Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Fred Perry, the polo shirt is making a strong comeback, styled with baggy trousers, high-top sneakers, or workwear pieces. Sitting at the crossroads between bourgeois heritage and streetwear, it’s marking a bold return this season. A closer look at a garment that plays on multiple fronts.
Back to the Origins of the Polo Shirt
Born on the tennis courts in the 1920s, the polo shirt as we know it today owes much to René Lacoste. At the time, players competed in shirts and ties. A visionary athlete, Lacoste revolutionized tennis attire by designing a short-sleeved top made of lightweight, breathable piqué cotton. When he retired to launch his brand, Lacoste began reimagining the polo shirt in a range of bold new colors, it was originally only white and took it beyond the courts to win over a whole new audience.
Across the Channel, another evolution took shape in the 1950s: British brand Riviera introduced a summer version of the polo shirt: lighter, with a patch pocket and one less button. It stepped off the clay courts and into seaside resorts and holiday wardrobes, becoming a garment synonymous with leisure and coastal living
From the 1960s onwards, the polo shirt experienced a global rise and a wide range of social interpretations. It was embraced both by the American elite, exemplified by President John F. Kennedy, the epitome of preppy style and by Ivy League university students. The brand Ralph Lauren played a major role in establishing it as a symbol of American elegance. Meanwhile, in Jamaica, the rude boys made the polo their own, often wearing colorful crochet versions. From the upper echelons to the streets, the Polo became a staple in men’s wardrobes. It wasn’t until the 2000s that it truly found its place in women’s fashion.
In the Spotlight
The polo shirt’s return to the spotlight began with Miu Miu’s Spring-Summer 2024 collection. The Italian fashion house reimagined the piece through striking layering: a polo worn under or over a shirt, collar on collar, with rolled-up sleeves. The look is styled with a micro-skirt or beach shorts, capturing a deliberately nonchalant yet finely curated vibe. The ensemble works just as well paired with raw denim for a more urban silhouette.
Since then, the Polo has continued to dominate the runways. At Balenciaga’s Spring-Summer 2025 show, Romeo Beckham walked in a cropped, pink-striped version, collar popped in true 2000s style. Loewe, meanwhile, opted for a mini version of grey wool, highlighting the sensual potential of a garment that’s traditionally seen as modest.
The trend is also making waves through collaborations: Comme des Garçons has teamed up with Fred Perry, the iconic British polo brand. An unexpected pairing that confirms the polo shirt is far from having had its final say.
Wear it, and you’re hooked
As Kim Petras sings in her track Polo, “You wanna get me out my polo shirt, My polo and my mini skirt,” the polo is clearly making its mark in women’s fashion too. Like the pop star, you can embrace a full Y2K look with a mini skirt and platform heels. The Polo itself is worn so tight it reveals the color of what’s underneath.
In women’s wear, the polo shirt also works beautifully in an oversized version. Stylist and influencer Marie-Victoire Tiangue prefers her colorful or striped. To give it a twist without sacrificing comfort, she leaves all the buttons undone to reveal some skin. If the collar allows, she slides it off one shoulder for a touch of originality.
Minimal or bold, fitted or oversized, the polo shirt ticks all the boxes of a true chameleon piece. In a single look, it can evoke Ivy League polish or channel Y2K rave vibes. But it’s precisely in this wide stylistic range that it reinvents itself. In 2025, it’s worn with platform shoes, baggy Bermuda shorts, a twisted collar or rolled-up sleeves. A hybrid garment to be styled and no rulebook is required!
