Get in on a timeless trend with cheap mens polo shirts
January 9, 2020The polo shirt has never gone out of style so take a look at its fashion evolution, then get yourself some cheap mens polo shirts to liven up your outfits today.
Cheap mens polo shirts are the perfect way to get in on a timeless style trend that never went away. And instead of dropping a ton of money on a designer-brand polo shirt, look at all the lower cost options available to you today and enjoy the benefits of this classic style without going broke doing it.
Then take this classic style and spin it with a few tweaks and twists for a modern, personalized look that elevates your polo shirt outfit to the next level. There are endless ways to reinvent how you wear the polo shirt, so start with this perfect basic and then amplify!
Rene Lacoste-1922
Evolution of the polo shirt
Yes, the polo shirt evolved exactly as you would expect: to be worn at polo matches. Read on to see how the polo shirt has evolved over fashion decades, from a utility garment worn on polo fields to a timeless classic style that goes with everything and can be worn everywhere.
- Eastern origins: The game of polo originated in India in the 19thcentury and was adopted by and is still a very popular sport with the British. At the time, the polo shirt was a long sleeve uniform made out of cotton with a collar that flapped during the game, so players secured them in place with buttons, giving rise to the classic style of the button-down polo shirt.
Brookes Bros store at 670 Broadway Manhattan, New York City,
- Classic style in America: When John Brooks of the renowned Brooks Brother empire, saw the button-down polo shirt at a polo match in England, he added button-down collars to all Brooks Brother dress shirts and promoted his own version of the button-down polo shirt in America.
- Polo shirt logo origins: Polo star Lewis Lacey from Argentina came up with the idea of a polo player on a pony logo which he affixed onto every polo shirt sold at his sports shop in Buenos Aires.
In 1933, the tennis star Jean Rene Lacoste, modified his tennis uniform with a short sleeved style that he then embellished with a crocodile logo on the chest and voila! The Lacoste polo shirt logo was born.
Rene Lacoste in his polo shirt, 1926.
Izod
Jean Rene Lacoste entered into a partnership with Izod in 1951 and the polo shirt styled with a Lacoste logo flooded the American market.
English tennis player Pat Hughes and Fred Perry at White City in Sydney Australia, 1934
Across the pond in London, England, the British tennis star Fred Perry made his own version of the polo shirt logo inspired by the Wimbledon symbol. The Fred Perry logo was soon seen on the polo shirt worn by preppies everywhere, on and off the tennis court and polo field.
Team Cartier vs Ralph Lauren
Mass appeal
- Global adoption of the polo shirt: Ralph Lauren made the polo shirt a global style statement with the launch of his Polo Ralph Lauren label in the 1960s. A few years after this inaugural label launch, he added a polo rider logo to his polo shirt and very soon, the polo shirt became a symbol of wealth, refinement and the American Dream.
- Rap influence on cheap mens polo shirts: In the 1980s and 1990s, rap icons and rap culture took over the polo shirt and used it to disrupt the elitist image of this garment and make it accessible to everyone.
Knock off versions of designer brands became the cheap mens polo shirts that were adopted by rappers and wannabe rappers everywhere, from music arenas to street corners.
- The polo shirt as preppy wear: In the early 2000s, the pastel-coloured polo shirt became a fashion uniform staple for preppies of both genders, worn by guys with khaki chinos and by girls with plaid skirts and pearls.
- The polo shirt designer-wear style: Then there was the amplified version of the polo shirt ala designers like Marc Jacobs, who reinvented the polo shirt in Lurex-threaded Argyle and embellished it with gold chain necklaces before sending it down his runways.
Rihanna at Fenty x Puma fashion show in 2016
Rihanna has her own elevated version of the polo shirt under her Fenty X Puma collection, a cropped version worn with baggy pants.
Marni rolled out its version of the polo shirt in an oversized print interpretation, while Maison Margiela sent a spin of the polo shirt as a dress embellished with feathers down its fashion runways.
Now that you’ve seen all the ways the classic style of the polo shirt has evolved through past fashion decades, read on for the best places to source yourself cheap mens polo shirts.
