The Knit Polo: What It Is and How to Wear It

The case for knit

The shirt that replaced three others.

A knit polo is a polo made like a fine sweater, not a piece of activewear. Instead of the stiff pique cotton of a sports polo, it is knitted from soft yarn, so it drapes from the shoulder, holds its shape without gripping, and reads dressed even when it is doing nothing.

That is why it has quietly taken over summer. It is smarter than a t-shirt and softer than a shirt, so it covers the whole middle of the wardrobe: lunch, the office in July, dinner without a jacket. One knit polo, worn with linen trousers, is most of a summer solved.

Smarter than a tee. Easier than a shirt.

Man in an olive knit polo and light linen trousers on the Portofino waterfront

In situ

One polo, one harbour, nothing to prove.

An olive knit polo, light linen trousers, loafers. The knit drapes from the shoulder and falls clean. Nothing about it is trying, which is exactly why it works.

Read CloselyThe Knit Polo, Anatomywhat makes a good one

01The knitFine-gauge yarn, not stiff pique. It drapes, it does not hold a shape.

02The collarSoft, sits open at the throat. No wire, no starch.

03The shoulderSeam sits where your shoulder ends. The rest falls straight.

04The buttonsTwo or three, in real shell or horn. A detail read at one metre.

05The lengthEnds at the hip so it sits clean, tucked or loose.

06The colourCream, navy, olive, sky. Muted, not sporty.

Knit vs pique polo

Pique polo

Stiff sports cotton that holds a boxy shape and reads like a uniform.

Knit polo

Fine yarn that drapes from the shoulder and reads dressed with no effort.

In SummerHow to Wear Itlunch to dinner, one shirt

Day / lunch, walking, warm

A cream knit polo, sand linen trousers, loafers. Warm, easy, done before you thought about it.

Evening / dinner without the costume

A navy knit polo, darker linen trousers, loafers. Add an unstructured jacket if it cools. Finished, never formal.

Weekend / off, but not sloppy

A striped or tipped knit polo, faded chinos or linen, clean trainers. The palette holds, the mood relaxes.

Where to StartThe Polos to Buyin stock, muted, easy to wear

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A knit polo does not shout. It just fits, drapes, and lets you get on with the day.

One rule

Fit it at the shoulder, not the chest. The seam should sit exactly where your shoulder ends, and the body should fall straight from there. A polo stretched across the chest reads as effort. One that drapes reads as ease.

Questions

What is a knit polo?

A knit polo is a polo shirt made from fine knitted yarn rather than stiff pique cotton. It is constructed like a lightweight sweater, so it drapes from the shoulder, holds its shape without gripping, and reads more dressed than a sports polo. It sits between a t-shirt and a shirt in formality, which makes it the most versatile shirt for summer.

How should a knit polo fit?

It should sit close at the shoulder and fall straight from there, skimming the body rather than clinging. The shoulder seam should land where your shoulder ends, the sleeve should finish mid-bicep, and the hem should reach the hip so it works tucked or loose. If it stretches across the chest, size up.

How do you wear a knit polo?

With linen or cotton trousers and loafers for smart-casual, or with chinos and clean trainers for the weekend. Keep the palette muted, let the polo be the top layer, and leave the collar soft and open. A cream or navy knit polo with linen trousers covers most summer occasions short of a suit.

Knit polo or pique polo?

A knit polo is dressier and more versatile. Pique is the stiff cotton of a classic sports polo, and it holds a boxy shape that reads casual. A knit polo drapes from the shoulder and reads quietly dressed, so it carries dinner as well as the weekend. For one polo that does the most, choose knit.