Vintage Polo Shirts

Back in the 19th century, people were typically draped in ‘tennis whites’ during a match. These consisted of thick long-sleeved jersey shirts (similar to rugby shirts) and hefty flannel trousers. As you can probably guess, these weren’t exactly comfortable.

The world of tennis was a stuffy, uncomfortable affair until 1926, when big man on court René “The Crocodile” Lacoste designed a short-sleeved, piqué cotton shirt. Not only was this a massively comfortable upgrade from the tennis clobber of yore, but it also looked pretty sharp – and it wasn’t long before it outgrew the court. These days the polo shirt is a true classic of casual-wear, enjoyed in a multitude of activities.