Polo match
Best places to buy cheap mens polo shirts
When looking for cheap mens polo shirts, start your hunting online for the largest selection of style options at the widest variety of price points. Check out these top virtual online market places for cheap mens polo shirts in all kinds of fabrications, colours, fits and prices.
- A great place to start the almighty Polo Shirt hunt is at Blue17. With their low prices (starting as low as £15.00 – including VAT!) and endless selection, it’s very likely that you’ll find exactly what you need at your very first stop!
- For another great place to find a huge selection of style choice at all kinds of prices, check out cheap mens polo shirtsat Amazon. Find items like a basic cotton pique polo shirt in both long sleeve and short sleeve styles and a variety of colours, a marked-down Izod designer polo shirt or an unbranded classic style polo shirt to suit your budget.
lacoste Tennis shirt
Amazon
Amazon offers added shopping perks under certain conditions such as free shipping and same day delivery so definitely worth a virtual visit.
- Amazon’s competitor gives you another great way to find cheap mens polo shirts in the classic style, colour and price that you want.
Check out everything Walmart has to offer on their online shopping site. Get free pickup in store, and a budget-minded polo shirt to suit every taste and a polo shirt for everyone in your family from men to women and kids.
90s Multicolored Striped Cotton Polo Shirt
Old Navy
- Shop Old Navy to find a cool collection of cheap mens polo shirts. They offer a variety of polo shirt styles, colours and sizes to dress up your casual and weekend wardrobe, so check them out.
Joe Fresh
- Another cool place to find cheap mens polo shirts is at Joe Fresh. Stylish and affordable, you can find a classic style polo shirt here with minimum bells and whistles, perfect for going with everything in your closet from your favourite jeans to your dress pants.
Joe Fresh offers value like free shipping, discounts on bulk purchases and good quality at a low price.
Lacoste Bright Blue Polo Shirt
Lululemon
- Not just for athletic wear, Lululemon gives you plenty of cheap mens polo shirts selections of good quality fabrication and make, including wrinkle-free options.
They also offer free shipping and free returns under certain conditions, so check out this popular technical gear shopping site for clothes you can wear in or outside the gym.
These are just some of the virtual marketplaces online where you can source cheap mens polo shirts.
Alternative shopping options include a visit to your local thrift stores, where you are sure to find a huge selection of cheap mens polo shirts in a range of colours, sizes and styles, and at prices that cannot be beat.
You can also find authentic vintage cheap mens polo shirts at thrift stores, if you are looking for a throwback classic style to mash up with your current favourites.
Another place to source cheap mens polo shirts is at high street consignment stores. More expensive than what you will find at thrift stores, but perfect for snagging designer brands like Lacoste and Ralph Lauren at a fraction of the original price.
Tennis players Jean Borotra (left) and Fred Perry in 1932
Styling your cheap mens polo shirts the modern way
The polo shirt is back in a big way for the current fashion season, so read for the new way to style this old favourite.
Through the past fashion decades, this collared shirt may have gone in and out of style, but its popularity has never completely gone away because it is such a timeless classic style that goes with everything and finishes every look so well.
90s Primary Red Striped Polo
Here are some of the top ways to style your polo shirt for the current season:
- Simplify your look by wearing your polo shirt in classic white, paired with black straight leg jeans or slim-cut trousers and finished with brown loafers. This look takes you from office to dinner to weekend and everything in between.
- To dress up your look, wear a black polo shirt with a matching black dress pant and look cool yet elegant all at the same time. Finish your look with black dress shoes and a gold wrist watch for uber style.
- Rock a striped polo shirt in multiple colours paired with a pair of classic chinos or khakis. This look is fun and youthful and full of energy.
- Layer a classic style polo shirtin white or blue under a nautical style navy blazer and finish with beige khakis for a timeless preppy look. Finish with sockless Sperry’s for that essence of American cool style.
These are just some of the ways to wear the polo shirt for today. Read on for how to reinvent cheap mens polo shirts styling options to stand out from the crowd.
Jack Crawford (left) and British tennis player Fred Perry (right) at the White City Stadium in Sydney, Australia, 1934
Wearing cheap mens polo shirts with a twist
The polo shirt is a classic style wardrobe essential that you can elevate from basic to next level by applying the tips and tricks below.
