The polo shirt exists in an interesting place in menswear. Smarter than a t-shirt, more relaxed than a collared shirt, and when you get the right one it earns its place in a rotation fast. The retro end of the category is where things get particularly good. We are talking about designs that pull from the late seventies and eighties without looking like fancy dress. Tipped collars, archive colour combinations, ribbed cuffs that actually hold their shape. These things matter more than they sound like they do.

What we have been looking for specifically are polos that feel considered without being precious. The kind of shirt that works with tailored trousers and a loafer on a warm Friday, or with straight leg denim and a clean trainer at the weekend. Fabric weight is important here too. Too thin and the whole thing collapses. The ones in this edit are the pieces we would actually wear, not just admire from a distance.