Polo, Round Neck and V-neck: Dress to the ‘tee’

Your wardrobe must contain these three neck styles in T-shirts. Yes, all three.

Any fashion stylist would tell you that the T-shirt makes a man. That’s…partly true. A creased tee or one with loud prints worn by a middle-aged man what eyesores! And yet, nobody can grudge a man his T-shirt, whatever his age and body shape. It’s like you simply can’t imagine a man without his share of T-shirts after all, there simply isn’t another garment that is so comfortable and versatile. From little toddler to the old man, every male on the planet has a large collection of t-shirts.

But where most men make a big mistake is in stocking up on just one type of tee neck. College boys and young men normally prefer round necks or V-necks. Then you will find men checking out polo necked T-shirts when they want slightly ‘serious’ T-shirts.

An unspoken rule in men’s fashion is: have all three neck types (polo, round and V) in your wardrobe, but be careful how you wear them. So Step 1 for you is to buy good colours and sizes in these three neck types. Step 2 is to wear them as follows:

V-neck:

These look best on young men with slim waists and broad shoulders. They serve to accentuate the waist area, so they draw attention to a pot belly or love handles. Men with toned torsos and slightly muscular arms can rock these T-shirts. V neck T-shirts are also the go-to option when a man wants to wear a tee under his blazer or leather jacket.

We have one tip to share: V-necked tees look best in white and black. And do not wear them with a gold chain around your neck unless you’re auditioning for a movie role as a Mafioso.

Round:

These are worn by everybody, and they were a hot pick last season when Dad Bods came into vogue. Whatever the man’s body shape or size, a round neck will also be suitable. However, these necks are best left to extremely casual occasions and they are excellent for the gym to soak up extra sweat at the neckline.

Keep a few options in white, thin cotton handy as an undershirt for your formal office shirt or when the weather gets a little nippy. Or if you want to wear it under a jacket, make sure the neck is really high up, over your collar bones.

Polo:

Is it casual wear or can you wear it to work? Does it look better with jeans or can you wear it over shorts? Stop playing the guessing game with your polo neck T-shirt: you can wear it with everything. Tennis players in England first sported this style with thick collars on white cotton tees. The style was later popularised by golf players from around the world. While some men think polo necks look better on their older relatives, the truth is that it is the best thing to have in every man’s wardrobe.

Whether worn to work or dressed up with a blazer, or worn for a picnic with friends or simply to lounge about with your girlfriend, a polo neck t-shirt is always at your beck and call.