okay. The fit will perhaps improve with some more washings and wearings, but I still don’t think it will be as good as pre-washed pairs I’ve bought off-the-rack.

I get the appeal of shrink-to-fit jeans. They give you a more custom-made look and feel. It’s nostalgic. There’s a romantic feeling that you’re taking part in a process that your grandpa went through to get a nice-fitting pair of jeans. 2009, 27-year-old retrosexual Brett would be all over this; 2024, 41-year-old Brett, not so much. I’ll take pre-washed and pre-shrunk jeans. They look good without the hassle.

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Henley shirts grew out of the uniform that rowers in the English town of Henley-on-Thames wore in the 19th century, as well as the top half of the union suit undergarment that was worn by miners and pioneers of the same era. Still today, the shirt serves well as either a stand-alone piece or a layer that can be worn under other garments.

Distinguished by a round neckline and a placket of buttons that extends several inches down the chest, the henley is like a collar-less polo, with a formality that sits below that shirt but a notch above a regular tee.

Henleys, which come in both short- and long-sleeve varieties, are easy to wear; just pair one with jeans and leather boots and you’ve got a simple, rugged look. But they also play very nicely with other pieces and can be used as the foundation for some visually interesting, put-together get-ups. 

To get some inspiration on different ways to wear a henley with style, we asked Andrew Snavely from Primer Magazine to put together three looks for us that include this sartorial staple. Here are the three outfit ideas he created and why he thinks they’re great get-ups:

Outfit #1

1. Buck Mason Henley
2. L.L. Bean Sweater 
3. Seiko Watch
4. Levi’s 501
5. Allen Edmonds Boots 

In some ways the henley is a secret weapon. For the guy who always defaults to a hoodie and graphic t-shirt but is trying to improve on how he presents himself, swapping the hoodie for a hardy shawl collar cardigan and the graphic t-shirt for a henley keeps 100% of the comfort you’re looking for.

It almost feels like a cheat code: You can wear this to run a first-thing-in-the-morning errand or on a casual date without feeling out of place in either. That’s some seriously impressive versatility for a casual outfit that’s as comfortable as a hoodie and t-shirt.

Opt for a shawl collar sweater without much in the way of decorative knitting to avoid a festive spirit. Slide the shade of the jeans lighter or darker to adjust formality as needed.

Outfit #2

1. Buck Mason Henley 
2. Banana Republic Flannel Shirt
3. Flint and Tinder Hoodie
4. Flint and Tinder Pants
5. Rhodes Chelsea Boot 

As temperatures drop, henleys make excellent base layers that still give you a pop of visual interest. For many climates – right up until winter hits full swing anyway – wearing several lighter layers instead of a couple heavier ones is more adaptable to body temperature changes from moving around a lot or coming in and out.

Layering a hoodie over the henley and plaid shirt will keep you plenty warm on cool days. As it gets even colder, you can add a jacket on top as well. (That might sound like too many layers, but I can attest that it looks great and doesn’t feel too constricting.) 

By design this outfit looks purposeful with everything on, or just the henley and pants, and every step in between. That’s a testament to how great a henley can look on its own.

Outfit #3

1. Taylor Stitch Henley 
2. J.Crew T-Shirt 
3. Banana Republic Leather Jacket
4. Buck Mason Pants
5. Thursday Boots 

Henleys aren’t just t-shirts with buttons. They can come in many weights, fabrics, and knits, like this heavier sweater.

With a sweater henley like this, it works as a middle layer, taking the place of, say, a v-neck sweater, giving you the option to wear a t-shirt underneath. Paired with a black leather jacket like this trucker jacket creates an easily wearable style with some intentional edge, and the olive chinos add just enough color to keep things from being too monotone. Put it all together, and this would be the perfect get-up for going to a concert, meeting up with colleagues outside of work, or some casual-but-cultural event like an art gallery opening.

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There are three items of clothing that arguably constitute the trifecta of the most classic style staples for men: denim jeans, white tees . . .

and the Oxford-cloth button-down shirt (aka, the OCBD).

The Oxford shirt was inspired by the way 19th century British polo players buttoned down the collars of their shirts so the fabric wouldn’t flap in their faces and was introduced in the United States by Brooks Brothers in 1896.

Since then, the OCBD has served as a simple, handsome cornerstone of the male wardrobe.

Comfortable, durable, versatile, and practically fool-proof to pull off, Oxford shirts can be worn year-round, and in nearly any time and place. Getting some is one of the easiest ways to start dressing better, and they could even become part of your personal uniform.

If you don’t already have this shirt in your closet, or have been underutilizing the ones you do own, today we’ll offer a guide on how to wear the Oxford with style.

What Is an Oxford Shirt?

Oxford shirts are a type of men’s dress shirt.

Dress shirts are defined by having a collar, cuffs, and a full-length, button-fastened opening at the front.

Dress shirts can be divided into “button-ups” and “button-downs.” You can, in fact, button up the plackets of both of these types of shirts. The difference refers to the collar; on a button-up, the collar is unadorned and unattached to the shirt, whereas on the button-down, the ends of the collar include a single button that can be fastened to the front of the shirt.

