The polo shirt was born out of the necessity for athletic function. It was first designed by a guy named, René Lacoste. (Ring a bell?)
René was an ‘idea guy’ and he also happened to be a heck of a tennis player. Although he won seven grand slam titles, his greatest contribution to the game of tennis was likely sartorial. Tired of stiff and uncomfortable tennis attire that consisted of long-sleeve dress shirts, wool pants and ties, Lacoste caused a stir at the 1926 U.S. Open when he rolled up on the West Side Tennis Club in New York in a polo shirt. If only Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were around then, @ReneLacoste and #polo would have been trending hard.
SEE ALSO: Spring Essentials: J.Lindeberg Tour Tech TX Polo & Elof Pant
Golf attire in the 20’s was just as cumbersome as tennis attire, so it didn’t take long for the polo shirt to make the trip across the country club parking lot to the golf course. Since then it has been the de facto choice of golfers (except for that brief period a decade ago when those hideous mock necks were trending, and I blame Tiger for those).
Given the polo’s fashion- and performance-based roots, it is no surprise that J.Lindeberg Golf, a brand that has built its reputation on bridging the gap of fashion and function, would elevate the polo shirt to new levels of style and performance this season through a variety of designs, fabrics, colors and modern fits.
While any polo from J.Lindeberg’s SS’15 Collection is sure to put you on point, here is a list of GolfThreads’ seven must-have polos from JL for summer.
Joakim TX Jersey
While this list isn’t in any particular order, I did reserve the top spot for the Joakim, which is my favorite J.Lindeberg polo to wear on the course right now. If you are going to buy one JL polo this summer, make it this one. It offers a clean, modern and athletic look that will help you stand out for all the right reasons.
J.Lindeberg didn’t cut any corners with this shirt. The two horizontal color blocked stripes were created using a cut-and-sew method to elevate the look. Sublimated prints? Not here.
The Joakim is fabricated from J.Lindeberg’s new TX+ technical fabric, which is perfect for taking on the heat and humidity of summer. Although the TX+ fabric was just introduced last year, it has already become JL’s best selling fabric and it is easy to see why. It is lightweight and stretchy, and it does a great job of wicking moisture. It also offers UV-protection and employs anti-odor technology, which even if you don’t appreciate it, your playing partners most certainly will.
Final round of the club championship? You can bet I’m slipping on the Joakim in plum.
The Joakim has a regular fit. Order your normal size.
Tyr TX Jersey
The Tyr is not only one of my favorites, but it has also been a favorite of J.Lindeberg brand ambassadors, like Jamie Donaldson. It is also the latest example of how JL’s design team excels at elegantly incorporating the brand’s logo into its polos.
The Tyr is unique in the fact that it offers a confluence of styles. The TX+ technical jersey offers an athletic, high performance vibe. The ‘JL’ graphic on the front is an ultra modern detail. The tipping on the collar and cuffs will surely take you back to the classic looks of the 50s and 60s. That is until you hit that solid core ball with that 460cc titanium rocket launcher.
The Tyr has a regular fit. Order your normal size.
KV TX Jersey
Speaking of elegantly incorporating a logo into a design, J.Lindeberg’s new KV polo offers a modern take on the brand’s iconic Lachlan Cool Wave polo. As with the Lachlan, the bold ‘JL’ bridge logo stretches across the back and sleeves of the KV. The ribbed collar and cuffs offer a classic touch, while the logo on the collar provides an elevated Tour-quality feel. Like the aforementioned Joakim and Tyr, the KV provides top-shelf performance through the TX+ technical fabric.
The KV is a quintessential JL polo that every fashion conscious golfer should have in his sartorial arsenal this summer.
The KV has a regular fit. Order your normal size.
Tour Tech TX Jersey
I did a full review of the Tour Tech polo a few weeks ago. You can check it out here, but if you are too lazy, here’s the scoop.
The Tour Tech is a golf wardrobe essential for the season that takes you to a place where classic good looks and a clean aesthetic meet contemporary details. The three-button placket, solid colors, and ribbed collars and cuffs are a tip of the cap to the effortless styles of the Golden Age of the game, while the high performance TX+ fabric and well-tailored fit are distinctly modern.
The Tour Tech polo should be at the foundation of every stylish golfer’s wardrobe.
The Tour Tech has a slim fit. Order one size up.
Cail Tech Mesh Jersey
That hybrid may be the most versatile club in your bag, but the Cail Tech Mesh polo will surely be the most versatile polo in your closet. The Cail takes the cotton/poly blend to another dimension by layering a soft pima cotton exterior over a moisture-wicking technical interior. Brilliant!
At a time when the entire golf apparel industry is talking about polos that transition from the course to life, the Cail is one of the few that live up to the hype. Whether you are playing an early morning, mid-day or twilight round, you can effortlessly head to the coffee bar, burger joint or pub afterwards in the Cail. You will be the only one that knows you are experiencing the comfort of a moisture-wicking fabric under that good looking cotton exterior.
The Cail has a regular fit. Order your normal size.
Egon Printed Lux Jersey
Looking to take your style out of this world? Check out the all-over rocket dots print on the Egon. This pattern of small tonal circles plays into the biggest trend in golf fashion this season — prints! Not to mention, it adds some serious texture and pizzazz to any look.
Thanks to its 100% cotton jersey fabric, you will likely wear the Egon as often off the course as you will on it. Pair it with classic chino shorts, grab the cooler and potato salad, and head out to that boring office picnic. You are guaranteed to look better than Bob from accounting.
The Egon has a slim fit. Order one size up.
Rubi Drape Jacquard
The Rubi has been a classic style from J.Lindeberg for as long as I can remember. For 2015 though, JL has put a modern and technical twist on it. For those of you who are not all in on prints yet, the Rubi Drape Jacquard is a perfect way to dip your toes into this trend. The tonal dog tooth pattern is bold and adds a rich texture, but it is not loud or over the top.
The Rubi Drape Jacquard also received a high performance fabric upgrade with a polyester, viscose and elastane blend. The result is a lightweight knit fabric that has the look and soft hand feel of a cotton polo, but it also breathes extremely well and provides the stretch you need to rip a tee shot. The textured jacquard knit collar brings an elevated, high fashion aesthetic to it, as well.
While there is still plenty of golf left in summer, this is the time when retailers begin to make room for the upcoming fall collections. What does that mean for you? Bargains! Most of these J.Lindeberg polos can now be had at discounted prices through Trendygolf, Fairway Styles and other e-commerce and green grass shops. What are you waiting for?!