Best luxury polo shirts and tees (2026): buy these, skip those

Every piece, one line each

Buy: Sunspel Riviera Polo ($150–$190). Riviera polo in Q100 cotton. Buy it if you want luxury quality for less; skip it if you want status.

Buy: Sunspel Classic T-Shirt ($85–$110). Supima cotton T-shirt. Buy it if you want the best basic tee; skip it if you want a logo.

Buy: John Smedley Isis Polo ($200–$260). Sea Island cotton polo. Buy it if you want a fine knit polo; skip it if you want pique.

Buy: Brunello Cucinelli Knit Polo ($700–$950). Cotton knit polo. Buy it if you want refined; skip it if you want sporty.

Buy: Zegna Silk Cotton Polo ($600–$800). Silk cotton blend polo. Buy it if you want smart; skip it if you want casual.

Buy: Orlebar Brown Sebastian Polo ($200–$300). Terry polo. Buy it if you want resort; skip it if you want formal.

Buy: Ralph Lauren Purple Label Knit Polo ($400–$550). Silk-cotton knit. Buy it if you want refined; skip it if you want pique.

Consider: Loro Piana Cotton Polo ($600–$850). Fine cotton polo. Buy it if you want quiet luxury; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Ralph Lauren Purple Label Pique Polo ($300–$400). Fine pique polo. Buy it if you want American luxury; skip it if you want quiet.

Consider: Loro Piana Cashmere Polo ($1,500–$2,000). Cashmere polo. Buy it if you want cashmere; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Brunello Cucinelli Cotton Tee ($350–$450). Cotton jersey tee. Buy it if you want quiet; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Kiton Pique Polo ($800–$1,100). Polo. Buy it if you want Kiton; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Brioni Silk Polo ($900–$1,200). Silk polo. Buy it if you want silk; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Zegna Pure Cotton Tee ($300–$400). Cotton tee. Buy it if you want quality; skip it if you want value.

Consider: Thom Browne Pique Polo ($400–$500). Pique polo with stripe. Buy it if you want Thom Browne; skip it if you want quiet.

Skip: Tom Ford Silk Polo ($800–$1,000). Silk-cotton polo. Buy it if you want Tom Ford; skip it if you want value.

Skip: Prada Re-Nylon Polo ($900–$1,100). Cotton polo with nylon trim. Buy it if you want Prada; skip it if you want value.

How we sorted them

How we make the call: we read the house’s own product details and care guides, compare materials and construction, follow owners’ long-term experience and track the usual retail and resale prices. A piece gets “Buy” only if we would tell a friend to spend that money on it. No fashion house can pay for a verdict. Fabric: long-staple cotton pique and fine knitted cotton or silk keep shape and color after many washes.

When to buy

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

US and Europe

Buying in Europe: Italian tailoring uses chest sizes such as IT 48 or 50 (about a US 38 or 40), while knitwear and outerwear use S–XL or IT sizes depending on the house. A European tailor can adjust sleeves and hems on any jacket.

Polos and tees go on sale each summer; buy navy, white and gray, which never date.