The History of the Polo Shirt

Tennis shirt, pique shirt or golf shirt - we have many names for the things we love. At least when they boast a long and rich history. Meet the garment that has been worn by everyone from elite athletes to hip-hop stars and royalty for almost 100 years.

The American designer Ralph Lauren took this into account to design the Polo Ralph Lauren fashion range in the 1970s. He has personified the American dream since then, providing the world with every conceivable type of piquet shirt. The style is best described as preppy and flirts with the timeless, luxurious and sporty all at once.

Piquet comes from the French word, piqué, which means knitted and refers to the classic double-woven cotton fabric it is often made from. The model has short sleeves, a collar and buttons or a V-neck. The collar makes the style more dressy but its original function was actually to protect tennis players from burning their necks in the sun.

Although women wear pique garments in many sporting contexts, they have traditionally been worn by men. However, at various times in history, the pique shirt has also been a welcome addition to the female wardrobe. In the 1960s, it was seen worn by everyone from Jackie Kennedy to mod singer Francoise Hardy, in the early 2000s, Mischa Barton put the pique shirt back in the spotlight through her Marissa Cooper character in the "The O.C" TV series and, in recent years, Bella Hadid, among others, has been widely seen in a variety of pique shirts.

When it comes to men, the garment has been worn by everyone from hip-hop stars like Kanye West and Pharell Williams to legendary movie stars like Sean Connery in 'Dr No', Tom Cruise in 'Risky Business' and Leonardo di Caprio in 'The Wolf of Wall Street'.

There is simply no doubt that the iconic sports garment has found a home in all cultures, regardless of decade or style.

Polo is the international name used for what we call a piquet shirt. The casual blend of shirt and t-shirt today associated with the name piquet was designed almost 100 years ago by René Lacoste, the French tennis player. He was an invigorating rebel in the upper-class sport and shocked people more than once with his daring style choices. The obligatory dress code of the time was white flannel trousers, a white shirt and a tie or tie dye knitted sweater. The seven-time Grand Slam winner tired of the snobbish and unflattering garments and basically decided to design his own, much more appropriate player's shirt.

This is where the pique shirt, or tennis shirt as it is often called, was born. The design was revolutionary for tennis aristocrats and when he first wore the garment at the U.S. Open in 1926, he coasted to victory, both in terms of style and points. He created the Lacoste fashion brand only a few years later, and the already immensely popular tennis shirt spread like wildfire around the world. The inspiration behind the successful shirt came from equestrian polo, and he named the shirt the "Polo Shirt" - a name that has stuck ever since - in homage to the sport.

Men and women tennis players quickly embraced the style, while iconic players such as Don Budges, Suzanne Lenglen and Alice Marble helped revolutionise the previously strict elegant tennis style turning it into a much more practical and sporty game.

Another tennis icon synonymous with the pique shirt is Fred Perry. He was English from a working-class background, which made his way to the inner sanctum of the tennis world fraught with difficulties, but once he got in, he did not disappoint. He was also very much involved the piquet shirt’s continued success. Perry also became a fashion designer after his tennis career, and is best known for his pique model with the timeless laurel wreath embroidered on the chest. It became an overnight hit after it was launched in the 1950s, with everyone from the elite to subcultures like the Mods and later the Soul Boys. It is still an important element in the today’s fashion.

It was around this time that the President at the time, Eisenhower, was spotted on a golf course wearing a piquet shirt, which instantly made the shirt synonymous with the American dream of a better life - and the success of the garment was yet again consolidated.

The pique shirts pops up right now in a multitude of retro flirty styles with stylish collars just waiting to be hung up in your wardrobe.

For women, there is everything from short-waisted styles to classics with both checks and stripes. Stylewise, they work well with both slim and wide trousers or a skirt, and are a favourite with an oversized blazer or cool leather jacket. The feeling can be retro-inspired and the materials are predominantly finely knit, cotton and terry.

For men, it's more the style itself that is important. In general, the fit should be slim but not too tight and depending on the style and occasion, it works well with everything from cardigans to pullover sweaters and jackets. It's a classic garment requiring minimal styling - a finely-knit pique shirt with casual jeans and canvas shoes results in that Southern European feel we'll never stop loving. 

Photo: Lacoste.com