“There are so many ways to wear a Polo Shirt—streetwear, preppy, formal,” explains Zara Mirkin. “They are so classic and go with everything; there are no rules.” She would know. Not only has she had a long relationship with the Polo Shirt through her work as a stylist and creative consultant, but she also “grew up in a family of Ralph Lauren.” Her dad wore the brand’s Polo Shirts “all day everyday, in ‘crazy’ colors like bright pink.”
It’s a connection that so many of us know, too. Because in the 50 years since Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt first came to market, it’s permeated almost every facet of American culture. It’s been worn by prepsters and politicians, super models and school kids, rockstars and rappers. “Everyone and anybody, all over the world, from all walks of life,” Mirkin explains.
Zara Mirkin in Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt, ralphlauren.com
“Anyone can wear one,” adds fellow stylist and costume designer Miyako Bellizzi—who also just happens to be Mirkin’s best friend. “It’s transcended into a staple piece that can be worn by every culture, subgenre, and age group.”
In other words, it’s versatile. It can be formal or casual; elegant or subversive. It can be worn with leather, linen, or ripped-up jeans; with a blazer and a tie or a dozen gold chains. It can be fashion with a capital F or worn to simply fit in. And that’s the beauty. As Ralph Lauren himself so eloquently puts it in the brand’s new Rizzoli book The Polo Shirt dedicated to the Polo’s half-century reign, “it was never about a shirt, but a way of living.” And in a Polo Shirt, it turns out, you can live whichever way you choose.
Case in point: Zirkin and Bellizzi, who each created and modeled their own capital F fashion looks using the Polo as a starting point. The results are as unique as the besties themselves. Mirkin went for a “kind of gothic” collegiate look, pairing her loose-fitting Andover Heather Polo with a striped tie, leather skirt, and knee-high boots; while Bellizzi leaned into her “feminine side” choosing ballet flats, ankle socks, and a head scarf to match her slim-fitting Polo in red. “I like mine either extremely fitted or oversize, nothing in between,” Belizzi explains.
Miyako Bellizzi in Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt, ralphlauren.com
Not that either stylist’s personal preferences—or the variation in aesthetic—should come as any surprise. That’s the Polo’s essential, mercurial nature coming through. After all, it’s a way of living; a canvas with which to express yourself however you choose. That’s the key to longevity; to staying fresh. To quote the Polo’s inaugural 1972 ad campaign, “it gets better with age.” Marking 50 years as an enduring fashion staple is pretty strong proof.
The Polo shirt tells a story of who you are. From your favorite memory to how you style it, tell us using #MyPoloShirtStory.
If you have any questions on Breathable Golf Polo Shirt Mens, Hawaiiian Shirt. We will give the professional answers to your questions.