Are Ralph Lauren Polos Worth It? Iconic Preppy Shirt Review

Our detailed review of the iconic Ralph Lauren Polo shirts and whether they're worth your money: https://gentl.mn/ralph-lauren-polos-r...

#ralphlauren #poloshirts #notsponsored #reviews

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→ Roberto Ugolini - Marzocco: https://gentl.mn/robertougolini-marzocco

GUIDES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS:
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→ Sunspel - Is It Worth It?: https://gentl.mn/review-sunspel-polos...
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→ Polo Shirts: https://gentl.mn/guide-polo-shirt1
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→ Script: Tyler Domecq & Kyle Thibodeaux
→ Camera: Graham Zima
→ Editing: Jonathan Oster
→ Supervision: Jack Collins & Preston Schlueter
→ United Artists

IMAGE CREDITS:
→ Harper's Bazaar
→ Vintage Dancer
→ Esquire
→ Ano
→ The Guardian

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00:00 Ralph Lauren Polo Shirts Introduction

The Ralph Lauren Polo shirt is a staple of prep style and has become near ubiquitous as a piece in many of our closets. The iconic pony logo is recognized across the globe as a symbol of luxury and it’s usually the first thing many people think of when they imagine a polo shirt.

00:45 The History of Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren was founded by Ralph Lifshitz in 1967. He named the company “Ralph Lauren” because he thought it’d be more marketable than with his true last name.

The Polo brand only grew in prestige after being featured prominently in 1974’s The Great Gatsby and later Annie Hall. The brand then gained global recognition as they expanded outside of the US starting in the 80s. The added global attention brought them in direct competition with LaCoste, who was the one who arguably first invented the original shirt style and Sunspel, who helped to popularize the pique cotton that polo shirts were made of.

03:25 Ralph Lauren Polos in Contemporary Menswear

The popularity of Ralph Lauren Polos has remained a consistent mainstay in mainstream fashion, though they have ebbed and flowed throughout pop culture. The “pony” so prominently featured in Polo’s clothing got its initial appeal as a status symbol and remains a cornerstone of the brand to this day.

04:53 Ralph Lauren Polo Product Range

One of Ralph Lauren’s most defining decisions was to break the brand down into several different lines. The actual Polo line has a large variety of offerings outside of their classic short sleeve mesh polo at $110 retail. This includes long-sleeved polos, polos with pockets and some interesting fabrics like Terry Cloth.

08:30 Ralph Lauren Polo Construction

On the Ralph Lauren site, the iconic mesh shirt is simply listed as being made of “cotton”. Sure, there’s cotton in there, but without a listed amount it’s impossible to be certain it’s 100% cotton. It also has a ribbed collar, two-button placket, and ribbed armbands which are classic design features. We also don’t get any information on if the buttons are plastic, shell, or MOP. When you look at the stitching around the buttonholes, you can see that they’re stitched and then cut.

With all of these construction methods in mind, it looks like the classic polo shirt is definitely a mass-manufactured item.

09:47 Assessing Ralph Lauren Polo Shirts

13:09 Is It Worth It?

If you’re a fan of the Ralph Lauren brand, and like the history and prestige behind it, the Polo line Polo shirts are perhaps one of the most iconic garments they make. The Polo Line shirt certainly can be a dependable, good-looking product that is a perfectly valid option as an addition to your wardrobe. Ultimately making the Ralph Lauren Polo line Polo shirts worth it, on average.

14:18 Outfit Rundown