So far, it has become clear that polo shirts have a rich and diverse history which leads to multiple fabrics, styles, and uses. All the diversity and popularity has led many brands to adopt the polo shirt as a staple in their collections. Each polo shirt belonging to a different brand has something unique about it, whether it is the appearance, logo, or color scheme.
It comes as no surprise that the most popular brand of polo shirts in the United States is Ralph Lauren. Polo Ralph Lauren reintroduced the polo shirt to the public in the 1970s as a shirt to wear for every occasion. The polo shirt was no longer reserved solely for sport, but for everyday events such as work, school, and church. Ralph Lauren capitalized on connecting polo with polo shirts by creating its iconic label. Clearly placed on every polo shirt is a polo player on horseback with his mallet high in the air. Because of the large logo, Ralph Lauren differentiated its polo shirts from other manufacturers and gained a reputation as the classic polo shirt.
Another unique logo comes from the original creator of the polo shirt. Lacoste places a crocodile on its polo shirt after the nickname of its creator and founder, tennis player René Lacoste. Lacoste polo shirts are famous for their simplicity. Often, Lacoste polo shirts will be a plain, usually bright, color with the crocodile logo placed on the upper right corner. Although Lacoste is popular in the United States, it is even more popular in Europe and its native country, France.
Both Lacoste and Ralph Lauren are credited with introducing the polo shirt and facilitating its growth around the world. Since its inception, the popularity of the polo shirt has caused other brands to have it as a main part of their fashion lines. Express is one company which has utilized the polo shirt and adapted it to their brand. Express is a company which sells upscale clothing and was started by Limited Brands in 1980. The polo shirt is one of their staples for men’s clothing, with their logo being a lion. Express’ polo shirts are a cross between Lacoste and Ralph Lauren because of their simplicity and design. Express polo shirts are usually slim fitting and suited for young adults.
Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, and Express generally make polo shirts out of piqué, cotton, and polyester. To find poly performance polo shirts, you should turn to athletic brands such as Nike, Sport-Tek, or Adidas. Each athletic brand has its own type of poly performance fabric, leading each brand to claim authenticity. Nike has a line of Dri-FIT polo shirts while Sport-Tek has a line of Micro-Mesh polo shirts. When it comes down to it, each athletic brand offers something unique to their poly performance polo shirts.
Although it is true that polo shirts can be found in almost every clothing store, each brand offers something unique. At first glance, many people think most polo shirts are the same. However, there are many different types of polo shirts, with the brand officially differentiating each one. Overall, the rich and diverse history of the polo shirts leads to the many different brands sharing the market.