| A tennis shirt, polo shirt or golf shirt all refers to a type | | | | and informal some time in the twentieth century, |
| of t-shirt that is made of knitted cloth, usually pique | | | | golfers did not think twice about adopting the tennis |
| cotton. Its style is customarily with some buttons down | | | | shirt. Until today, most golfers wear nothing else. For |
| a slit below the collar, two small cuts on the bottom of | | | | the ladies, they can have their tennis shirt custom |
| each side of the t-shirt and maybe with or without a | | | | made in colors that they like. The only difference is |
| pocket. On rare occasions are tennis shirts made of | | | | that the monicker “golf shirts" have various golf |
| silk, merino wool or synthetic fibers. | | | | cuts necessary to incorporate into the standard tennis |
| Between the nineteenth and early twentieth century, | | | | shirts. Today, the tennis shirt’s popularity is so |
| tennis players had a tough time playing their games as | | | | widespread that it has a line of fashion of its own. |
| a result of poor design of their attire. In those days, | | | | Most of the main clothing producers have a version or |
| they had to wear long-sleeved shirts, trousers and | | | | variation of Lacoste’s tennis shirt since it is worn |
| even ties to the tennis court. These formal cloths were | | | | extensively by both men and women today and not |
| akin to what the white collars of today wear to work | | | | necessarily for athletic purposes. Tennis shirts are |
| and were simply too heavy and cumbersome for | | | | regarded as smart casual wear. Many |
| professional playing. Therefore, a French tennis player | | | | semi-professional and retail workers wear tennis shirts |
| called Rene Lacoste decided to start his own line of | | | | to work because round collar t-shirts are considered |
| tennis shirts named after himself, Lacoste. The 7-time | | | | too informal and yet business suits are too formal. |
| Grand Slam tennis champion came up with a | | | | Field guides, laborers and others who work outdoors |
| loosely-knitted un-starched pique cotton tennis shirt | | | | love to wear tennis shirts to work because the |
| with a collar and longer shirt-tail at the back. The collar | | | | material and design are resilient and durable. Sometime |
| is thicker so that it could be upturned and provide the | | | | in the 1990s, the tennis shirt also found favor by the |
| neck protection from the sun while playing. Actually, | | | | high tech industry and was made its standard business |
| before Lacoste invented the revolutionary tennis shirt | | | | as well as casual wear. Other industries followed suit. |
| in 1929, polo shirts already had the button-down collar | | | | Usually, a company logo is printed on the shirt to make |
| design since the late nineteenth century. While this | | | | it look more business-like. In some of India’s |
| design was able to prevent the wind from flapping the | | | | government departments, tennis shirts are standard |
| collars against the players’ neck, the long-sleeved | | | | office wear. |
| polo shirts which were made of Oxford-cloth cotton | | | | In many schools with uniforms, especially junior schools, |
| were clumsy to wear on the field. As a result, | | | | tennis shirts are part of a compulsory uniform for both |
| Lacoste’s tennis shirts were promptly taken on by | | | | boys and girls. The tennis shirt continues to be popular |
| the polo players as their apparel in the 1930s. | | | | in sports, even used by officials such as caddies, some |
| Soon, the polo shirt and tennis shirt were considered | | | | retired golf professionals, umpires and sports |
| the one and the same. In the US, the two terms were | | | | announcers. Thanks in part to the outdoor nature of |
| very commonly used interchangeably in the 1950s to | | | | the sports with which they are linked to, the shirts |
| describe this very popular apparel. It was so popular | | | | often come in light colors, for example in tennis the |
| that the tennis players openly refer to their shirt as a | | | | color white is most often used. |
| “polo shirt", even though the t-shirt was first used in | | | | Like in the original Lacoste’s design, sometimes a |
| tennis and even though polo only adopted it many | | | | tennis shirt is cut so that the back hangs a few |
| years later. | | | | centimeters lower than the front also known as a |
| The t-shirt was made even more popular, thanks to | | | | "tennis tail". The longer tail is meant to keep the shirt |
| Ralph Lauren. In 1967, he added a Joules Polos shirt | | | | tucked into the back of a man's tennis shorts when he |
| into his already famous clothing line called Polo. | | | | is bent over to survey the court. The easily-upturnable |
| However, his polo shirts were not meant to be worn | | | | collar remains another athletic aid to protect against |
| by professional players. They were only imitations of | | | | sun burns. |
| the style of what the polo players were wearing at | | | | The tennis shirt or Joules Clothing polo shirt will continue |
| that time. | | | | to occupy a niche in the fashion industry, regardless of |
| Before long, golfers became aware of the | | | | the changing trends and times. It has become an |
| advantages of Lacoste’s tennis shirt. As a result, | | | | essential wear in our daily lives. |
| when golf’s customary wear grew more relaxed | | | | |