The polo shirt is a staple of any guy’s summer wardrobe. Indeed, most days I find myself wearing chinos, a polo shirt, and a good pair of loafers (with no socks). Still, the hunt for the perfect polo shirts is a difficult one. One shirt might fit great in the bicep, while the length is no good. Another might be too slim, while another might be much to large. And then there is the trouble finding unique or interesting designs, fabrics, and patterns beyond a basic pique knit.
Now, while Zara is far from known for their high quality garments — and is not a place I would recommend for any super important pieces — for something like polos that fit nicely and have great designs, they could be a good bet. With that in mind, we placed an order for a bunch of them, and this is what we thought!
(Note: I am 6’1” and 165 lbs. and usually wear a 15.5” / 34 shirt in a slim or extra slim fit.)
Basic Striped Polo Shirt — $22.90: I went with a size small in this one, and it was, well, way too small. A size medium would have been perfect here, though they were sold out by the time I looked to re-order. Quality is actually very solid, and the pique knit is quite nice and rich. Feels like something, honestly, out of J Crew, believe it or not. I could do without the logo at the chest, though. Otherwise, a nice nautical option perfect for the summertime.
Jacquard Polo Shirt — $25.90: I really like this shirt. The fabric is super soft and comfortable, and feels like wearing a soft, thin, towel. The pin-dot design is super nice and unique, without being over the top, and it’s available in a bunch of colors. I actually tried both a Small and Medium in this shirt, and both fit pretty well. Here is, of course, the inconsistency with this. This size Small fit, but the one above did not. Plus, the size Small here had wider biceps than the size Medium, though the Medium was longer. But, look, with a store like Zara, consistency in fit is going to be an utter crapshoot. Order a whole bunch, and you’ll end up with a few you’re happy with. I ended up with two colors I like here, in two different sizes. But I like them both!
Printed Knit Polo Shirt — $45.90: I’m a sucker for nice, knit polo shirts. I just find them so classy and refined. They really elevate the look of a polo. The design here is perfect, but the fit is absurd. Despite being a size Medium, it fit way, way smaller and shorten than any of the other options. And, of course, all but sold out in all other sizes.
Before closing out this article, I just wanted to point out a few things. One, we used full retail prices here, but Zara perpetually runs sales, so keep an eye out for those. Yes, the starting prices are often very cheap, but you can get them for even less money if you buy smart. Second, Zara sells out of things constantly, but gets in new stock just as quickly. They’re fast fashion. So even if, in the likely event, that none of these exact polos are available at publishing time, there will be new, similar options available that just requires a little bit of looking around their site. Finally, Zara shipping is pretty quick (though their tracking service seemed to give me problems and wouldn’t work), though returns are a bit annoying, requiring you to wait for them to email you a return label. In all, then, a worthwhile stop if you’re looking for some good-looking polos that fit nice and trim.