The Oxford shirt is a type of button-down that is made with Oxford cloth. Woven with a basket-weave pattern, Oxford cloth has a unique look and feel and is coarser and heavier than the thinner, smoother, shinier fabric used to make more formal dress shirts. The Oxford-cloth button-down shirt is also distinguished by its soft, unlined collar and cuffs and typically sports a chest pocket.

How to Choose an Oxford

Fabric. While some Oxford shirts are made with poly/cotton blends these days, a classic OCBD is 100% cotton, and a pure cotton Oxford will look, feel, and breathe better. 

100% cotton Oxfords will sometimes need to be ironed, but the thick fabric doesn’t excessively wrinkle, and the shirt doesn’t need too much pressing; a little rumpledness is part of its DNA. You might be able to get away with just tumbling it in the dryer (though hanging it to dry is preferred) and removing it promptly, and if you’re going for a particularly insouciant look, then don’t iron it at all.

There are “non-iron” 100% cotton Oxfords that are soaked in formaldehyde during manufacture, a process which permanently alters the fabric, making it wrinkle-resistant. These shirts will be easier to care for, but the non-iron finish makes the fabric less soft, breathable, and durable.

Color. The most classic colors of the OCBD are white and light blue, and they also often come in pastel hues. Start your collection with white and blue, and then branch out from there by getting, say, a pink one (yes, you can pull off pink). 

Length. Oxford shirts can be worn tucked or untucked, and if you’re planning on doing both, make sure the shirt is long enough to stay tucked in, but not so long that it’ll look sloppy when untucked.

Fit. Oxfords come in both regular and slim fit varieties, and which you prefer is up to you. Regardless, an OCBD shouldn’t feel restrictive and should be roomier than a formal dress shirt. A button-up shirt is designed to be worn under things (like a suit jacket); a button-down may be worn under other garments but is also designed to stand on its own. 

How to Wear

Button-down shirts are more casual than button-ups, and the thicker, rougher fabric of an Oxford makes it particularly casual. Yet by nature of its structured, dress-shirt style, it’s still a versatile piece of clothing that can be worn in classier settings and dressed up or down. 

Note: There aren’t hard lines between these dress code categories, e.g., an Oxford with more tailored chinos and dressier shoes can be business casual; swap the nicer chinos and shoes for more laid-back khakis and chukkas, and it’s smart casual; swap the chukkas for athletic sneakers, and it’s plain casual. When it comes to styling something very basic like the OCBD, little differences in what you pair it with it and how you accessorize it will make an outfit more or less appropriate for a particular setting.

Business Casual

Style traditionalists would advise against wearing an Oxford button-down shirt with a suit, as the shirt’s casualness clashes with the suit’s formality. However, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, and an OCBD can be worn with a suit if you desire, particularly if it’s of the less formal, less business-y variety (more texture, less structure).

But Oxfords are really best for all the style categories that sit below the semi-formal range. When it comes to occasions that call for something that’s a step down from that dress code but still polished and/or professional, Oxfords look great with chinos, a sports jacket or blazer, and more casual dress shoes like semi-brogue derbies, long-wing derbies, and suede bucks.  Or throw a sweater over your Oxford and pair with some trousers.

Go tie-less, or opt for a more casual textured tie. If you choose to wear a tie, because the gap between the points of the collar is smaller on an Oxford, use a smaller tie knot like the simple or four-in-hand rather than a bigger knot like the Windsor or half-Windsor.  

Smart Casual

Smart casual — sometimes called for for wedding rehearsal dinners, dates, and work conferences — can be a hard dress code to decipher. Going with an Oxford, some chinos, and leather boots/shoes or suede chukkas is a pretty fail-proof way to navigate it. Wearing your OCBD with nice jeans or corduroy pants would make the look a little more casual, but could work too. During the colder months, throw a sweater on top of your Oxford for a handsome and put-together get-up.

Oxfords are perfect for when you work at an office that’s pretty laid-back, but you want to look more put-together than your polo and t-shirt-wearing peers, and it transitions smoothly from the cubicle to an after-work dinner or hangout at a bar.

Casual

Oxford shirts are comfortable enough to be worn when you’re just banging around — when you’re not doing anything particularly special but don’t want to look like a slob, either.

Wear an OCBD untucked with casual jeans and sneakers, or even shorts and boat shoes (if you’re going for a preppy look), and you’re ready for a day of errands, hanging out at a friend’s house, or grabbing a quick bite to eat. An Oxford shirt can be thrown on over a t-shirt as well.

The more casual you’re getting, the more buttons you can unbutton (though you need not go so low as to show chest hair), and don’t forget to roll your sleeves up to add to your laid-back vibe. 

Oxford shirts look and feel even better as you break them in. So get one, or several, for your wardrobe, and start wearing the heck out of ’em!

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An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

When investing in a suit, you generally want one that’s going to look great and last long — a quality garment. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that cost is the best way of assessing this criteria, but price and quality are not always correlated. A suit might cost a lot because it comes with a famous or trendy label, and yet not actually be made all that well. Conversely, sometimes you can find a real steal on a suit that’s actually top-notch.

