Best Polo Shirt Colors (and What Order To Get Them In)

Polo shirts are my summer workhorses. They look good with practically everything and are pretty affordable if you do not care about brands.

One of the best things about polo shirts is the wide range of colors they are available in. In fact, given the number of manufacturers of polos in the world, you can practically go for any color that you like.

Which presents us with a problem of choice. So, what are the colors that you should go for when buying a polo shirt?

Here’s the quick answer.

Which color polo shirt is best?

Neutral colored polos such as black, white, and grey shirts tend to be the best in terms of versatility. Therefore, when getting your first polo, go for a neutral color.

But it’s not as simple as that. In this article, I will be giving you a step-by-step procedure to determine what polo shirt colors you need, and what order you should get them in.

Best Polo Shirt Colors For Men

There are literally endless colors that you can opt for when buying a polo shirt, but in my opinion, all the colors that really matter can be broken down into the following four categories.

You should get one polo shirt from all these color groups, in the order that I am listing them. This will maximize the versatility of your wardrobe and make your outfits more colorful and vibrant at the same time.

1. The Neutrals – Black, Grey, White

The first polo shirt in your wardrobe should be of a neutral color. The three major neutral colors are black, grey, and white.

Which of these you actually go for comes down to what color is already prominent in your wardrobe. For example, if you have a lot of black t-shirts in your wardrobe, then you might prefer going for a white polo for versatility’s sake.

These neutral colors are going to form the backbone of your wardrobe. They can be paired with literally every color due to their subdued nature, and thus are going to be extremely versatile as the building blocks of a good outfit.

Heck, you can even wear these polo shirts for a wedding.

2. The Workhorses – Navy, Olive, Beige

It’s time to add a little more color to your wardrobe. But don’t worry, because all the pieces are still going to be versatile in nature.

While colors such as navy, olive, and beige can be considered as semi-neutrals, I like to think of them as the workhorse of my wardrobe. Tons of brands make polo shirts in these colors, so it’s not like you are going to be out of options.

Navy polos can be paired with practically every other item, while beige and olive green polos are going to be great additions if your wardrobe has a lot of earth colors already.

3. The Jewel Tones – Violet, Dark Green, Burgundy

Next additions to your wardrobe should be darker colors (because they are inherently more versatile) such as violet, dark green, and burgundy. These are collectively known as jewel tones.

These colors look particularly great on polo shirts just because of how much they stand out. Tell me honestly, when was the last time that you saw a man wearing a burgundy polo shirt?

These are the polos that you are going to wear on a first date, and they work particularly great for nighttime events. Once you start wearing these colors, be ready for the avalanche of compliments that are about to descend on you.

4. The Pastels – Lavender, Light Blue, Mint Green.

The final polo color that you get should be a pastel color. Lighter colors such as lavender, sky blue, baby pink, and mint green are collectively known as pastel colors.

These are the polos that you are going to be wearing on summer brunches and on the beach – basically any daytime event in the summer.

Personal preference definitely plays a part here. For example, given the choice between all these pastel colors, I would go for baby pink. You decide your favorite and get it in a cut that fits you perfectly.

Best Lacoste Polo Colors

The best colors for Lacoste polo shirts are darker colors such as navy, brown, burgundy, and forest green.

Lacoste probably makes more polo shirts than any other brand on the planet, and they have a ton of offerings in terms of colors too. The quality of this brand is also the reason behind its huge market share.

But because of the unique cut and fit of Lacoste polos, I feel that darker colors suit them the best, which is great, because darker colors are inherently more versatile than lighter colors, especially in polo shirts.

I don’t know why, but light-colored Lacostes just look a little bit… off. They give off a very dad-from-the-80s vibe, and not in a good or trendy way.

On the other hand, navy Lacoste polo looks like a million bucks. It fits much more in line with the fashion aesthetic of today.

So as a rule of thumb, go for darker colors rather than lighter colors when shopping for polos at Lacoste.

Polo shirt Color Combinations

Many polo shirts are also available in combinations of two different colors. Once you are done with the basic polo colors, you can also stock up on these two-tone shirts.

The basic rule when going for color combination clothing is pretty simple. Make sure that your polos have a combination of only two colors, as three or more colors can be quite jarring and people may perceive you to be a try-hard.

Secondly, out of the two colors on the polo, one should be a basic neutral color such as black, grey, or white. This will help the other color pop a lot more, increasing the aesthetic value of your outfit.

Apart from that, just try to be as minimalistic as possible. Don’t go with any bold designs or graphics on your polo shirt because that will definitely be seen as “too much”.

Some color combinations that work for polos are white and navy, black and burgundy, and olive and grey.

Final Remarks

In this article, I covered everything I knew about color theory and color matching polos. This stuff is not rocket science, and if you follow my blueprint, your wardrobe would end up with polo shirts that you like and wear.

And one bonus tip – If you have a polo shirt in a wacky color, you can dye it using this simple process.

Here’s a quick summary of the four best polo colors and what order you need to get them in:

1. Neutrals – Black, Grey, White.
2. Workhorses – Navy, Olive, Beige.
3. Jewel Tones – Burgundy, Violet, Dark Green.
4. Pastel Colors – Baby Pink, Lavender, Sky Blue.