How to tuck in polo shirt?

In this article, we'll take you through everything you need to know about tucking in a polo shirt. From the different styles of polo shirts to the best ways to tuck them in, we'll cover it all. So let's dive in!

Before we dive into how to tuck in a polo shirt, it's essential to understand the different types of polo shirts available. Each type of polo shirt has its unique features and benefits, making them suitable for different occasions and settings.

The classic polo shirt is the most common type of polo shirt. It's made of cotton or cotton-blend fabric and has a soft collar and two or three buttons. This type of polo shirt is perfect for casual settings, such as golfing or hanging out with friends.

A performance polo shirt is made of synthetic fabric, such as polyester or nylon. This type of polo shirt is designed to wick away moisture and keep you cool and comfortable, making it ideal for sports and outdoor activities.

A rugby polo shirt is a more casual and robust version of the classic polo shirt. It has a stiffer collar and is made of heavier fabric, making it suitable for colder weather and more rugged activities.

Choosing the right polo shirt for tucking in is essential for achieving a polished and comfortable look. Here are a few factors to consider when selecting a polo shirt:

The fabric of your polo shirt plays a significant role in how it looks and feels when tucked in. Choose a fabric that is breathable and comfortable, such as cotton or a cotton-blend. Avoid fabrics that are too thick or heavy, as they can feel bulky when tucked in.

The fit of your polo shirt is also crucial for achieving a sharp look. Choose a shirt that fits snugly but not too tightly. The shirt should be long enough to stay tucked in, but not too long that it bunches up around your waist.

When choosing the color and pattern of your polo shirt, consider the occasion and setting. Solid colors and simple patterns, such as stripes or dots, are ideal for more formal events, while bold patterns and bright colors can add a pop of personality to casual settings.

Now that you have your polo shirt picked out let's move on to the proper tucking etiquette. Follow these dos and don'ts for the perfect tucked-in polo shirt look:

There are two main methods for tucking in a polo shirt - the military tuck and the classic tuck. The military tuck involves folding the excess fabric of the shirt behind the buttons, creating a neat and tidy appearance. The classic tuck involves tucking the shirt into your pants as you would with any other shirt. Choose the method that works best for you and the occasion.

When tucking in your polo shirt, make sure it's sitting evenly around your waistband. Pull the shirt tight to avoid any excess fabric bunching up around your waist. Check the back of your shirt to ensure it's tucked in neatly, with no bunching or creases.

Avoid over-tucking your shirt, as this can make it look too tight and uncomfortable. Only tuck in the amount of fabric needed to achieve a neat appearance. If you're wearing a thicker fabric or multiple layers, adjust accordingly to avoid bulk.

A sloppy tuck can ruin the polished look of a tucked-in polo shirt. Take the time to tuck in your shirt carefully, making sure the fabric is smooth and evenly distributed. Avoid rushing and tucking in your shirt haphazardly.

Now that you know the dos and don'ts of tucking in a polo shirt let's look at some tips and tricks to help you achieve the perfect tucked-in look.

Rolling up your sleeves can add a casual touch to your tucked-in polo shirt look. It also helps to prevent the sleeves from bunching up and looking bulky.

The right belt can add a polished touch to your tucked-in polo shirt look. Choose a belt that complements your shirt and pants and fits well.

The right pants can make all the difference in achieving a polished and comfortable tucked-in look. Choose pants that fit well and have a flattering cut. Avoid pants that are too tight or too loose.

Layering your polo shirt with a sweater or jacket can add warmth and style to your outfit. It also helps to keep your shirt tucked in by providing an anchor for the fabric.

It depends on the occasion and setting. For formal events, it's best to tuck in your polo shirt. For casual settings, you can wear it untucked or partially tucked.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in June 2017.

The polo shirt is a true men’s style staple.

Yet despite its ubiquity in the male wardrobe, it’s not a garment that typically comes in for much affection or enthusiasm.

Perhaps this is because of the negative associations with which the polo shirt is laden. It is often thought of in terms of a uniform — either literally, as in the required get-up of a pizza delivery man or elementary school student, or metaphorically, as the go-to garb for corporate drones and preppy fraternity brothers. The polo is further seen as the default of the sartorially lazy — something a guy dons when an event requires a shirt with a collar, and he can’t be bothered to even button up an Oxford.