So how do you tell the difference?

Rather than just looking at the price tag, the authors of The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men’s Clothing recommend checking a suit for the 7 signs outlined above; at a glance, you’ll be able to know whether or not it’s a worthy addition to your wardrobe.

For more information on what some of the above terms mean and what to look for in buying a suit, check out these resources:

• Fused Vs. Canvas Suits
• A Primer on Suit Buttons
• How a Suit Should Fit

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

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Synthetic workout shirts were supposed to represent a great leap forward in performance wear.

Unlike cotton shirts, which soak up your sweat and become wet and heavy, synthetic fabrics, typically made of polyester, wick away moisture, keeping you cool and dry.

Unfortunately, this advantage comes with a significant downside: they can smell terrible. Terrible. This isn’t just anecdotal observation: sweaty synthetic shirts have been scientifically proven to smell worse than sweaty cotton ones. 

There’s something special about the way body odor mixes with polyester that makes for a particularly repugnant scent.

While polyester repels water, it attracts bodily oil and the smelliest kind of bacteria. And while this stinky grime doesn’t get pulled into the fibers of synthetic fabric, it winds up trapped between them, where it becomes stubbornly hard to remove. 

This is why your synthetic workout shirt can still smell even after you’ve put it through the wash. And why even if it doesn’t smell coming out of the dryer, it almost instantly starts to stink again when you begin your next workout. The bacteria was never fully washed away in the first place and got reactivated as soon as you started to sweat. This phenomenon is evocatively known as the “rebloom effect.”

Your regular wash routine isn’t sufficient to get the stubborn stink out of synthetic workout shirts. It requires a special HIIT-level effort.

If you prefer to wear synthetic shirts when you work out, but don’t want to knock over fellow members of your running club with your odor, here’s the field-tested cleaning method we recommend:

Buy a week’s worth of workout shirts. Washing your workout shirts requires a special, and especially aggressive, method that isn’t needed or desirable for your other clothes. So you’re going to be washing your workout shirts in their own dedicated wash. Given that you don’t want to do this special wash every few days, buy a week’s worth of workout shirts to batch this chore. This doesn’t have to be a pricey investment: all synthetic shirts pretty much function the same, so you don’t need to get a name brand; even Amazon Essentials’ shirts (2 for $18) work fine. Getting inexpensive shirts will also help you feel better about engaging in the aggressive wash method outlined below.

Keep your dirty shirts in their own ventilated hamper. Because moisture breeds bacteria, experts often recommend hanging up your dirty workout shirts after you take them off to give them a chance to dry out. But the average person is not going to hang up their sweaty workout tops. It still isn’t a good idea to crumple them up in a plastic hamper, though, where their moisture will molder, and their stink will get on your other clothes. So adopt a compromise position: put dirty shirts in a well-ventilated mesh hamper where they’ll at least get some air. Drape your most recently used ones over the outside edges of the hamper so they can get max airflow and dry out faster.

Turn your shirts inside out before washing. This will maximize contact between the shirts’ most soiled areas and the water and detergent.

Use the washer’s heavy-duty hot-water cycle. The manufacturers of workout clothes recommend washing their garments in cool water and drying them on low heat in order to preserve their structural integrity. They warn that hot washing/drying can damage their shirts — causing them to shrink, stretch, or lose their shape. So if you wear expensive, premium workout gear, you may want to heed this warning and treat your shirts delicately.

However, we’ve found that even when using a special detergent designed for workout clothes, a cool cycle just isn’t as effective for stink-removal as a hot one, and a hot wash/dry doesn’t seem to do much damage to synthetic shirts. They still last for years and years. Plus, if you’re already wearing the bargain kind, you may not care if their longevity is slightly diminished. 

Set the washer to the hot heavy-duty cycle + presoak + extra rinse.

Don’t overdo the detergent. You might think that using extra soap will make the wash extra effective at removing grime. But using too much detergent will actually backfire, as it creates residue that traps more of the odor-causing bacteria in your shirts. With doing laundry generally, you can often use 30-50% less detergent than the detergent manufacturer calls for and still have your clothes come out clean. So when you’re washing your workout shirts, rather than using more detergent than the bottle suggests, use a little less.

There are special detergents made for washing workout clothes, but we’ve found that a standard detergent works fine, as long as you pair it with the next step:

Presoak the shirts with OxiClean. OxiClean is the secret sauce in getting the stink out of workout shirts. Depending on load size and level of shirt-stink, add a half to full scoop and let soak for four hours. You can soak longer, but then the hot water will cool before the wash cycle starts; you want to strike a balance between soak time and maintaining water temp.

As mentioned above, use the extra rinse function on your washer with this wash to better eliminate residual grime, detergent, and OxiClean.

Dry on high heat. Again, the manufacturers of synthetic workout shirts don’t recommend this. But while a hot dry cycle may or may not get hot enough to kill bacteria outright (it depends on the particular dryer), it will ensure your shirts get thoroughly dry and don’t retain residual, bacteria-breeding moisture. And we haven’t noticed any damage in drying workout shirts this way. But if you’ve got nice shirts you’re worried about, dry them on low heat or air dry.