Suits
- Mash your cheap mens polo shirts up with a suit: your new polo shirt is the perfect pairing with your favourite casual daytime blazer and coordinated pants, or with your dressed-up navy, black or grey suit.
Skip the tie and wear your polo shirt in a colour that matches your jacket for style perfection.
Or go the other way and wear a polo shirt in a bold contrasting colour to your suit to stand out from the crowd.
90s Dark Green Block Colour Polo
Colour block
A third way to rock this look is to colour block your outfit in three different but complimentary colours like a polo shirt in cool green, worn with a blazer in taupe and a trouser in cream. Finish the look with sockless loafers in classic warm brown.
- Skip the buttoned-down polo shirt look: look for cheap mens polo shirts without any collar buttons or wear yours without buttoning the collar. Instead, pop up your collar for immediate laid-back cool and embrace the rebel look.
Wearing your polo shirt unbuttoned with a popped collar gives you that Riviera vibe. Amplify the look with chinos and loafers or pale wash jeans and high-top sneakers for that jet-setting style.
90s Tan Striped Short Sleeve Polo
Make sure your polo shirt is fitted snugly, though, to avoid looking sloppy. A close-fitted polo shirt with an unbuttoned collar looks sharp, not saggy.
Pale shades
- Rock the palest shades of cheap mens polo shirts you can find: Instead of opting for the typical neon brights, preppy pastels or safe blue, grey, white or black, get your polo shirt in a pale shade of stone or cream.
The pale shade will emphasize your summer tan and goes perfectly with those Ray Bans. Pair with matching cream chinos or jeans for a top-to-toe colour coordinated look. Add white sneakers for casual style.
The darker your skin tone, the lighter you can go in the colour of your polo shirt. If you have a light skin tone, choose a warm toned polo shirt in shades of sand or light taupe, to avoid looking washed out.
Stripes
- Go vertical stripes with your cheap mens polo shirts: Instead of the usual solid coloured polo shirt, take a walk on the wild side and get your cheap mens polo shirts in vertical stripes of contrasting colours.
Choose narrow stripes for classic style or go bold with broad stripes. Pair with jeans, chinos or khakis for a cool, uptown vibe.
Another way to make a polo shirt style statement is to choose a shirt with a three-colour striped design, each stripe in a different colour. This gives you the option of choosing pants that match one of the three colours for a coordinated look.
90s Tan Stripe Detail Short Sleeve Polo
Piping
- Wear your polo shirt with piping: piping in a contrasting colour – usually white – on collars and sleeves looks new again, especially when the rest of the polo shirt is in a solid dark colour like navy or black.
This piped polo shirt style elevates your off-duty look beyond the basics and when you pair with a dress pant, you look casual yet elegant all at the same time.
Wear your piped polo shirt untucked with jeans or shorts for evenings and weekends or tuck it in and add a belt for a more polished vibe.
Pleated pants
- Wear your cheap mens polo shirts with pleated pants: go all-out vintage style and pair your polo shirt with a classic pleated trouser for a throwback look that is synonymous with the timeless style of fashion icons like Fred Astaire and Cary Grant.
Tuck in your polo shirt and add a belt in the same colour as your pleated pant. Then finish your ensemble with sneakers to make the look modern and make sure your pleated pants are slim cut and not baggy to avoid a grandpa look.
Terry towelling
- Rock a polo shirt in terry towelling fabric: instead of the traditional picot or cotton polo shirt, get your cheap mens polo shirts in a terry towelling fabrication.
This alternative fabrication looks cool and pairs well with shorts and sandals for days on the boardwalk.
Or pair a pastel coloured polo shirt in this fabric with pale wash jeans and white sneakers for a streetwear look that says you didn’t try too hard.
These are just some of the ways to rock your cheap mens polo shirts in new and interesting ways for the day-to-night-to-weekend looks in your life. Let your fashion imagination loose and spin the polo shirt in ways that speak to your style persona for a fresh new take on this classic style staple.
Don’t wait any longer. Start shopping cheap mens polo shirts now!
LINKS
https://www.blue17.co.uk/vintage-mens/mens-shirts/polo-shirts/