Yet the polo deserves a little more love than it typically gets. Falling between a t-shirt and a dress shirt, it’s the perfect garment for the many events in life that aren’t at all formal, but aren’t outright casual either. It’s a great shirt for summertime first dates, backyard BBQs, and when you’re not sure exactly where the plans for your day or evening will take you.

Even in terms of casual everyday wear, the cool, breathable polo shirt is just as easy and comfortable as a tee, but looks a notch more put together, so that swapping the former for the latter is a zero-effort way to upgrade your summer style.

And far from being blandly uniform, or only worn by one type of man, polos have been popular with widely varied groups, from Nantucket yachtsmen to West Coast skaters; there are different types of polos for different occasions, and they can be worn and styled in many different ways.

In other words, contrary to popular opinion, the polo shirt is quite versatile and can be sartorially interesting. Truly, the polo shirt is clutch.

Today we’ll take a look at how to elevate it beyond the realm of casual Fridays and suburban dad-dom — how to wear a polo with style.

Despite the name by which it is now known, the polo shirt did not emerge from the “sport of kings” but from the game of tennis.

In its early days, tennis had a touch of aristocratic flare and was played in a get-up known as “tennis whites” — flannel trousers, a dress shirt (with sleeves rolled up), and even a tie. Thick, heavy, hot, and cumbersome, these garments obviously didn’t lend themselves well to playing an active, outdoor sport.

Seven-time Grand Slam winner René Lacoste decided to do something about this issue, creating his own ideal tennis shirt. Made of a comfortable, breathable “jersey petit piqué” cotton, the white short-sleeved shirt eschewed buttons all the way down for a placket of three up top, and included a soft, unstarched collar that was still stiff enough to flip up to protect his neck from the sun. The flexible, lightweight shirt also had a longer tail in the back to keep it tucked into René’s trousers.

Lacoste debuted the shirt at the 1926 U.S. Open — which he won in both comfort and style. The following year, Lacoste, who was nicknamed “the Crocodile,” adhered the now famous reptilian logo to the breast of the shirt. And in 1933, the retired player began to manufacture his garment for the masses.

The “tennis shirt” caught on with other kinds of sportsmen, particularly polo players. These athletes had developed their own “polo shirt” — the Oxford button-down (the buttons on the collar were designed to keep it from flapping in your face as you galloped about the field) — decades prior. But Lacoste’s short-sleeve garment proved even more suitable to the game, and was so widely adopted that even tennis players began to refer to it as a “polo shirt.”

In the 1950s, Lacoste began to offer the shirt, formerly only available in white, in a wider range of colors and brought the polo to America. It soon won widespread adoption by discerning sportsmen, particularly golfers, and then moved into the realm of everyday casual wear. The 50s also saw the rise of a competitor to Lacoste; fellow tennis champion Fred Perry introduced polos that had his soon-to-be iconic laurel wreath logo stitched instead of ironed on, and were adopted by English scooter-riding mods.

An even fiercer competitor to Lacoste’s polo dominance emerged in the 1970s. Designer Ralph Lauren named his line of WASP-y casual wear “Polo,” and a central piece of this collection consisted of, appropriately enough, polo shirts. As Lacoste and Lauren battled it out for dominance, the polo gained even more popularity, and became associated with the “preppy” look of the 1980s.

The polo shirt began to lose some of its cache in the 1990s, as it became the go-to get-up for casual Fridays, and corporations made it the actual uniform for workers ranging from customer service reps to waiters.

Still, the polo has maintained its staying power, and continues to be worn by everyone from U.S. presidents on the golf course to rap moguls on stage.

It should continue to be a mainstay in your everyday wardrobe too, as long as you wear it with style.

There aren’t too many technical details to know about the polo shirt, but it’s helpful to have an understanding of the kinds of fabrics it comes in, particularly its two main types.

