Are Ralph Lauren Polos Worth It? Iconic Preppy Shirt Review

#ralphlauren #poloshirts #notsponsored #reviews

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→ Script: Tyler Domecq & Kyle Thibodeaux
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→ Editing: Jonathan Oster
→ Supervision: Jack Collins & Preston Schlueter
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Gentleman's Gazette

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

[brettlabelle]

I have about dozen that are 25-30 years old. No buttons have fallen off, no stitching has unraveled, some fading in the darker colors, as is to be expected. They are undoubtedly the highest quality clothing purchase I've ever made. The majority of them were Polo Outlet Store purchases, too.

[blxxdbpsfoo]

I never rocked Polo in highschool, and I regret it, but once I hit my late teens/early 20s, I never looked back once I put that shirt on. I hit them up every holiday I can get, and I'm addicted to the colors, and artwork of the bears. I can't go a year without hitting the Polo store up!!

[chrisguy]

This channel is so underrated it's a crime. I really appreciate the time and effort you guys put into these videos. If you guys ever make a channel specifically about being a gentleman in general rather than clothes I would 100% be here for it.

[babygerald]

I'm regularly impressed by the construction, quality, and longevity of my long-sleeve Polo rugby shirts. I've had at least four that I purchased secondhand for next to nothing and they are as nice as the day I bought them. Price-per-wear must be in the nickels by now. I've added a couple from the Polo store when they go on sale and for the price there are no equals.

[dakotaescher]

I wear quite a bit of Ralph Lauren because it fits my body well and the materials are of good quality and lasts. However, I buy when the stores are having sales. Example: 65% off and take another 45% off of that, as a good example. I never buy full price.

[Pudgeorama]

I think the RL polos always look classy. It's interesting to hear about the history of his fashion development and your take on the shirts themselves. I always learn something from your videos and this one is great too!

[feonaarabellaparaiso]

I am not a fan of them for myself, but my mother’s and brother’s Ralph Lauren polos are definitely worth the price for how often they wear them and how long they’ve lasted. My mother still has polos that she wore when I was in kindergarten (I am 30 now), and the same polos my brother bought in college are the ones he now wears on casual days.

[magicalframe]

I've purchased second hand Ralph Lauren polos, including some from their golf line, And they've all been wonderful. I work at a department store and often get stuck doing grunt work, but they've held up very well. The long tails are much appreciated when your squatting done to move stock.

[hugosalazar]

That’s what I love about Ralph Lauren. Old money “vibe” and the unmatched quality.

[LyonTheGreat]

Got a few in my closet. The oldest polo I've had for 3 years at this point. Yes it's faded quite a bit since I got it, but I've encountered zero issues with material or stitching failure. Good purchase.

[SimonTBam]

I have probably between 20 and 30 Ralph Lauren Polo shirts in various cuts and colors, mixed up of the Polo and Polo Sports and Purple Label lines. The quality of the Polo shirts is consistent, and in my experience, is of a higher quality than most of its competitors. The Purple Label line polo shirts are hand made in Italy rather than machine made in China, or Bangladesh or whatever so are of course of a much higher quality but all of them across the line have magnificent versatility and can be worn with a blazer or sports jacket and a pair of pleated sartorial style pants or with chinos of jeans for a more casual look. They can also as a result go with different footwear from loafers and boat shoes to a more formal Oxford shoe depending on the pants worn. Personally I think Ralph Lauren's Polo shirts are an excellent investment in a gentleman's wardrobe.

[AryanneHoofler]

Worth enough to wear daily, but not enough to never wear anything else.

[promostuntz]

while living in an impoverished area we had a table the hallway of a building where people brought different items and clothes they would not use anymore. One day i found 3 RL polos fitting perfectly. One had a whole but i t didnt bother. I still have those 3 polo 5 years later and they feel brand new everytime i wear them. I bought some stone island and lacoste polos and the quality is no where near them RL polos. Maybe its because they are old and quality was different back then.

[creativeartbyluvensky]

Super presentation. I love Ralph Lauren shirts since when I was a kid feeling the fabric was always made me feel comfortable.

[bsilvabr]

I have about 25 some I have owned for over 20 years. Take care of them and they stay looking great. Only polos I own.

[RMA__]

I’ve had a RL Polo shirt for 13 years now. Its faded slightly but still fits great!

[craft-o-matic]

Been a fan of Ralph Lauren for many years, and as a woman, I have a soft spot for preppy style. Love the polos, and other classically styled pieces from the lines because they tend to fit my body best.
Great job Kyle!
Lisa

[savariaxa]

I still have my Polo Ralph Lauren polo from 1989 blue red grey pattern and white collar made in the USA !

[srdjandedic]

IMO they are worth it. I'm wearing some of them since I was in high school for over 15 years, and they still look fairly ok. White or different shades of red in slim fit are iconic.

Every year I buy one at least. Generally polos in mesh cloth are better quality than in other styles. I don't find any decay in quality over the years, but I generally buy them in RL shops on sale in Western Europe so that might be also a factor. In outlets I generally don't like how only classic fit in not so popular colors is present

[harmoniaartificiosa]

I wear RL Polos all the time, but hardly ever the classic mesh. My favorite is their soft cotton polo. The fabric has an inherent cool feel to it and provides you with a better drape. It also has a three-button placket, which looks slightly better IMO.