The Legacy Journal Knitted polo
What to wear with a polo shirt: knitted polo outfit ideas
Chinos, jeans, a blazer or a jumper over the top: what to wear with a polo shirt, with five knitted polo outfits from our own rails.
The pieces in this guide.
Knitted in Sri Lanka since 1997.
Wear a polo shirt with chinos, dark jeans or grey wool trousers, and finish with loafers or clean leather trainers. If you want one outfit to start from, take stone chinos, suede loafers and a navy knit from our knitted polo shirts. That covers dinner, a Friday at the office and a Sunday lunch.
A knitted polo works with most of what you already own. The knit gives it structure a T-shirt lacks, and the open collar keeps it easier than a shirt, so it sits in the useful middle of a wardrobe. The pairings below come from how we shoot our campaigns and what customers in our Colombo stores buy together.
Pair your polo shirt with the right trousers
Trousers decide how the polo reads, so start the pairing there. Cream chinos push it towards the Riviera. A grey wool trouser makes it office-ready and smart casual. If you buy one pair of trousers for your polos, make it cream or stone cotton: navy, butter, rust orange and mint all sit well against it.
Polo shirt with jeans
Dark denim keeps a polo outfit casual without drifting into scruff. Choose a straight or slim fit and let the hem sit over the waistband. A textured knit such as the Capri Wave zip polo gives the casual look more to it than a plain T-shirt would, and clean leather trainers finish it.
With tailoring
A fine-gauge knitted polo replaces the shirt under a blazer. Wear it untucked under an unstructured navy jacket; the ribbed hem finishes at the hip, so it looks deliberate. Choose a quiet knit such as the Limoncello Pinstripe rather than a bold jacquard when a jacket is involved. One pattern per outfit is a sound rule.
What to wear over a polo shirt
A British autumn calls for a layer, and a polo takes one well. Keep the polo as the thinnest thing you wear and try one of these:
- An overshirt, worn open: the Tonal Abstract Print Overshirt goes over a plain-coloured knit.
- A jumper, with the collar out: a crew neck or the Essential Half Zip. Our cotton jumpers guide covers the rest.
- A cardigan or a camel coat: a soft cardigan for indoors, a coat for the walk there.
Off duty
In warmer weather, treat the knitted polo as the smartest thing in your case. Tailored shorts in stone, espadrilles or leather sandals, and a textured knit such as our Sorrento chevron polo. Fine-gauge knitting builds airflow into the fabric itself, which is why the same polo handles Colombo humidity and a London heatwave without complaint.
Colour pairings that work
Match saturation rather than colour. Navy with cream. Pine green with stone. Rust orange with white or ecru. Butter with grey. A white polo shirt takes navy chinos, a black polo shirt takes charcoal trousers at night, and a blue polo shirt sits well with beige. If the polo carries a pattern, pick trousers in one of the pattern's own colours and you will rarely go wrong.
Five polo shirt outfit ideas from our own rails
- Dinner: the 3D Optical Geometric Knit in a deep tone, charcoal trousers, dark loafers.
- Office Friday: the Limoncello Pinstripe under an unstructured navy blazer, cream chinos, clean leather shoes.
- Holiday: a zip-collar knit from the bestsellers, stone shorts, espadrilles.
- Weekend: the Interlocking Tile knit in beige, dark jeans, leather trainers.
- A cold day: the Sorrento in grey under an open overshirt, navy chinos, suede loafers.
See every style in our men's knitted polo shirts collection. New to the fabric? Our knitted polo guide covers what to look for and how it should fit.
Frequently asked questions
What should you wear with a polo shirt?
Chinos, dark jeans or grey wool trousers, with loafers or clean leather trainers. For a first outfit, take stone chinos, suede loafers and a navy knitted polo.
Can you wear jeans with a polo shirt?
Yes. Dark denim in a straight or slim fit suits a polo best, with clean leather trainers or suede loafers. Save pale, ripped jeans for a T-shirt.
What can you wear over a polo shirt?
An unstructured blazer, an open overshirt, a cardigan or a crew-neck jumper with the collar out. Keep the polo as the thinnest layer.
Can you wear a knitted polo with a suit?
With a soft, unstructured suit, yes. The knit matches the relaxed construction. Skip it with structured business suits; the formality clashes.
Tucked or untucked?
Untucked. The ribbed hem is knitted to sit at the hip. Tucking it adds bulk at the waist and hides the finish.
What shoes go with a knitted polo?
Loafers, clean leather trainers, espadrilles in summer. Keep the shoes as light as the fabric; heavy boots overpower a fine-gauge knit.
How should a polo shirt fit?
The shoulder seam sits on your shoulder, the sleeve stops mid-bicep and the hem falls at the hip. Compare your own polo with the chart on how we measure before you order.