Don’t use dryer sheets. Dryer sheets work by depositing a softening, static-reducing chemical compound on your clothes. This coating not only reduces the moisture-wicking ability of synthetic shirts but also traps odor-causing bacteria in the fabric. 

Instead of using dryer sheets, we use these wool balls in all our loads. They don’t reduce static to the same degree as dryer sheets, but their natural nature, reusability, and workout-shirt-compatibility are a plus.

Whew, just considering all these steps feels like a workout in itself. You might want to make peace with those soggy cotton tees, after all. 

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Way back in 2010, I bought a vintage wool mackinaw cruiser on eBay. 

Boy, was it a handsome jacket. 

I got a great winter season of wear out of it. 

When spring arrived, I put my mackinaw in the coat closet and forgot about it. 

When we had our first cold snap the subsequent fall, I opened the closet door and took my mackinaw off the hanger, only to notice several holes scattered throughout the coat. 

A pack of wool-eating moths had savaged my poor jacket.

If you want to prevent your clothing from facing a similar fate, read on for some clothes-saving tips.

Clothing Moths: Know Your Enemy

If you see moths flying around your house, they’re probably not the kind of moths that eat clothes. 

The two species of moths that eat clothing material are case-bearing (or casemaking) clothes moths and common (or webbing) clothes moths. They’re tiny (about 1 cm) and like to stay in the dark, which is why you probably won’t see them eating your clothes. 

Both moths prefer snacking on clothes made from materials that originate from animals: wool, leather, feathers, and fur. You know — the kind of materials that make up your nicer, more expensive clothes like cashmere sweaters . . . and mackinaw cruisers.  

Clothing moths are snooty; they generally avoid plant-based fabrics like cotton and steer clear of synthetic fabrics. Only the best, protein-rich fibers for these babies.

Clothing moths damage your clothing when they’re still tiny larvae. The larvae munch on your clothes like caterpillars on cabbage leaves. All that delicious animal material prepares them to metamorphosize into mature winged moths. If you do get a chance to see a small, winged clothing moth flying in your closet, it’s probably already eaten its way through your clothing.

Besides clothing moths, another potential clothes-destroying insect to be aware of is the carpet beetle. They’re bigger and easier to see, and you can often kill carpet beetles before they start chewing through your clothes. Like clothing moths, carpet beetles like to eat clothes made from animal products. 

How to Protect Clothing from Moths

Clean clothes before you put them away (both daily and for the season). The heat from the hot water cycle on your washer and a tumble in the dryer will kill moths in your clothes. But most clothes that are susceptible to moths (sweaters, suits) are more delicate in nature and shouldn’t be given the washer/dryer treatment. Instead, when you take these garments off for the day, spot clean them to remove any hair or food particles, as these things will attract moths. Give your suit a brushing before you hang it back up; this will remove the aforementioned debris, as well as skin cells and pet dander, which moths also like. A good brushing will help your suit last longer anyway.

When your delicate, moth-vulnerable clothes become more soiled, get them dry-cleaned; dry-cleaning will kill any eggs or larvae embedded in them.

Be sure to also dry-clean your garments before putting them away for the season. This will keep your clothes from smelling musty when you take them out of storage, but more importantly, dry-cleaning will kill any moths lurking in your clothing. 

Store clothing when not in use. Your best bet in protecting your clothes from moth damage is to store them in airtight plastic bags and tubs when you’re not using them for the season. 

This was my fatal mistake with my mackinaw. I just hung it up in a dark, musty closet — the kind of environment in which clothing moths thrive. 

For coats and suits you wear in the colder months, store them away in garment bags once winter is over. Make sure to duct tape off the hole at the top of the bag that the hanger goes through. Clothing moths will take advantage of any crevice to get to your tasty, tasty garments.

Compression bags are great for storing winter sweaters. They keep moths away from your clothes and save space. 

Use cedar and lavender if you wish, but not exclusively. One common tactic to repel moths is using cedar (in the form of hanger blocks, balls, and chests) and lavender (in the form of flower buds tied up in a sachet). Cedar has natural oils that kill clothing moth larvae, but don’t work against eggs or adults. Lavender doesn’t kill eggs or larvae, but the scent does seem to repel adult clothing moths. 

The effect of cedar and lavender fades with time. You must keep replenishing your drawers with new cedar balls or lavender bags. 

Given their lack of full, egg-to-adult efficiency and their expiring nature, experts don’t recommend relying solely on cedar and lavender to prevent moth damage. 

By all means, hang a lavender bag or cedar block in your closet (they smell nice, if nothing else), but make sure to keep your wool clothing in appropriate containers for long-term storage. 

What About Mothballs? 

When you think about protecting your clothes from moths, you probably think of mothballs. Your grandparents may have used mothballs, and when you catch a whiff of them today, the smell instantly transports you back to their house.

Back in the day, synthetic clothes (and carpets) hadn’t made their debut yet, so folks had more woolen items for moths to lodge in and feed on. So moths were a bigger issue for our grandparents than they are for us, and to protect their clothes, they reached for an effective, if odoriferous, solution: mothballs. 

While mothballs are still around today, they’re not an ideal strategy for dealing with moths.

