The knit polo guide
What makes a good one, how to wear it, and what to look for before you buy.
A knit polo sits somewhere between a fine jumper and a dress shirt — structured enough for dinner, comfortable enough for a Saturday. This guide covers what actually matters when choosing one: construction, fit, fabric weight, and how to style it without looking like you're trying too hard.
What makes a knit polo different
A knit polo isn't a t-shirt with a collar bolted on. Most high-street polos are woven pique cotton — bumpy, slightly stiff, grid-textured. A knit polo is knitted from yarn on fine-gauge machines, producing a smooth, drapey material with natural stretch that moves with you rather than sitting rigidly on your frame.
It doesn't bunch at the waist or balloon at the sides. The collar lies flatter and holds its shape, which is why a knit polo works under a blazer where a standard polo looks out of place. The trade-off is care: knits are more prone to snagging, and cheaper versions pill quickly — construction quality matters here more than almost any other garment. See our care guide for knits for specifics.
Fabric weight: fine gauge vs chunky knit
Fine gauge (12+)
Smooth and lightweight. Layers under jackets, works in warm weather, sharp enough for a restaurant. Our Riviera Collection uses fine-gauge pure cotton knit.
Mid-weight (7–10)
Visible texture and warmth. Best for autumn and spring, worn alone or under an overcoat — bridging a polo and a lightweight jumper.
Chunky (5 and below)
Statement pieces — thick, textured, clearly casual. Great for winter weekends, wrong for almost everything else.
Pure cotton breathes best
Cotton and cotton-silk soften with wear; avoid high polyester content, which pills and traps heat. Every LCY polo lists its exact composition.
How a knit polo should fit
The shoulder seam should sit at the edge of your shoulder bone — not drooping down your arm, not pulling towards your neck. This is the one measurement you can't fix with tailoring, so get it right first. Through the body, the polo should follow your shape without clinging; you should be able to pinch about an inch of fabric at the side seam.
Length should finish at or just below the belt line — short enough to wear untucked with clean proportions, long enough to tuck. Sleeves end at mid-bicep for short sleeves, or the wrist bone for long. If you're between sizes, our sizing guide has measurements for every product. Knit fabric relaxes slightly after the first few wears, so don't size up to compensate.
Fine-gauge pure cotton knit polos
Four ways to wear it
With tailored trousers and a blazer. A fine-gauge polo in navy or charcoal under an unstructured blazer replaces a dress shirt for most smart-casual situations. With chinos or dark denim, on its own — the everyday outfit, where fit matters most. Stick to solid colours or subtle textures and avoid large logos.
Layered under a mac or overcoat, a long-sleeve knit polo replaces a shirt-and-jumper combination — thinner, cleaner, more intentional. Open collar, rolled sleeves, relaxed for holidays and warm evenings; browse our summer collection for options built for exactly this.
What to look for before you buy
Fabric composition — pure cotton breathes and softens; avoid high polyester. Collar construction — it should hold shape without curling, even after washing. Seam finishing — turn the garment inside out; linked seams joined stitch-by-stitch are the gold standard: flat, flexible, almost invisible.
Button quality — shell or corozo buttons feel solid against knit fabric; cheap plastic cheapens the whole garment, and buttonholes are where corners get cut first. These four checks separate a knit polo worth owning from a disposable one.
Designed in London, made in Sri Lanka — an 18-point quality inspection on every polo
How we make ours
Every LCY London knit polo is made in our single production facility in Sri Lanka by a team averaging 25+ years of experience. The process starts with cotton selection — each batch tested for fibre strength, consistency, and hand-feel before production begins. Our fabrics carry OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, independently tested for over 100 harmful substances.
Patterns are designed in London and adapted by our master pattern cutter, with knitting overseen by our head of knitting of 25 years. Each finished polo passes an 18-point quality inspection covering stitching, seam strength, colour accuracy, button security, and collar shape. Read the full story on our production page.
Styling & fit
From shoulder seam to hem length, get the fit right first. Our styling and buying guides cover every measurement.
Care & quality
Knits reward proper care. Learn how to wash, dry, and store them to avoid pilling and keep their shape.
Behind the brand
OEKO-TEX certified fabrics, an 18-point inspection, and 25+ years of craft behind every garment we make.
Find your knit polo
Pure cotton, fine-gauge knit polos. Designed in London, made in Sri Lanka.