Is This Piqué Polo The Key To Peak Style This Spring?
An investigation by Jake Woolf and men’s style writer Max Berlinger.
This is a collaborative post between Jake Woolf and Max Berlinger of Add2Cart. Subscribe to either newsletter to read the post in full!
For the last few years, the discussion around polo shirts has been dominated by a particular kind of knitted, patterned, often colorful version. Lauded for their bicep-hugging cuts and head-turning patterns, these shirts have come to represent, for many men, a one-stop shopping solution that promises to inject their summer style with some retro flare. I myself posted a guide to getting Dickie Greenleaf’s Talented Mr. Ripley style on TikTok a few years back, admittedly, but in 2026, the whole “‘50s Mediterranean vacation” thing has frankly gotten a little out of hand.
There’s no more proof needed for this than the fact that every fast fashion brand on the planet is currently stocking some “vintage-inspired” knit polo in their collection, which to me signals one thing: we’re due for a reset. And I don’t mean we just need to return to minimal, button-adorned, solid-hued knit polos, which at this point I think we can all agree aren’t, and shouldn’t go anywhere. Rather, I mean we’re due for a resurgence of the kinds of truly classic polos that were once inescapable: those done up in sporty, sophisticated piqué cotton, and which often even at their most shouty only don the subtle, sometimes iconic logo of their maker.
I dabbled with this idea last summer, when I scooped up a handful of short sleeve original fit polo shirts from Ralph Lauren, which, for what it’s worth, I basically consider to be the platonic ideal of the form. But this summer, I decided Ralph wasn’t old school enough, and as a result, turned back the style clock all the way to the version that literally started it all nearly 100 years ago. Having worn this shirt for a few days straight now, I have to say, I was right to assume this is a shirt that deserves a permanent place in my arsenal. In short, you can expect to see it in very heavy rotation in my arsenal in the coming months.
What validated this feeling even more was when I realized I am far from alone in this “pique is peaking” thinking. Enter Max Berlinger, the esteemed writer who I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for over a decade since we were blogging our behinds off at GQ, and who, among other things, I’ve found over the years to be a reliable source of encouragement (read: enablement) whenever I want to make a big ticket purchase.
As it turns out, while I was in the middle of trying to determine which size polo to get, Max informed me that he had literally just purchased the same one for himself. He went on to say that wearing it had unlocked what he considered to be the secret to timeless, simple, easygoing style this season. In fact, Max is the reason you’re reading this right now, as he insisted our readerships deserve an explanation as to why we both have decided right now is the time to buy this exact shirt.
Which brings us to today’s post. Below, Max and I shared a little back and forth conversation about why we both decided that this shirt—which is navy blue, long sleeve, and relatively affordable—is the one we both agree is due for a resurgence, even if it’s only in our own wardrobes. We discussed our inspirations for buying them, what about them makes them in our opinion the best option on the market, and how we plan to wear them from now until at least Labor Day. Enjoy!!!
Subscribe to keep read my conversation with Max and the 12 best long sleeve pique cotton polos on the market to buy right now.
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