Mothballs work by releasing a gas that kills moths in all their developmental stages. You put some in with clothes inside a sealed container, and the balls fumigate that container and the clothes within it. 

When you use mothballs, you shouldn’t be too exposed to their fumes because they’re released inside a sealed container, and when you go to remove your clothes from it, you should do so in a well-ventilated area, let the clothes air out for a few days, and then wash them before wearing. But even though you can minimize your exposure and there are newer formulations of the product that are less smelly, mothballs are still a chemical pesticide associated with ill health effects. 

So only consider using mothballs if you have a severe clothing moth infestation and nothing else has worked to keep your clothes from getting munched on. They also work against carpet beetles. 

What to Do If You Have a Clothing Moth Infestation

Storing and cleaning your clothes regularly will go a long way in preventing moth damage. 

If you do find clothing moths have hit your wardrobe, you’ll need to do some clean-up to prevent further damage:

Throw away clothing that’s been significantly damaged. First, you can’t use that clothing anymore because moths have chewed a bunch of holes in it. Second, that garment likely has clothing moth eggs that will hatch into clothing moth larvae that will eat the rest of the clothing in your closet. To prevent that, throw away your damaged clothing. 

Launder and dry-clean the clothes you keep. We’re trying to kill any lingering eggs and larvae to prevent further damage. 

Thoroughly vacuum closet. Again, we’re trying to eliminate moths in any state that will be the source of more damage. 

Use mothballs as a last resort. The above should do the trick in cleaning up a clothing moth infestation, but if it doesn’t, bust out the mothballs. Continue keeping your clothes and closet clean.

The above also works for carpet beetles. 

There you go. How to protect your clothing from moths. 

Vintage mackinaw cruiser that I bought on eBay . . . your death was not in vain! The sacrifice of your handsome garment life will help save another’s. Rest in peace, my friend. 

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If we’re going to be harkening back to the 1970s in terms of economic inflation, we might as well harken back to that decade for something much groovier: corduroy.

While corduroy clothes came to prominence during the age of gas shortages and boogie nights, they’ve never entirely gone out of style (though baggy 90’s-era corduroy pants — with enough roominess for proper hacky sacking — did their best to kill ’em off). Corduroy is classic. It’s soft — it actually derives from the same fabric as velvet. It’s warm and cozy — perfect for colder months. It’s durable — and stain-resistant too. Plus it sports a pleasing, tactile texture that not only feels great to touch but stands out (and not just because of the swooshing sound it can make when you walk).  

The uniqueness of corduroy does give men some hesitation in how to incorporate it into their wardrobe. You yourself may have wondered: “How do I wear this ribbed fabric stylishly, and what do I wear it with?”

Below, we’ll provide you with some pointers.

A Few General Guidelines on Wearing Corduroy

Corduroy is casual. Depending on its cut and style, the formality of corduroy pants is about on par with jeans and khakis. And while corduroy garments of all kinds can be dressed up or down a little, their dressiness tops out around the “smart-casual” level. It’s a fabric with laid-back vibes.

Thinner-wale=more formal / wider-wale=more casual. The cords of corduroy — its vertically-running ribs/ridges — are called wales. Each piece of corduroy fabric has a “wale count,” which represents its number of wales per inch. Thicker wales mean a lower wale count; thinner wales mean a higher wale count. A garment with a lower wale count (wider ribs) is more casual; a garment with a higher wale count (thinner ribs) is more formal (relatively speaking).

Thinner, finer wale (called pincord, pinwale, or needlecord) is often found on upper-body garments (shirts, blazers), with thicker wale being more common in pants. The exception to this rule is corduroy outerwear, which typically has a low wale count.

Don’t overdo it on the patterns/textures you pair with corduroy. Corduroy has a lot of texture and personality, so when you don a garment made of this fabric, allow it to be the star of your sartorial show. As a general (not iron-clad) rule, you don’t want to make your get-up too busy by pairing a corduroy piece with other boldly patterned/textured pieces. So, if you’re wearing corduroy pants, pair them with a smoother-knit sweater rather a chunky, ribbed one. Or if you’re wearing a corduroy blazer, layer it over it a solid-colored button-down rather than a loud plaid.

Also, unless you’re rocking a corduroy suit (and awesome for you if you are), you only want to wear one corduroy piece at a time.

How to Wear Corduroy

There are a lot of garments made with corduroy, including suits, outerwear jackets, and hats. Below we’ll offer some tips on wearing its most basic and common iterations: sports jackets, pants, and shirts.

How to Wear a Corduroy Sports Jacket/Blazer 

The corduroy sports jacket (often referred to as a blazer though it’s technically not one) may be associated with academic types, but, spiffy without being stuffy, it’s a good-looking piece regardless of your profession.

A corduroy sports jacket is a nice pick for when you want to look a little dressed up but still laid-back. Don one if you work in a more casual, but not jeans-and-t-shirt casual, workplace (like if you’re a teacher or a librarian — natch!) or to an event that feels special, but isn’t formal, like going out to dinner with your lady.

