I Wore a J.Crew Polo for a Week. And I Could’ve Kept Going

Lately it’s been looking like an episode of The O.C. out there, with cargo shorts, piqué polo shirts, Brad Pitt buzz cuts, and flip-flops taking over the streets. But where three of those were recently yanked out of a vault labeled “Y2K” (left inside: a Nokia, center-part haircuts, visors), the humble piqué polo never went away. And never will.

If you don’t recognize the word “piqué,” you know the texture. Subtly bumpy, like a waffle cone, it’s the result of raised parallel ribs that give the cotton fabric both structure and breathability. The result is a polo that’s crisp, springy, and light.

The piqué polo first arrived on the back of French tennis legend René Lacoste, the Crocodile himself, during the 1926 U.S. Open. He later linked with French knitwear guru André Gillier in 1933 to mass-produce it—and in doing so, changed the game for American menswear.

The piqué polo may have ceded some of the spotlight to other styles the past few years—your buttonless polos, knit polos, etc.—but every time I pull one on, I’m reminded why it remains the king of casual shirts. It’s low maintenance, built for work or weekends, and gets better with age.

To remind myself just how pitch-perfect the piqué polo truly is, I set myself a challenge: wear one every day for a week. Specifically, these two J.Crew piqué polos:

Yes, Lacoste is the O.G., but The Crew’s been making its classic version since the ’80s, with all the details nailed: short sleeves, button placket, and a straight, above-the-hip cut. The mall brand makes a couple other riffs—a washed-down version (the brown one above); one with a low-key “oarsmen” logo on the sleeve. But nothing out of pocket.

So I grabbed those two J.Crew classic piqué polos and wore them on rotation for a week straight. They handled a heat wave, museum visits, coffee runs, grill mode, and almost any fit I could imagine. Here’s how it went.

Outfit #1: Recess, reimagined

Omar Atwan

Omar Atwan

Back in sixth grade, I had to wear a school uniform: a polo shirt and khaki chinos. At the time it felt like fashion jail—but as an adult, I’ve come to appreciate the simplicity. So I pulled on a navy polo: it’s less hot than black, hides stains better than white, and doesn’t broadcast pit sweat like gray.

To avoid looking like I just hopped off a big yellow bus, I added a pair of cutoff chino shorts from J.Crew’s upmarket Wallace & Barnes line. A longer 8″ inseam and subtle pleats make them feel like a pair of military chinos—but breezier.

I topped everything off with a sunwashed canvas shirt from L.L. Bean and some classic canvas sneakers. Summer uniform: activated.

Outfit #2: He’s heating up!

Omar Atwan

Omar Atwan

A late-June heatwave crushed a large part of the country, including my neck of the woods—but that’s no excuse for not getting a fit off. Luckily, summer-weight jeans exist, and Madewell makes a solid pair: billowy, medium-wash, and cut from a cotton-linen blend that won’t glue itself to your legs.