Best Athletic Fit Polo Shirts

Athletic fit polo shirts have become a popular option for people looking for a versatile shirt that embraces their athletic physique. The best athletic polo fit shirts accentuate the parts of your body you’ve worked so hard on while working for your busy lifestyle – they embrace both style and functionality.

As the demand for athleisure has continued to rise, more and more options have entered the market. The problem is that most of these options aren’t designed specifically for bigger athletic bodies.  

We’ve put together a guide to explain everything you need to know about polo shirts: what to look for, how they should fit, and how to style them. Stick around to the end. We’ve got a recommendation for the best-fitting polo shirts for guys like you.

What this article covers:

• What Is an Athletic Fit Polo Shirt?
• How Should an Athletic Fit Polo Shirt Fit?
• What Should You Look for In a Polo Shirt?
• The Best Polo Shirts for Athletes

What Is an Athletic Fit Polo Shirt?

What They Are

The athletic fit polo shirt is a style of polo shirt that’s specifically designed to meet the preferences and requirements of people with an active lifestyle. Traditional polo shirts have a looser and more relaxed fit, and athletic fit polo shirts are more tailored. 

They provide a snug and streamlined fit, which accentuates your physique. They’re comfortable and make moving around easy.

The distinguishing feature of an athletic fit polo shirt lies in its tailored fit. They’re designed with a closer cut and a narrower waistline, allowing them to fit closely to the body without feeling too restrictive. 

The sleeves are tapered to create a sleek and contemporary look while ensuring that you can move your arms around freely. The overall fit of an athletic fit polo shit is form-fitting but comfortable. It accentuates the natural contours of the body.

In addition to the tailored fit, athletic fit polo shirts incorporate performance-oriented features. As we said, these shirts work well with your lifestyle. They’re made with moisture-wicking material that actively draws perspiration away from the body, helping you to stay cool and dry throughout the day. 

The fabrics are lightweight, breathable, and quick-drying, making them a great option for athletes.

How To Style Them

Athletic fit polo shirts are versatile, seamlessly transitioning from being a great shirt for sports activities to casual wear. Whether you’re teeing off on the golf course, going for a jog, running errands, or moving quickly throughout your day-to-day activities. 

The athletic fit polo shirt gives you a polished and well-put-together look while allowing you unrestricted movement.

Overall, the fit is a contemporary and tailored take on the classic polo shirt, catering to the needs of individuals leading an active or busy lifestyle. 

The great thing about polo shirts is that they’re comfortable while still looking formal. You can pair them with slacks and chinos without looking out of place while still feeling good in your fit.

If you’re looking for something more casual, check out TAILORED ATHLETE’s range of slim fit shirts.

The differences between classic polos and slim fit shirts come down to some of the finer detailing, which affects what kind of thing they’re appropriate for.

How Should an Athletic Fit Polo Shirt Fit?

The athletic fit polo shirt should have a snug, but comfortable fit. It should hug you around your torso without being so tight it becomes uncomfortable and should have enough breathing room for your arms to move freely. 

Getting a good range of motion in clothes that fit is a problem for any man that spends a lot of time in the gym. Your increased muscle mass and bulk means that you’re going to be pressing against the seams of your clothes while you’re wearing them.

This means that the clothes often wear out sooner than they should, and they’re prone to rips and tears.

Only TAILORED ATHLETE has the solution to this with our premium 4-way stretch fabrics. We explain it more in detail later, but suffice it to say that this premium blend of materials allows you to move freely without having to worry that you’re going to tear your clothes.

Let's go into some more details about what you should look for in a polo shirt. 

What Should You Look for In a Polo Shirt?

The fit of an athletic fit polo shirt is crucial to its overall style and functionality. When selecting and wearing an athletic fit polo shirt, there are a few key considerations to ensure the perfect fit. This can be difficult for athletes, but stay tuned for a life-changing range of shirts designed specifically for athletes.

It’s important to know how polo shirts should fit before you rush off to buy one. Otherwise you’re going to find yourself stuffed into something as uncomfortable as it is unflattering.

Collar and Neck

The collar and neck of a shirt aren’t a common consideration for athletes, but they should be. Here are a few things to consider.

First, consider the collar structure. Look for a collar that’ll maintain its shape and structure throughout the day. A well-constructed collar will stand up straight without collapsing or folding.

Next, you should consider the collar height, and this is based on your personal preference. Higher collars offer a more formal and classic look, while shorter collars tend to give you a modern and casual aesthetic. Your collar style should complement not only your preference but also your personal style. If you prefer a more formal look, you should choose a collar in line with the rest of your clothing style. 

The next consideration should be collar spread: This refers to the distance between the collar points. A wider spread creates a more open and relaxed look, while a narrower spread offers a sleek and refined appearance. This is up to your personal preference, too.

