polo shirts

[anoop]

OK, I have a bit of OCD so please hear me out and help if you can.

I have been wearing Timberland polos almost exclusively for the last several years. Along the way there have been some sizing issues and some quality issues. However, with their latest iteration, the material is too thin and the collars take on weird shapes after a wash. They used to be "machine wash warm" and now they are "machine wash cold". If I follow those directions, there's little chance of the shirt actually getting cleaned. I recently ordered one and ended up sending it back.

Prior to that I used to wear Patagonia (a big plus that they were organic). They ended up going downhill and now they no longer even offer a pique polo that is 100% cotton.

I'm now trying to find some other brand. Here are a few I have looked at and don't care for:
- Polo Ralph Lauren: The gold standard for polo shirts, perhaps, but I find the arm holes too snug for comfort. And I'm not talking about wearing a size that fits tight on the shoulders and rest of the body.
- Kent Wang - Too much of a slim fit for me. Even in XL (which I find too long), it is uncomfortably snug.
- Brooks Brothers - I don't like the formaldehyde treatment that makes them wrinkle-free.
- Lacoste - Machine wash/dry is not recommended -- hand wash/hang dry. I don't have the patience for that.

I looked at several polos at Nordstrom's but with most of the brands, the material is too thin, and many of them are not machine wash/dry. The fitting also tends to be snug (slim fit). I'm not super skinny and I don't like the shirts hugging my body.

So, do you folks have a recommendation for a brand of polos that has worked for you that allows machine wash/dry, doesn't have any treatments to make it wrinkle free, has a classic fit (reasonably sized arm holes, not too snug for a person with an average body), and where the material is not too thin?

Thanks.

 

[jovan]

I have had very good luck purchasing minor league baseball and hockey polo shirts. The prices are reasonable and very good quality, especially at season end. Plus people always talk to me about the different teams.

 

[Edcculus]

I have a question. Why do you think washing in cold water will not get the shirt clean? Not only is washing in higher temps worse for the environment, its ultimately more degrading to the dyes and actual material of the shirt. I know this doesn't answer your original question, but its worth talking about.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Follow the directions on the shirt label because they are dye specific...some manufactures use warm water dyes and some use cold water dyes. Your shirts will get just as clean in cold as in warm. I prefer polo ralph lauren wash in warm and dry for 15 minutes on extra low and hang dry.

 

[anoop]

I have a question. Why do you think washing in cold water will not get the shirt clean? Not only is washing in higher temps worse for the environment, its ultimately more degrading to the dyes and actual material of the shirt. I know this doesn't answer your original question, but its worth talking about.

Every time I do a cold water wash, I find that the clothes come out looking dull and there is detergent residue on the clothes.

Why is higher temperature worse for the environment, other than the energy needed to heat the water?

 

[anoop]

Follow the directions on the shirt label because they are dye specific...some manufactures use warm water dyes and some use cold water dyes. Your shirts will get just as clean in cold as in warm. I prefer polo ralph lauren wash in warm and dry for 15 minutes on extra low and hang dry.

I do intend to follow the directions, that's why I want something that is designed to tolerate a warm wash and machine dry (even if gentle).

 

[davent]

There are detergents sold for use with cold water, whether that's just marketing hype or really a different formulation i have no idea. We've been cold water cloths washers for quite a few years and with a daughter of university age i'd soon hear if things weren't up to snuff.

dave

 

[Tim_McD]

Ralph Lauren and Lacoste polos are very good and can be had for a reasonable amt on sale. I understand the fit issue with you on the RL, but the care of the Lacoste s/n/b that big a deal

For inexpensive polos; LL Bean and Land's End.

Both are pretty good and have options for fit. They may not be the bargain they once were, but on sale (and with free shipping) they are a decent value.

Both are unbranded, so if you are looking for a polo shirt with a designer monograph - I have a couple of Burberry that are very nice, but at full retail they bugger belief. Mine were from the local "Savers" and are mint

 

[anoop]

There are detergents sold for use with cold water, whether that's just marketing hype or really a different formulation i have no idea. We've been cold water cloths washers for quite a few years and with a daughter of university age i'd soon hear if things weren't up to snuff.

So, I think part of the problem is that I rely on eco, plant-only detergents, my current one being Ecover Fragrance-Free. I do this because of extreme skin sensitivity which breaks into rashes pretty easily. This is also the reason why I want to avoid polos that are treated with chemicals for wrinkle free performance.

These detergents tend to already have marginal performance. Using with cold water makes them even worse, especially with removing things like oil stains and dirt on collars.