You’ll most often find corduroy sports jackets in various shades of brown, and the versatility of this color makes it a good option for adding to your wardrobe. You can also find jackets in green, burgundy, and navy, and those can certainly work if your budget and taste allow for purchasing a piece that will get less use and make you stand out more. 

Paul Newman demonstrates how, when styled differently, the look of a corduroy sports jacket can range from “eager professor” to “unassailable cool dude.”

On your bottom half, pair a corduroy sports jacket with jeans, chinos, or trousers, along with chukkas, leather boots, or dress shoes on the more casual end of the formality spectrum. Layer over a solid-color (it’s hard to go wrong with white) button-down, or a thin solid-color sweater or turtleneck (give the turtleneck a chance!). If you’re wearing a button-down, consider adding a more casual tie; in an exception to the rule of not pairing textured accessories with textured corduroy, a knit tie works well here. 

If the elbows wear out on your jacket, you can sew on some patches for the full professorial look.

How to Wear Corduroy Pants

Corduroy pants are more comfortable than jeans, and more interesting than chinos.

They come in a spectrum of colors, with brown, gray, green, and navy being the most common, and are available in a more trouser-like style, as well as the five-pocket variety; the former is a little dressier, and the latter is essentially interchangeable with jeans. But while corduroy sports jackets, with their thinner ribs, can be dressed up and down a bit more, corduroy pants, with their thicker ribs, establish a base that’s more immovably rooted in casualness.

To avoid the dated, baggy wide-leg look of the 90s era, choose corduroy pants with a slimmer, straighter cut. The pants should have little to no “break”; the bottom of the leg should hit the top of your shoes without the fabric folding/creasing over them.

Corduroy pants pair well with crewneck sweaters, henleys, solid-colored tees, turtlenecks, and casual button-down shirts. Couple a simple plaid with pants that complement one of its colors. A chambray shirt with brown corduroy pants also makes for an easy, winning combination. In the footwear department, reach for boots, chukkas, and leather or canvas sneakers. 

How to Wear Corduroy Shirts

Corduroy shirts are warm, comfortable, rugged, handsome, and stupid simple to wear.

Those made with a fine pinwale are more appropriate for wearing alone; those made with a thick cord are more appropriate for layering over another shirt. But both can do double-duty as either a stand-alone piece or an overshirt/shirt jacket. The latter option is perfect for fall when the weather is chilly, but not so cold you need to wear a full-on coat. Just layer your corduroy shirt over a henley or solid-color tee (white is classic), pair with jeans or chinos and some canvas sneakers or leather boots, and you’re good to go.

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With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in June 2017.

The polo shirt is a true men’s style staple.

Yet despite its ubiquity in the male wardrobe, it’s not a garment that typically comes in for much affection or enthusiasm.

Perhaps this is because of the negative associations with which the polo shirt is laden. It is often thought of in terms of a uniform — either literally, as in the required get-up of a pizza delivery man or elementary school student, or metaphorically, as the go-to garb for corporate drones and preppy fraternity brothers. The polo is further seen as the default of the sartorially lazy — something a guy dons when an event requires a shirt with a collar, and he can’t be bothered to even button up an Oxford.

Yet the polo deserves a little more love than it typically gets. Falling between a t-shirt and a dress shirt, it’s the perfect garment for the many events in life that aren’t at all formal, but aren’t outright casual either. It’s a great shirt for summertime first dates, backyard BBQs, and when you’re not sure exactly where the plans for your day or evening will take you.

Even in terms of casual everyday wear, the cool, breathable polo shirt is just as easy and comfortable as a tee, but looks a notch more put together, so that swapping the former for the latter is a zero-effort way to upgrade your summer style.

And far from being blandly uniform, or only worn by one type of man, polos have been popular with widely varied groups, from Nantucket yachtsmen to West Coast skaters; there are different types of polos for different occasions, and they can be worn and styled in many different ways.

In other words, contrary to popular opinion, the polo shirt is quite versatile and can be sartorially interesting. Truly, the polo shirt is clutch.

Today we’ll take a look at how to elevate it beyond the realm of casual Fridays and suburban dad-dom — how to wear a polo with style.

A Brief History of the Polo Shirt

Despite the name by which it is now known, the polo shirt did not emerge from the “sport of kings” but from the game of tennis.

In its early days, tennis had a touch of aristocratic flare and was played in a get-up known as “tennis whites” — flannel trousers, a dress shirt (with sleeves rolled up), and even a tie. Thick, heavy, hot, and cumbersome, these garments obviously didn’t lend themselves well to playing an active, outdoor sport.

Seven-time Grand Slam winner René Lacoste decided to do something about this issue, creating his own ideal tennis shirt. Made of a comfortable, breathable “jersey petit piqué” cotton, the white short-sleeved shirt eschewed buttons all the way down for a placket of three up top, and included a soft, unstarched collar that was still stiff enough to flip up to protect his neck from the sun. The flexible, lightweight shirt also had a longer tail in the back to keep it tucked into René’s trousers.

Lacoste debuted the shirt at the 1926 U.S. Open — which he won in both comfort and style. The following year, Lacoste, who was nicknamed “the Crocodile,” adhered the now famous reptilian logo to the breast of the shirt. And in 1933, the retired player began to manufacture his garment for the masses.

