| The average shirt worn by a man is typically designed | | | | its popularity has remained the greatest in the hotter |
| to serve a purpose: as a covering. It gives protection, | | | | areas of the world, such as South Asia. |
| and acts as a temperature regulation mechanism. | | | | In India, the granddad shirt became very popular under |
| However, even in these designs primarily aimed at | | | | the rule of Jawaharlal Nehru in the 1950s. This Indian |
| pragmatic use, there can be found a lot of trends in | | | | Prime Minister could often be seen wearing one of |
| fashion. Think back to the paintings of the classical | | | | these shirts, even at formal occasions. In America, the |
| painters wearing their collarless shirts with roomy, | | | | granddad shirt could be found on Sammy Davis Jr. |
| billowing sleeves. Compare that to the button-down | | | | Later these shirts could be found on the trend-setting |
| shirts worn as formal attire in the twentieth century. As | | | | actor named Steven Segal. Still today, many stars can |
| the marketplace becomes more and more global, it | | | | be seen wearing a bohemian version of the granddad |
| seems that men's shirts and fashions are changing | | | | shirt, with bright colors. |
| faster than ever. | | | | The button-down formal shirt has remained popular |
| One of the most interesting developments in men's | | | | through all of these developments in men's shirts and |
| shirts and fashion of the 20th century was the | | | | fashion. Its history is long enough that it is hard to |
| development of the polo shirt. Some people have | | | | precisely pinpoint how this example of men's shirts and |
| come to also call this a tennis shirt. It was actually | | | | fashion came into being. |
| invented by Rene Lacoste in 1929. Who was Rene | | | | One of the proposed theories on the origin of the |
| Lacoste? He was a famous French tennis player. | | | | button-down shirt is traced back to an English polo |
| The polo shirt provided a loose alternative for the | | | | match. Players had clipped down their collars to keep |
| tennis player to the rigid dress shirts they had | | | | them from blowing around in their faces. |
| traditionally worn. The commercialization of the polo | | | | Another theory of the origin of the button-down shirt |
| shirt really didn't peak until Ralph Lauren developed its | | | | maintains that it was invented in New York City. Again, |
| Polo collection in the 1960s. This Polo collection stayed | | | | this theory maintains that a man was annoyed by the |
| in fashion for many years. In fact, it was popular so | | | | wind flapping his collars in the wind so he added |
| long that it came to be considered a common clothing | | | | buttons to hold them down. |
| category. It isn't worn by tennis players much anymore, | | | | While button-down shirts are mostly worn to convey |
| but the polo shirt is still seen among common people of | | | | some level of formality these days, at various times |
| many cultures. | | | | they have also been considered to be fashionable |
| Another one of the interesting examples of men's | | | | men's shirts for more relaxed settings. In the more |
| shirts and fashion for study is the granddad shirt. This | | | | casual settings, these shirts can contain all sorts of |
| shirt has maintained a long era of popularity. The | | | | designs on them. Hawaiian-style button-down shirts |
| granddad shirt is a collarless shirt that is ideal for | | | | have been popular for casual settings for many years |
| staying cool on warm days. It is not surprising then that | | | | now, particularly during warm weather. |