Bespoke polos?

[anoop]

Do you buy bespoke polos? If so where do you get them?

Why bespoke? I prefer longer sleeves than what is normally available, kind of like what is styling with golf shirts. I don’t like the material in golf shirts, though, preferring 100% cotton. I also need material that will survive a very warm machine wash and gentle machine dry without getting completely disfigured. I don’t want to do hand wash or cold wash or hang dry.

Additional details that I prefer are hemmed vs banded sleeves, and self fabric collar vs ribbed funny-material collar. I also prefer not to have a logo.

I buy bespoke polos now but the colors on offer are very limited and shrinking and I’ve also been running into quality issues. I hate change so it is with much resistance that I’m seeking alternatives.

Would appreciate any suggestions.

 

[FarmerTan]

Following this with interest! I'm no help however.

 

[tankerjohn]

I have a few MTM dress shirts from Proper Cloth and have been pretty happy with quality for the price. They do polos as well. Worth checking out. I hear good things about Spier and Mackay as well, though I don’t have any personal experience with them.

 

[anoop]

Has anyone tried this?

Custom Men's Bespoke Polo Shirts | Tailor Made | Jaxson Maximus

Voted Miami's best custom clothier, at Jaxson Maximus, we create one-of-a-kind custom bespoke polos that are tailor-made only for you.

jaxsonmaximus.com

 

[Doc4]

IMHO a "bespoke polo" won't be much in demand as the construction and materials used in polo shirts tend to absorb and cover most of the physical imperfections that one would need bespoke tailoring to account for in more "rigid" garments. That, and polo shirts are inherently casual, so a less-precise fit is perfectly acceptable compared to more "dressy" garments.

So the extra costs of bespoke tailoring won't make sense to most people.

That being said, the OP may not be "most people", and is more than welcome to seek out a good bespoke polo ... but it will be hard to find.

 

[anoop]

IMHO a "bespoke polo" won't be much in demand as the construction and materials used in polo shirts tend to absorb and cover most of the physical imperfections that one would need bespoke tailoring to account for in more "rigid" garments. That, and polo shirts are inherently casual, so a less-precise fit is perfectly acceptable compared to more "dressy" garments.

So the extra costs of bespoke tailoring won't make sense to most people.

That being said, the OP may not be "most people", and is more than welcome to seek out a good bespoke polo ... but it will be hard to find.

My ask for bespoke is more around features rather than fit. Otherwise, you can buy polos from brands like Burberry for obscene amounts of money without addressing the styling or quality that I care about (even at $500 they have a ribbed collar and ask you to wash cold and hang dry). With run of the mill brands (e.g. Timberland or Polo RL), there's too much variation in quality of fabric and fit even for the same style across different batches which gets very frustrating.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I have a couple of RL and BB polos that are 20 to 25 years old and they still look great. They have held up great.

 

[anoop]

I have a couple of RL and BB polos that are 20 to 25 years old and they still look great. They have held up great.

I suspect new ones won't be as durable. But I'm curious on how you care for them. Do you use machine wash warm and tumble dry?

 

[Rudy Vey]

I suspect new ones won't be as durable. But I'm curious on how you care for them. Do you use machine wash warm and tumble dry?

My wife washes them for years, I say she is using our washing machine and probably tumbles them on the easy cycle. I have not done laundry for some 30 years or.....

 

[buffdaddy]

Honestly I didn't know that bespoke polos were a thing or if there were a demand for them. I've always been pretty content with off the rack polos by RL, Lacoste or a dozen other manufacturers.

 

[anoop]

Honestly I didn't know that bespoke polos were a thing or if there were a demand for them. I've always been pretty content with off the shelf polos by RL, Lacoste or a dozen other manufacturers.

Do you machine wash and tumble dry? Do they retain their shape well? I don’t have access to Lacoste where I live but Polo fits funny — too long in overall length, sleeves too short and snug and not enough room in the chest. I could go a size bigger and make the length even worse…

 

[dontwo]

Do you machine wash and tumble dry? Do they retain their shape well? I don’t have access to Lacoste where I live but Polo fits funny — too long in overall length, sleeves too short and snug and not enough room in the chest. I could go a size bigger and make the length even worse…

I have quite a few Lacoste polos...mostly the classic style (it think they call it the L.12.12????) and a couple of the style called "Paris." For me, these by far fit the best of the shirts I've tried. If you're not familiar with Lacoste "sizing" it's a complete mystery so until you determine which size you need you're going to want to try them on first if you come across them someplace.

I machine wash my polos on delicate in cool water and find they retain their shape very well and do not shrink. I hang dry all of my shirts. My understanding is that putting a Lacoste polo in the dryer will result in significant shrinking. So, I don't think this is what you're looking for.

 

[anoop]

Well, after looking around quite a bit, I give up.

I guess this is a difficult business to be in as there aren’t many options.

I’m trying to look for other options now. Or maybe I just need to “let go” of my need for a quality polo that I find comfortable and wear the same stuff as everyone else.

Incidentally the Lacoste website has quite a few reviews complaining about inconsistent quality, sizing, and even shrinkage without a dryer.

 

[CCS]

I wore Lacoste back in the 70's and 80's. They were great shirts then. However, I haven't bought one since and only have a couple polos from Patagonia now. Very nice shirts but they probably don't make them like the ones I have anymore either. But I've aged out of polos and wear linen and/or seersucker long sleeve shirts instead. I can adjust the sleeves as the day goes by unlike a polo or other short sleeve shirts. Older guys really shouldn't wear short sleeve shirts unless the ravages of time have been particularly kind to them.

 

[StillShaving]

Are you a member of Costco? I picked up one of these polo shirts that look meet some of your desires, but I have not worn it yet. I liked the way the fabric felt in hand, it is mostly cotton with a little stretch. Though I don't know how well it will hold up after a few washes.

https://www.costco.com/kirkland-signature-men%e2%80%99s-pima-polo.product.100745918.html

 

[anoop]

No, not a member of Costco. Looks amazing for the price.

 

[Marco]

All of my shirts are bespoke, but I really never had the need for bespoke polos. I am very happy with my Ralph Lauren's.

 

[TinyTim]

All of my shirts are bespoke, but I really never had the need for bespoke polos. I am very happy with my Ralph Lauren's.

How do prices for bespoke shirts in Italy compare to, say, the U.S.?

 

[Marco]

How do prices for bespoke shirts in Italy compare to, say, the U.S.?

I have my shirts made at "Sartoria Cardona", which has several boutiques here in Rome. Average price for a bespoke shirt is around €100. Usually, when I go there I have 2 of them made at the same time for me. I would say price point is very honest, considering the high quality provided.

 

[TinyTim]

I have my shirts made at "Sartoria Cardona", which has several boutiques here in Rome. Average price for a bespoke shirt is around €100. Usually, when I go there I have 2 of them made at the same time for me. I would say price point is very honest, considering the high quality provided.

Marco -- That seems like a very reasonable price for a bespoke shirt, and with good care will last a long time.