The “tennis shirt” caught on with other kinds of sportsmen, particularly polo players. These athletes had developed their own “polo shirt” — the Oxford button-down (the buttons on the collar were designed to keep it from flapping in your face as you galloped about the field) — decades prior. But Lacoste’s short-sleeve garment proved even more suitable to the game, and was so widely adopted that even tennis players began to refer to it as a “polo shirt.”

The popularity of the polo was given a big boost when President Eisenhower was seeing wearing one. Golf courses began changing their dress codes to allow for polos on the course.

In the 1950s, Lacoste began to offer the shirt, formerly only available in white, in a wider range of colors and brought the polo to America. It soon won widespread adoption by discerning sportsmen, particularly golfers, and then moved into the realm of everyday casual wear. The 50s also saw the rise of a competitor to Lacoste; fellow tennis champion Fred Perry introduced polos that had his soon-to-be iconic laurel wreath logo stitched instead of ironed on, and were adopted by English scooter-riding mods.

An even fiercer competitor to Lacoste’s polo dominance emerged in the 1970s. Designer Ralph Lauren named his line of WASP-y casual wear “Polo,” and a central piece of this collection consisted of, appropriately enough, polo shirts. As Lacoste and Lauren battled it out for dominance, the polo gained even more popularity, and became associated with the “preppy” look of the 1980s.

The polo shirt began to lose some of its cache in the 1990s, as it became the go-to get-up for casual Fridays, and corporations made it the actual uniform for workers ranging from customer service reps to waiters.

Still, the polo has maintained its staying power, and continues to be worn by everyone from U.S. presidents on the golf course to rap moguls on stage.

It should continue to be a mainstay in your everyday wardrobe too, as long as you wear it with style.

How to Wear a Polo Shirt With Style

Fabric

There aren’t too many technical details to know about the polo shirt, but it’s helpful to have an understanding of the kinds of fabrics it comes in, particularly its two main types.

Polos are available in a variety of materials from natural to synthetic. The latter often make up the performance blends used in polos specifically designed for athletic wear. Silk and silk blends are an option, but are not recommended, as they show your sweat easily, lose their color as they become wet, and just look rather cheesy. Polyester, or cotton/poly blends extend the life of the shirt, but are less breathable, more stinky, and cheaper looking.

Wool and wool blends are often used in “retro” style polos, and make for shirts that look a little more formal and can be worn into chillier months.

Given that polos are most commonly a warm weather staple, 100% cotton — with its cool, comfortable, breathable properties — is the most typical and most recommended fabric for these shirts. Cotton polos come in two main kinds:

Pique. The original polo fabric, pique is knitted in a woven pattern that lends the material a textured surface. The fabric has some heft and heaviness, but the holes in the weave keep it breathable, and it resists showing your sweat. The sleeves typically terminate in a ribbed band/cuff. With a little more substance and structure, the pique polo is a bit more formal and professional.

Jersey. A jersey polo is made from the same kind of fabric used in t-shirts, and has the same flat, smooth, soft, stretchy feel. The sleeves of a jersey polo tend to end in a simple hem, rather than a distinct band. Lighter in weight, the jersey polo is cool but will show your sweat more, and is less durable. Its lightness and relaxed drape also give it a more casual vibe.

Pique and jersey polos each have their own look and feel; overall, I reach for the jersey kind for comfort, and pique when I’m doing something a notch up in formality.

Fit

When it comes to wearing a polo shirt with style, the most important thing, as it is with all garments, is to really nail the fit. Here are two criteria to check:

• Length: The bottom hem should not hit farther than halfway down your pants fly/back pockets — no higher than the hip and no lower than a few inches below your waistband/belt; the shirt should be long enough that you can tuck it in and short enough you can wear it untucked without it looking like a nightgown.
• Sleeves: Should hit about midway down your bicep, and run no longer than 2/3 down your upper arm.

Overall the shirt should sit close to your body — fitted but not too tight. It can be a little tighter in your chest and arms, and then taper down to your waist.

The better shape you’re in, the closer-fitting the polo can be, but you don’t want it skin tight. You should still be able to stick a couple fingers under the sleeves.

Polo Shirt Dos and Don’ts

Don’t

Wear an undershirt. A polo is meant to be worn as a base or single layer close to the body, and an undershirt adds excess bulkiness underneath it, and can peep out of the neckline/collar. If you do wear an undershirt, choose one with a neckline that won’t be visible.

Layer polos upon polos. One polo at a time, please.

Pop the collar. This trend has fortunately receded, but in case you were tempted, don’t. It still reads as douchey. If you need to pop the collar in a short-term circumstance to protect your neck from the sun, feel free.

Choose a shirt with a pocket, unless secured. A pocket on the breast of a polo can add a bit of visual interest, but it rarely if ever gets used, and tends to simply sag and become misshapen, detracting from the shirt’s sharpness. So eschew pockets generally, the exception being ones that have flaps and are secured with a button to stay closed.

