The Origin of Embroidered Polo Shirts

When speaking of polo shirts, people may picture a T-shaped shirt with a collar, typically a two- or three-button placket, and an optional pocket. Yes, we can see all people, old or young, man or woman, wearing polo shirts everywhere. This article will brief you on the origin of embroidered polo shirts.

A polo shirt is also known as a golf shirt and tennis shirt. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, tennis players ordinarily wore "tennis whites" consisting of long-sleeved white button-up shirts (worn with the sleeves rolled up), flannel trousers, and ties. This attire presented problems for ease of play and comfort.

Rene Lacoste, the French 7-time Grand Slam tennis champion, decided that the stiff tennis attire was too cumbersome and uncomfortable. He designed a white, short-sleeved, loosely-knit pique cotton shirt with an unstarched, flat, protruding collar, a buttoned placket, and a longer shirt-tail in back than in front, which he first wore at the 1926 U.S. Open championship. Beginning in 1927, Lacoste placed a crocodile emblem on the left breast of his shirts, as the American press had begun to refer to him as "The Crocodile", a nickname which he embraced. This is probably the world's first real embroidered logo polo shirt.

In 1933, after retiring from professional tennis, Lacoste teamed up with Andre Gillier, a friend who was a clothing merchandiser, to market that shirt in Europe and North America. Together, they formed the company Chemise Lacoste, and began selling their embroidered polo shirts, which included the small embroidered crocodile logo on the left breast.

Polo shirts are suitable for those working outside, such as groundskeepers and maintenance workers due to its ruggedness and style. During the 1990s, the embroidered polo shirts became the standard informal business attire for the high tech industry and then spread to other industries. Nowadays, people wear polo shirts with jeans and slacks, and the polo shirt fashion is still gaining momentum.

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