What Is a Knitted Polo Shirt?
A knitted polo shirt is a polo shirt — collar, placket and all — made the way knitwear is made, on a knitting machine rather than from jersey or piqué cotton. The knit makes it softer, finer and smarter than a sports polo, which is why it works under a jacket and with tailored trousers. Browse the range here: men's knitted polo shirts.
Knitted polo vs piqué polo
| Knitted polo | Piqué polo | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Worked on a knitting machine, like a jumper | Woven-textured cotton fabric |
| Surface | Smooth, ribbed, waffle or patterned in the knit itself | Fine honeycomb piqué texture |
| Collar | Knitted as part of the garment — three-button, button-through, zip or johnny styles | Ribbed collar with a short buttoned placket |
| Wears like | Light knitwear | Sportswear |
| Best for | Smart casual, the office, under a jacket | Casual wear and sport |
The four collars
Three-button is the classic polo line — the Aldwych three-button, £59. Button-through fastens down the front like a shirt — the Lambeth, £49. A zip collar is the modern option — the Avebury, £69. A johnny collar sits open at the neck with no buttons at all — the Belsize, £71.
Short sleeve or long sleeve?
Short sleeves — the fine-knit Fitzrovia and the waffle-knit Mayfair, both £39 — are the summer smart-casual choice. Long sleeves, like the merino wool Devizes at £69, take the polo into autumn and wear in place of a light jumper.
For the full treatment — fits, and when to wear each collar — read our knitted polo shirt guide, or see our edit of the best knitted polo shirts.