Polos are available in a variety of materials from natural to synthetic. The latter often make up the performance blends used in polos specifically designed for athletic wear. Silk and silk blends are an option, but are not recommended, as they show your sweat easily, lose their color as they become wet, and just look rather cheesy. Polyester, or cotton/poly blends extend the life of the shirt, but are less breathable, more stinky, and cheaper looking.

Given that polos are most commonly a warm weather staple, 100% cotton — with its cool, comfortable, breathable properties — is the most typical and most recommended fabric for these shirts. Cotton polos come in two main kinds:

Pique. The original polo fabric, pique is knitted in a woven pattern that lends the material a textured surface. The fabric has some heft and heaviness, but the holes in the weave keep it breathable, and it resists showing your sweat. The sleeves typically terminate in a ribbed band/cuff. With a little more substance and structure, the pique polo is a bit more formal and professional.

Jersey. A jersey polo is made from the same kind of fabric used in t-shirts, and has the same flat, smooth, soft, stretchy feel. The sleeves of a jersey polo tend to end in a simple hem, rather than a distinct band. Lighter in weight, the jersey polo is cool but will show your sweat more, and is less durable. Its lightness and relaxed drape also give it a more casual vibe.

Pique and jersey polos each have their own look and feel; overall, I reach for the jersey kind for comfort, and pique when I’m doing something a notch up in formality.

When it comes to wearing a polo shirt with style, the most important thing, as it is with all garments, is to really nail the fit. Here are two criteria to check:

Overall the shirt should sit close to your body — fitted but not too tight. It can be a little tighter in your chest and arms, and then taper down to your waist.

The better shape you’re in, the closer-fitting the polo can be, but you don’t want it skin tight. You should still be able to stick a couple fingers under the sleeves.

Don’t

Wear an undershirt. A polo is meant to be worn as a base or single layer close to the body, and an undershirt adds excess bulkiness underneath it, and can peep out of the neckline/collar. If you do wear an undershirt, choose one with a neckline that won’t be visible.

Layer polos upon polos. One polo at a time, please.

Pop the collar. This trend has fortunately receded, but in case you were tempted, don’t. It still reads as douchey. If you need to pop the collar in a short-term circumstance to protect your neck from the sun, feel free.

Choose a shirt with a pocket, unless secured. A pocket on the breast of a polo can add a bit of visual interest, but it rarely if ever gets used, and tends to simply sag and become misshapen, detracting from the shirt’s sharpness. So eschew pockets generally, the exception being ones that have flaps and are secured with a button to stay closed.

Wear a shirt with a large logo. While we typically advise staying away from corporate logos on clothing altogether, a logo on the breast of polos has been one of its signature marks from the very beginning, making them quite typical and more tolerable. If you can find one without a logo, great; otherwise aim for those with logos that are tasteful and minimal in size, rather than large and garish.

Wear a long-sleeved polo. There are such things as long-sleeved polos, and while it may be possible for them to look really good, I’ve never seen ones that do. The polo’s heritage is that of a short-sleeved garment for warm weather and active pursuits; to then extend the sleeves runs contrary to its style DNA and looks funny, much like the ill-advised short-sleeve dress shirt.

Wear an athletic polo for casualwear. Polos designed for sports like golf or tennis are made from synthetic performance materials and cut for ease of movement. They’re great for the course or the courts, but shouldn’t be worn outside of them.

Do

Button at least one of the buttons. Having all the buttons undone looks floppy and sloppy. One is usually good. Having all of them buttoned-up changes the look of the shirt considerably, and is ironically a little more of an “anti-establishment” look, if that’s what you’re going for.

Feel free to tuck or untuck, depending on the occasion. A polo shirt can go either way. Tucking, of course, gives you a more formal look, while untucking is more casual. If your shirt’s longer in the back than the front, then it was definitely designed to be tucked.

Have a core collection of solid, basic colors like blue, black, and white. You can’t go wrong with having a few polos in these classic shades. Polos with stripes or contrasting colors on the sleeve bands/collar aren’t always a bad choice but do read as more casual, trendy, and young.

Expand into brighter and more interesting colors. You ought to have something a little different too, like pinks, purples, reds, and greens.

