How to style a knit polo, from the office to the weekend

Style a knit polo as you would a smart shirt. Tuck it into tailored trousers for the office, and wear it untucked over chinos on the weekend. Under an unstructured blazer or a coat it looks finished, because it keeps the collar of a polo shirt but is knitted like a sweater. Below are six outfits, how a knit polo should fit and what ours are made of.

How a knit polo should fit

• Shoulders: the shoulder seam sits on the edge of your shoulder, not halfway down the arm.
• Body: it skims the chest and stomach without pulling across the buttons. A rib knit with good stretch can sit closer than a flat or waffle knit.
• Length: the hem falls at the belt or just below it, so it looks right worn untucked.
• Sleeves: short sleeves end around the middle of the upper arm; long sleeves reach the wrist bone.

Sizing differs from polo to polo, so read the fit line on each page. The tipped knit polo is cut in Asian sizing that runs small, and its page says most US shoppers need two sizes up. The waffle knit polo lists its measurements under our own size names. If you are between sizes, our guide to measuring yourself explains how to compare your measurements with the garment’s.

Six ways to wear a knit polo

1. With tailored trousers, for the office

A long sleeve knit polo tucked into tailored trousers is smart enough for most offices without a tie or a stiff collar. The ribbed knit long sleeve polo is a rib knit with a buttoned placket. Tuck it into the pleated tapered trousers, which have a single front pleat and a pressed crease. Add a belt if your trousers have loops. More pairs are in men’s trousers. Our guide to business casual has more office outfits.

2. Under an unstructured blazer

A knit polo under an unstructured blazer looks smart and asks for no tie. The unstructured cotton blend blazer is 75% cotton and 25% polyester. It has no shoulder pads or heavy canvas, so it wears like a shirt jacket over the polo. Let the polo collar sit inside the blazer lapels, and keep the colors close: navy with gray, or cream with camel.

3. With chinos on the weekend

A short sleeve knit polo, untucked, with chinos and clean sneakers. The waffle knit polo has an open collar and a waffle texture that gives it depth from a distance without a print. Its page pairs it with chinos. The stretch tapered chinos have a little stretch and a mid rise. They run small, so read their fit line before you order. The leather low top sneakers, in split cowhide leather, finish it.

4. Under an overshirt

In the fall, wear the polo under an open overshirt. The corduroy overshirt is a fine wale corduroy. The twill overshirt is a cotton twill, 100% cotton as the supplier states. Both work open as a light jacket, and the polo collar can sit over the overshirt’s collar or inside it.

5. Under a coat

A long sleeve knit polo under an overcoat still looks finished when the coat comes off. The single breasted overcoat is a slim fit with notch lapels, and the button front mac coat falls to mid thigh. See men’s coats and jackets.

6. For dinner

A dark knit polo, tucked, with dark trousers and polished shoes. One color from top to toe looks quietly formal. The leather medallion toe oxfords, in cowhide leather, are made for polished trousers.

Tucked or untucked?

Tuck it in with tailored trousers or under a blazer; the tipped knit polo’s page, for one, suggests tucking it into pleated trousers. Leave it out with chinos, jeans or shorts, as long as the hem sits no lower than the middle of the zip.

Buttons

On a polo with a buttoned placket, leave the top button open, or the top two if the placket is long. Buttoned all the way up is a deliberate look; it works best with a fine knit and a jacket.

Knit polo or henley?

Both are knit tops that sit between a tee and a shirt. A polo has a turn down collar, which makes it the smarter choice under a blazer. A henley has a short buttoned placket and no turn down collar, which reads more relaxed. If your office leans formal, wear the polo; for weekends, either works. To try a henley, the long sleeve cotton henley is 100% cotton.

What our polos are made of

Each polo’s page lists its fabric, and they differ:

• The ribbed knit long sleeve polo is 65% polyester and 35% cotton, with good stretch.
• The waffle knit polo is 100% polyester, and its waffle texture gives it a light feel in the heat.
• The tipped knit polo is 66% viscose and 34% polyester, a fine smooth knit with thin contrast tipping on the collar and cuffs.
• For more cotton, the long sleeve cotton polo is 95% cotton and 5% elastane, with a little stretch.

Our fabric guide explains how each fiber behaves.

Caring for a knit polo

Follow the care line on each page. The ribbed, waffle and cotton polos are machine wash cold and tumble dry low. The tipped knit polo is machine wash cold and hang to dry. Wash knits inside out and store them folded, so the shoulders keep their shape. Our guide to washing knitwear covers pilling and storage.

See every piece in men’s henleys and polos, and more for the office in the men’s work edit.