Wear a shirt with a large logo. While we typically advise staying away from corporate logos on clothing altogether, a logo on the breast of polos has been one of its signature marks from the very beginning, making them quite typical and more tolerable. If you can find one without a logo, great; otherwise aim for those with logos that are tasteful and minimal in size, rather than large and garish.

Wear a long-sleeved polo. There are such things as long-sleeved polos, and while it may be possible for them to look really good, I’ve never seen ones that do. The polo’s heritage is that of a short-sleeved garment for warm weather and active pursuits; to then extend the sleeves runs contrary to its style DNA and looks funny, much like the ill-advised short-sleeve dress shirt.

Wear an athletic polo for casualwear. Polos designed for sports like golf or tennis are made from synthetic performance materials and cut for ease of movement. They’re great for the course or the courts, but shouldn’t be worn outside of them.

Do

Button at least one of the buttons. Having all the buttons undone looks floppy and sloppy. One is usually good. Having all of them buttoned-up changes the look of the shirt considerably, and is ironically a little more of an “anti-establishment” look, if that’s what you’re going for.

Feel free to tuck or untuck, depending on the occasion. A polo shirt can go either way. Tucking, of course, gives you a more formal look, while untucking is more casual. If your shirt’s longer in the back than the front, then it was definitely designed to be tucked.

Have a core collection of solid, basic colors like blue, black, and white. You can’t go wrong with having a few polos in these classic shades. Polos with stripes or contrasting colors on the sleeve bands/collar aren’t always a bad choice but do read as more casual, trendy, and young.

Expand into brighter and more interesting colors. You ought to have something a little different too, like pinks, purples, reds, and greens.

My two favorite polo brands: Flint and Tinder (left) and Criquet (right). Both have a great, handsome fit and are made with quality fabric. 

Expect to pay $50+ for a good polo. Polos can so easily look schlumpy and dumpy that it’s worth paying extra — typically upwards of $50 — for those that fit well and evince quality. Of course, sometimes a big price tag is only the result of marketing, rather than quality, so make sure you’re paying for a durable, top-notch garment, rather than a brand name.

Dressing Up the Polo By Degrees

The polo shirt is quite versatile and can easily be worn from the beach to a classy day at the races. It’s all in how you dress it up or down. Let’s start at the most casual level, and work our way up to greater formality by degrees.

The polo is a little classier than a t-shirt, and can be worn in pretty much any scenario you’d wear a tee for a more put-together look. For the most casual get-up, pair your untucked polo with khaki flat front shorts, canvas sneakers, a field watch, and a pair of aviator shades.

To up the sharpness a bit, swap the shorts for dark denim or chinos (it’s best to choose another color beside khaki to get away from the corporate/school uniform look). Wearing chukkas, boat shoes, or Chelsea boots rather than sneakers will up this look another notch.

To go up another level of formality, swap a cotton polo for a retro-styled wool knit one. These sweater shirts often come with contrasting colors on the collar/arm bands, as well as a banded bottom (don’t wear them with low-rise pants, lest your top turn into a midriff). It’s not a look for every guy, but can be handsome on some.

To move up the formality ladder another rung, keep the polo but swap the chinos/jeans for actual trousers. Tuck your shirt in for greater professionalism, and pair with a nice belt and leather loafers. You generally want to stick with a solid colored shirt rather than one that’s patterned or striped. I confess I’m not crazy about this look; the casualness of the polo on top conflicts with the formality of the trousers on the bottom. But it certainly seems to be the go-to casual Friday get-up for lawyers and other professionals around here.

To dress the polo up further, it can be paired with a sports jacket and either nice jeans, chinos, or trousers. Sartorial purists poo-poo this look, asserting that the polo is too casual to be worn with a jacket, and that a sports coat will always look better with a dress shirt underneath. But I actually find the polo+jacket combination less jarring than polo+trousers, perhaps because the sports jacket, just like the polo, was originally designed for sporting pursuits. And while it’s true that a dress shirt will almost invariably look better, on a very hot day, the short sleeve polo will feel cooler and more comfortable than a long-sleeve button-down.

If you’re going to go for this look, keep these tips in mind:

• The soft collar of a polo can rumple and collapse behind the collar of your jacket, so make sure you keep it upright and straight with its points inside the jacket’s lapels; collar stays can help with this (Criquet’s shirts come with them).
• Only pair a polo with a soft, relaxed, unstructured jacket, ideally in a natural fabric like cotton or linen. Structured wool jackets will jar too much with the polo’s casualness.
• Wear a polo with a solid color or subtle pattern; stripes or loud patterns are too casual and busy to be paired with a jacket.
• A polo with a longer placket/more buttons (up to 4) looks especially nice under a jacket, as it harkens more to the dress shirt.

Even if you follow these tips, the sports coat+polo look is hard to do well, so if you’re not sartorially confident, just stay clear and stick with dress shirts under your jackets.

To formalize the polo to a greater degree would mean wearing it with a full-on suit, which is even more difficult to pull off than pairing with a sport coat, and should only be attempted, if at all, by the most sartorially daring and confident (rather than the lazy and confused).

Dressed up or dressed down, the polo is a men’s wardrobe staple. But as you’ve hopefully seen, basic doesn’t have to mean bland.

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