Expect to pay $50+ for a good polo. Polos can so easily look schlumpy and dumpy that it’s worth paying extra — typically upwards of $50 — for those that fit well and evince quality. Of course, sometimes a big price tag is only the result of marketing, rather than quality, so make sure you’re paying for a durable, top-notch garment, rather than a brand name.

The polo shirt is quite versatile and can easily be worn from the beach to a classy day at the races. It’s all in how you dress it up or down. Let’s start at the most casual level, and work our way up to greater formality by degrees.

The polo is a little classier than a t-shirt, and can be worn in pretty much any scenario you’d wear a tee for a more put-together look. For the most casual get-up, pair your untucked polo with khaki flat front shorts, canvas sneakers, a field watch, and a pair of aviator shades.

To up the sharpness a bit, swap the shorts for dark denim or chinos (it’s best to choose another color beside khaki to get away from the corporate/school uniform look). Wearing chukkas, boat shoes, or Chelsea boots rather than sneakers will up this look another notch.

To go up another level of formality, swap a cotton polo for a retro-styled wool knit one. These sweater shirts often come with contrasting colors on the collar/arm bands, as well as a banded bottom (don’t wear them with low-rise pants, lest your top turn into a midriff). It’s not a look for every guy, but can be handsome on some.

To move up the formality ladder another rung, keep the polo but swap the chinos/jeans for actual trousers. Tuck your shirt in for greater professionalism, and pair with a nice belt and leather loafers. You generally want to stick with a solid colored shirt rather than one that’s patterned or striped. I confess I’m not crazy about this look; the casualness of the polo on top conflicts with the formality of the trousers on the bottom. But it certainly seems to be the go-to casual Friday get-up for lawyers and other professionals around here.

To dress the polo up further, it can be paired with a sports jacket and either nice jeans, chinos, or trousers. Sartorial purists poo-poo this look, asserting that the polo is too casual to be worn with a jacket, and that a sports coat will always look better with a dress shirt underneath. But I actually find the polo+jacket combination less jarring than polo+trousers, perhaps because the sports jacket, just like the polo, was originally designed for sporting pursuits. And while it’s true that a dress shirt will almost invariably look better, on a very hot day, the short sleeve polo will feel cooler and more comfortable than a long-sleeve button-down.

If you’re going to go for this look, keep these tips in mind:

Even if you follow these tips, the sports coat+polo look is hard to do well, so if you’re not sartorially confident, just stay clear and stick with dress shirts under your jackets.

To formalize the polo to a greater degree would mean wearing it with a full-on suit, which is even more difficult to pull off than pairing with a sport coat, and should only be attempted, if at all, by the most sartorially daring and confident (rather than the lazy and confused).

SHOP THE LOOK

Never wear an undershirt when wearing a polo shirt because they do not mix well together. The undershirt could slide out or slip out from the sleeve and that is not going to look good on you. There are frequent instances that the slipping out part of the undershirt could show some crumpled areas. If you are worried about perspiring a lot that is why you are considering an undershirt, just try wearing deodorant. Shirts and polo shirts are just not made to work together.

SHOP THE LOOK

The first rule when wearing the polo shirt is to make sure that you are wearing your own size. That means it should not be too loose or too tight. It is supposed to be comfortable without sacrificing the overall look. If you can’t stick a finger between your bicep and your sleeve, get a bigger size. If there’s a lot of slack, get a smaller size. Good quality polo shirts are made from light materials like cotton. Therefore, they should drape nicely over your body without showing too much of your body.

SHOP THE LOOK

This is as formal as it gets. To dress down a suit, you can swap your dress shirt and tie for a polo - tucked in, of course.It can feel a little tough to pull off. The key is to make sure your polo fits really well. If it's too big and long, it'll ruin the whole look. If you wear suits all the time, especially in warmer climates, give the polo shirt a chance.

SHOP THE LOOK

Popping the collar of your polo shirt does not make you look cool. If anything, you will look like a 12-year old kid. Popping the collar up is like wearing a sunglass at night. The only reason you should be doing that is if you forgot to wear a sunscreen and you want to cover your neck from the heat of the sun. But as much as possible, wear a sunscreen before leaving the house.