The Thousands

As these summer months drift by, the males among us are faced with a puzzling dilemma in terms of what to wear up top. The collared shirt with rolled up sleeves looks smart, but it’s not exactly practical, particularly if you’re faithful to the current top-button-done-uptrend. T-shirts get a bit boring and are a tad too casual for some events, while singlets are the domain of body-builders and tradies.

The answer is sporty, casual, preppy and cool, wrapped up in a tidy pique package. The humble polo shirt goes with anything you care to throw at it, from shorts to chinos or well-worn jeans, with a blazer thrown over the top if you’re feeling a bit Richie Tenenbaum.**The picks of the bunch are This is Not a Polo Shirt, an off-shoot line from the impressive LA-based Band of Outsiders. Released internationally on Jan 20, these Japanese made, ultra-fine numbers are destined to rise through the ranks to become your ‘golden boy‘. The other big players are the croc, the crest and the dude on the horse, all of which are on sale from the obvious outlets around town. Stick to block colours or simple stripes, avoid flipping the collar of course and think McEnroe, not Warney.