What is a Polo Shirt?

The polo shirt is one of the few garments that started in one sport and ended up defining an entirely different one — and eventually escaped sport altogether. Its origin story is more specific than most people assume.

Born on a Tennis Court, Not a Polo Field

Despite the name, the modern polo shirt wasn't created by or for polo players. It was invented in 1926 by French tennis champion René Lacoste, who grew frustrated with the era's standard tennis attire — long-sleeved, button-up shirts that were stiff, hot, and impractical for the sport.

Lacoste designed a short-sleeved, knitted piqué cotton shirt with a soft, flat collar that could be turned up against the sun, a buttoned placket at the neck, and a slightly longer "tennis tail" at the back to keep it tucked in during play. He debuted it at the 1926 U.S. Championships.

After retiring from professional tennis, Lacoste partnered with knitwear manufacturer André Gillier in 1933 to produce the shirt commercially under the name La Chemise Lacoste — with a crocodile embroidered on the chest, a nod to Lacoste's own nickname, "The Crocodile."

How It Got the "Polo" Name

The polo connection came later. English polo player Lew Lacey helped popularize the style among polo players, and the practical, breathable design proved just as useful on horseback as on a tennis court. The name stuck, even though the garment's true origin is tennis, not polo.

What Actually Defines a Polo Shirt

• Piqué knit fabric — a textured, waffle-like weave that's more breathable and structured than a flat jersey knit
• A soft, unstarched collar that can be worn flat or popped
• A short buttoned placket at the neckline, typically 2-3 buttons
• Short sleeves with ribbed cuffs
• A slightly dropped back hem, a holdover from the original "tennis tail"

From Sport to Everyday Staple

By the 1950s, licensing deals (notably with American manufacturer Izod) brought the polo shirt to the U.S. mass market, and it quickly moved beyond tennis and golf clubs into everyday menswear. Nearly a century after Lacoste first wore his prototype, the polo shirt remains one of the most versatile pieces in a man's wardrobe — equally at home dressed up under a blazer or worn on its own.