 

[anoop]

but the care of the Lacoste s/n/b that big a deal

Both are unbranded, so if you are looking for a polo shirt with a designer monograph - I have a couple of Burberry that are very nice, but at full retail they bugger belief. Mine were from the local "Savers" and are mint

What is s/n/b?

I actually prefer a polo with no logo.

I looked a Burberry a long time ago and did not like the fit...at least the ones I tried (which I admit was a long time ago, like 3-5 years) were an extremely body-hugging fit and the sales person said they are all that way (it was at a Burberry store).

 

[Tim_McD]

What is s/n/b?

Should Not Be, sorry for the TLA.....(three letter acronym)

 

[Acmemfg]

Lands End or perhaps Duluth Trading???

 

[12345Michael54321]

Try Lands' End.

They have dozens of different types of polos, so you can likely find something with the thickness you like, the material and weave you like, the fit you like, the type of sleeves (banded vs. hemmed) you like, etc.

They can be machine washed. I machine dry mine only until they're damp - not bone dry. Then hang them to finish drying. I prefer the final result that way, but that's just me. I have no fear of using an iron, but simply don't find it necessary with my polos.

They tend to be less expensive than Brooks Bros., Kent Want, Lacoste, etc. Particularly if using a coupon or buying when they're on sale, they can be much less expensive than those brands. As we head into September, I suspect end-of-summer-season sales on polo shirts will soon make themselves known.

You can buy a wide variety of LE polos, and return all the ones you don't like to your local Sears, for an easy refund. Or you can mail them back, of course. I've been a Lands' End customer since 1981, and have never had a problem with a return. Ever. (In fairness, I've shopped from L.L. Bean since the late '70s. In all that time, I've had precisely 1 problem getting a refund on a returned item. And that problem was resolved with a simple phone call.)

Unlike much of the competition, LE polos don't have a logo on the chest. Hey, I don't like logos on my shirts, any more than I like bumper stickers on my car. If Ralph Lauren wants me to advertise for him, let him pay me for my services.

The whole "Which polo shirt..." question has been discussed at length on various clothing-related online forums. I would suggest you go to www.askandyaboutclothes.com if you want to know more. (www.styleforum.net is another option, although I prefer the overall level of discourse on askandyaboutclothes.com ) It strikes me that a site dedicated to clothing-related matters would be a better place to go for advice on polo shirts, than is this, a site dedicated to shaving matters.

 

[anoop]

Unlike much of the competition, LE polos don't have a logo on the chest.

What do you mean?
http://www.landsend.com/products/mens-athleisure-chest-stripe-logo-polo/id_303526?sku_0=::WHI

 

[Edcculus]

It strikes me that a site dedicated to clothing-related matters would be a better place to go for advice on polo shirts, than is this, a site dedicated to shaving matters.

It might help, but this sub forum is specifically dedicated to clothing matters

 

[Edcculus]

Every time I do a cold water wash, I find that the clothes come out looking dull and there is detergent residue on the clothes.

Why is higher temperature worse for the environment, other than the energy needed to heat the water?

In the past, it was true that you needed higher temps for the surfactants in the detergent to do their work. They don't work as well in cold. Newer detergents use a variety of surfactants as well as enzymes to break everything down and pull it out of your clothes. Whether the more natural/non scented ones have the same things, I'm not too sure.

And in general, the environmental issue would be that you use more power (gas or electricity) in order to heat up the water.

 

[12345Michael54321]

this sub forum is specifically dedicated to clothing matters

I realize that. But it's also a relatively low traffic sub forum on a site dedicated to shaving. It's sort of how a steakhouse may have a small section of its menu devoted to pasta dishes, but one who's interested in pasta would still likely be better off dining at an Italian restaurant.

 

[anoop]

In the past, it was true that you needed higher temps for the surfactants in the detergent to do their work. They don't work as well in cold. Newer detergents use a variety of surfactants as well as enzymes to break everything down and pull it out of your clothes. Whether the more natural/non scented ones have the same things, I'm not too sure.

And in general, the environmental issue would be that you use more power (gas or electricity) in order to heat up the water.

They (the eco friendly detergents I have used) do claim to work in cold water as well, but my experience has shown otherwise. They work much, much better with higher temperatures.

 

[12345Michael54321]

What do you mean?

You know, something subtle and understated, like the logo on this Ralph Lauren shirt. (Yes, the pony logo is present. Look more carefully, if you don't notice it at first.):

 

[paintflinger]

In my experience J Press makes a polo on par with BB or RL. I've got a couple Lacostes that are nice as well. I would not buy either of them at full price though.