Next, let’s take a look at the neckline fit. The fit of this area is also often overlooked, but does contribute to the comfort and stye of your shirt. It should sit comfortably around your neck without feeling too tight or too loose. If it sits too tight, it was feel uncomfortable throughout the day, whereas if it sits too loose, your look will be a bit less polished. A neckline that’s too tight also restricts movement, and as a person who engaged in a lot of physical activity, that’s just not what you’re looking for. 

Now let’s take a look at button placement. Polo shirts have about three buttons on the collar, usually in the form of a button-down collar. You should always check that the button placement is correct and that no buttons are falling off the shirt. 

This adds an extra layer to how polished you look when you’re wearing a polo shirt.

Sleeves

Paying attention to the sleeves of your athletic polo shirt is important to ensure a comfortable fit. You also want your shirt to look stylish, and the sleeves are an important factor. Here’s what you should specifically be looking at in terms of the sleeves of your athletic fit polo shirt.

First, take a look at the lengths of your sleeves. Choose a length that suits your personal style and complements your body type. For example, a sleeve length that’s very short might not look best for muscular arms, as it can look like the shirt is too small for you. Similarly, a sleeve that’s too long won’t suit your body type either, because it hides those features you worked so hard for. A mid-bicep sleeve is the best length for you.

Next, consider the tapering of the sleeve. The tapering of a sleeve refers to how tailored the look is. Tapered sleeves are slightly fitted without being so tight that they restrict movement. They also help accentuate the shape of your arms without feeling too tight.

This brings us to our next point, mobility. Consider how mobile the sleeves of your shirt will allow you to be. They should give you ample room for moving around, allowing you to comfortably live your lifestyle without feeling restricted.

The fabric your sleeves (and entire shirt) are made of is a very important consideration. You should choose materials that are soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking. The TAILORED ATHLETE athletic fit polo shirt is made using luxurious stretch fabric that meets all the criteria of the perfect polo fit shirt for you.

The stitching on your sleeves is the next thing you should check. A well-constructed shirt won’t have any loose stitching around the sleeve area. This ensures that your shirt will last you for years to come, as opposed to needing to replace it every few months with a new one.

The hems of your sleeve are also something you should consider. Just a quick check is sufficient to make sure they’re secure, but not too tight. If the hems of your sleeve are too tight, they could ride up during physical activity.

Torso

The torso of an athletic fit polo shirt has a few elements you should consider before deciding on The One. Here they are.

It should be a relatively snug fit without feeling too tight. Look for shirts that contour your body shape in a flattering way to show off that physique you worked so hard for. 

To achieve this, the shirt should have a tapered waistline. This is one of the distinguishing features of an athletic fit shirt. The shirt should taper from the chest to the waist to create a slim silhouette. This helps accentuate your body shape and enhances the overall fit and appearance of the shirt.

Make sure the torso of your shirt allows your ease of movement and doesn’t restrict your range of motion. It should have enough stretch and flexibility to accommodate your active lifestyle, whether you’re wearing your shirt to work out in, or for everyday activities.

By considering the fit, waistline tapering, and comfort levels that your shirt offers you, you can find an athletic fit shirt that provides a stylish and functional torso fit. Finding the right balance of snugness, comfort, and mobility is essential to ensure you look and feel your best.

Length

The length of your athletic fit polo shirt is an important consideration. It ensures a well-proportioned and flattering fit. 

Ideally, your shirt should have a length that falls just below the waistline or around the mid-hip area. If it’s too short, your shirt can ride up during movement and feel uncomfortable. If it’s too long, you risk looking sloppy and untidy. The right length gives you a polished look without sacrificing comfort or mobility.

The Best Polo Shirts for Athletes

Now that you know exactly what you should be looking for in an athletic fit polo shirt, let’s chat about the perfect shirt for you. TAILORED ATHLETE spent years researching what that would look like, and the result is the True Muscle Fit range of shirts. 

Our care and expertise has allowed us to craft the best polo shirt for muscular guys, along with a range of clothes and garments made specifically for athletes.

All your pain points were taken into consideration, making these shirts the perfect choice for you. No more sizing up to avoid sleeves feeling too tight over your biceps, only to be left with a torso that’s way too big and drowns out your abs.

These fitted polo shirts are made using a high-quality blend of fabric, are available in a host of different colors to suit any occasion, and will become your new closet staple.

TAILORED ATHLETES Merino Polo Long Sleeve Shirt

For a slight change of pace, check out our Merino Polo Long Sleeve Shirt. Most polo shirts have short sleeves, making them mostly suitable for warmer months. But just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on style.

The longer sleeves aren’t only for keeping you warm, they also help to show off some of your best assets. By contouring around your arms, they highlight your increased mass without coming off as garish.

Like all our clothes, this polo shirt is made with our moisture-wicking, 4-way stretch material designed to keep you comfortable and looking fresh.

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