Your Spring Upgrade

The Coolest Polos
Are Knit Polos

Your Spring Upgrade

The Coolest Polos Are Knit Polos

The sweater-shirt hybrids remain the undisputed champ of spring style

Best men's knit polos in 2025

It’s not always easy to pull on the same fits you see A-list celebrities from Ryan Gosling and Michael B. Jordan to Dwayne Johnson and Tom Holland wearing when they're out looking like leading men. The red carpet can be a pretty wild place these days. But there's definitely one item that's become something of a hero piece (and you don't have to play a superhero to wear it). We're talking about the knit shirt.

Over the past few seasons, it's gone from a rogue, vintage-inspired piece that early adopters mixed into their warm weather wardrobes to a bonafide menswear staple. Why? Well, it's seriously cool. These soft styles, knit from cotton, linen or lightweight wool yarn, give you an immediate rich-looking, throwback vibe. Like there's a Rat Pack swagger knitted into each and every one. Decidedly more dressy than the standard button-downs and polos, these shirts have a luxe, worldly air to them and can be worn with everything from chinos and shorts to a pair of equally right-now pleated pants.

What's more, they look good on just about anyone and every body type. Which is another reason why they've become a go-to for celebrities of all shapes and sizes. Put another way: The knit polo has range! Plus, if you don't want to wear a tie with your lightweight suit, these look particularly chill under a jacket. In short, they're as easy to pull on as your everyday T-shirt, but with their retro collars and soothing textures, they make for a one-step move to nail sophisticated warm weather style.

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The Best Knit Polos
for Men in 2025

wax london ladder stripe polo

Ladder stripe polo,
$205 by Wax London

nn.07 knit linen polo

Knit linen polo,
$285 by NN.07

the tie bar striped full-placket polo

Striped full-placket polo,
$65 / $45.50 by The Tie Bar

Designed and crafted in the Aran Islands, this is handmade from a melange of linen threads guaranteed by the European Masters of Linen for quality.

Knit linen polo,
$430 by Inis Meáin

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far afield zip cotton full-placket polo

Zig cotton full-placket polo,
$160 by Far Afield

buck mason yarn-dyed knit polo

Yarn-dyed knit polo,
$128 by Buck Mason

beams plus cable-knit polo

Cable-knit polo,
$160 by BEAMS PLUS

Named after the Japanese word for “grandpa”, this relaxed retro polo is knit with a jacquard pattern detail.

Ojii knit polo,
$125 by Akashi-Kama

alex crane lightweight linen knit polo

Lightweight linen
knit polo,
$128 by Alex Crane

wills cotton cashmere polo

Cotton/cashmere polo,
$138 by Wills

abercrombie & fitch garment-dyed full-placket polo

Garment-dyed
full-placket polo,
$70 by Abercrombie & Fitch

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This retro-vibe knit polo has a textural stripe design and comes in over a dozen colorways.

Hudson sweater polo,
$109 by Bonobos

3sixteen pima cotton knit polo

Pima cotton knit polo,
$220 by 3sixteen

mr p. honeycomb knit polo

Honeycomb-knit polo,
$240 by Mr P.

suitsupply silk/cotton polo

Silk/cotton polo,
$119 by Suitsupply

A linen herringbone style that combines the feel and comfort of a tee with the stylish good looks of a woven shirt.

Herringbone linen polo,
$278 by Todd Snyder

banana republic waffle-knit cotton polo

Waffle-knit cotton polo,
$120 by Banana Republic

cos texture-knitted cotton polo

Texture-knitted cotton polo,
$99 by COS

zara knit viscose polo

Knit viscose polo,
$45.90 by ZARA

With an open-weave knit pattern and a slightly cropped cut, this versatile polo feels particularly modern.

Casa knit tennis polo,
$191 by Percival

Knit
Maintenance

Depending on how and where you wear these shirts (with or without an undershirt), they should be laundered every two to three wearings. And the more complicated the knit, the more likely you’ll want to hand wash it. The design team at Percival says to “make a morning of it” and put on a playlist or podcast that you like. “Mix warm water with mild liquid soap, and soak your knitwear in it for five minutes. Carefully rinse it, then squeeze out excess water, but in the name of all that is holy do not twist it. Then lay flat on a drying rack or towel and reshape. Then let it dry. Don’t hang it up on a line or a hanger because it’s gonna stretch.”

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