A Right To Bare Arms: Warm-Weather Icons

By the 1930s, the short-sleeve shirt began its civilian migration. The rise of leisure culture in the United States, fuelled by a growing middle class with disposable income and vacation time, created fertile ground for casual clothing. The Hawaiian shirt, with its vibrant prints and laid-back silhouette, became the poster child of this shift. Born in the 1920s from Japanese kimono fabrics and popularized by tourists and surfers, it was less a shirt and more a state of mind—one that screamed “I’m off the clock.” Hollywood didn’t hurt: icons like Montgomery Clift and Elvis Presley donned Aloha shirts in films, cementing their status as symbols of rebellion against buttoned-up conformity.

Parallel to this, the polo shirt carved its own path from the sports field to the streets. Originating in the late 19th century, it was designed for polo players who needed a lightweight, collared alternative to the heavy, long-sleeve shirts worn on horseback. French tennis legend René Lacoste refined the concept in the 1920s, introducing a short-sleeve, cotton piqué shirt with a soft collar and a few buttons at the neck—a design that offered breathability and freedom of movement on the tennis court. Marketed by Lacoste in the 1930s, the polo shirt quickly transcended sports, adopted by golfers, preppies, and suburbanites. Its clean lines and subtle sophistication made it a bridge between athletic wear and everyday elegance, a role it still plays today.

Meanwhile, the short-sleeve button-down, often in oxford cloth or madras, found favour among Ivy League types and suburban dads alike. Brands like Brooks Brothers and Gant leaned into the preppy aesthetic, offering shirts that paired as easily with chinos at a barbecue as they did with a blazer for a summer wedding. This duality - casual yet polished - gave the short-sleeve shirt, and to an extent the polo, a versatility that few garments could match.

Cultural Relevance: Shirts That Speak

The short-sleeve shirt and polo shirt’s staying power lies in their ability to transcend class, context, and culture. They’re chameleons, equally at home in a dive bar, a design studio, or a country club. This adaptability stems from their inherent informality, which invites personal expression. In the 1950s and ‘60s, mods and rockabillies embraced slim-fit short-sleeve shirts, often tucked into high-waisted trousers, as a middle finger to the establishment’s starched dress codes. The polo shirt, meanwhile, became a preppy staple, adopted by Ivy Leaguers and later hip-hop artists who paired oversized polos with baggy jeans, flipping their WASPy origins into streetwear swagger.

The punk and grunge movements of the ‘80s and ‘90s took the short-sleeve plaid shirt further, pairing thrifted versions with ripped jeans to signal anti-corporate defiance. The polo, too, found new life in this era, with brands like Ralph Lauren elevating it to a symbol of aspirational luxury, while subcultures reappropriated it with irony. In the 21st century, the short-sleeve shirt has become a canvas for subcultures and high fashion alike. Even workwear enthusiasts have reclaimed the short-sleeve chambray or denim shirt, nodding to its blue-collar roots while styling it with selvedge jeans, while the polo remains a go-to for minimalist wardrobes and athleisure looks.

Why They Endure

So why do the short-sleeve shirt and polo shirt remain menswear mainstays? First, they’re triumphs of function. In an era of climate change and record-breaking heatwaves, their airy constructions are practically survival tools. Natural fabrics like cotton, linen, and seersucker wick sweat and breathe easy, while modern blends in polos offer stretch and wrinkle resistance. These shirts don’t just keep you cool—they signal that you’re unfazed by the heat, a subtle flex of composure.

Second, they’re masters of reinvention. The short-sleeve shirt has dodged obsolescence by evolving with the times, from minimalist staples to artisanal Japanese/Cuban collars with hand-stitched details. The polo, too, has kept pace, with slim-fit versions for the fashion-forward and moisture-wicking iterations for the active. They’re as likely to be paired with tailored shorts and loafers as they are with cargo pants and sneakers, proving their stylistic bandwidth. In a world that often demands we take ourselves too seriously, the short-sleeve shirt and polo shirt are reminders to loosen up—each in its own way, one with bold flair, the other with understated ease.