Proper Polo wear?

[Rooster]

Going to my first Polo match saturday (as a spectator). What's a guy wear to something like that? It's going to be 90* or so.

 

[Smithy]

I've been to a few matches in NZ where generally the dress code was what I suppose you would call "smart casual", although saying that though Kiwis are generally casual dressers so I'm not sure what is usual in the US. Also generally if it is a big tournament rather than a club match, people dress up more. Perhaps you can ask someone at the club you will be attending, they should be able to tell you how things go on there.

 

[jgilbert]

Rooster.

Not real sure what to wear, business casual may be the bset bet. Could always wear coat and tie and then de-tie if needed.

Also this might be a great place to take some pix.

Think you could sum things up for us afterwards?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Light coloured trousers and dark sportscoat. Over here a rugby shirt might also be appropriate. How about a polo shirt? or let's say dress how you please and screw convention?

I assume this is polo on horses, not water polo?



bk

 

[GateXC]

Up here in the NE (NY and CT), most everyone dresses very preppy for polo.

So I would recommend linen trousers, OCBD shirt (blue, white or pink), bow-tie, blazer.

Straw hat optional.

 

[Rooster]

Yes Baron, polo on horseback. I'm pretty excited about it, always wanted to see a polo match. Hopefully I won't become so enamored with it that I'll want to play in the future......I do have the land to keep a horse.....hhhhmmmm.
I'll put some snappy outfit together. Might be a good place to sport an ascot... Thanks all for the suggestions, I knew you would be a great help.
I'll take the camera and snap a few pictures and report later in the weekend.

 

[Paisley]

I went to a polo match last year and the heat was sweltering. There's no way I'd have worn a sport coat. Pretty much everyone there was in nice shorts and a polo shirt, or something along those lines.

 

[Smithy]

I went to a polo match last year and the heat was sweltering. There's no way I'd have worn a sport coat. Pretty much everyone there was in nice shorts and a polo shirt, or something along those lines.

That sounds similar to what people wear in NZ to the polo.

Either way Rooster, you'll have a blast, it's a wonderful spectator sport.

However if it's anything like NZ, it's probably a good idea not to take the car, drinks flow rather freely!

 

[Tomasso]

Some Midwestern polo clubs are very casual, not a blazer or sportcoat to be found.

 

[dhermann1]

Polo

Hmmmm . . . it would be a shame not to have SOMETHING by Ralph Lauren. I mean, he's worked so hard.
After drowning myself in Winston Churchill for the last couple of years, I can't think about Polo without thinking of Winston. He was a GREAT polo player, and only stopped playing at age 51. I think I would get as close to a northwest frontier British Raj style as possible. Definitely a chance to wear the topee.

 

[Haversack]

Back in the 1970s, I would occasionaly see the University's polo team practicing. If I recall, they dressed pretty traditionaly. Then again, for people from the Ag end of the Cal Aggie student body, traditional included Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, and straw Stetsons. Not too much different than what you would see at the Salinas Rodeo.

Haversack

 

[dhermann1]

OK, so what DID you wear??? And what did the other spectators wear? And was Ralph there?

 

[Rooster]

Well, of course I was overdressed....things ain't what they used to be it seems.:eusa_doh: My snappy looks did get us an invite to the local uppercrust country club after the match though.
I wore white khakis, Linen shirt, a snappy 40's era tie, polished paddock boots and my brown fedora. We had a great time, and I'll go again. The rest of the folk were dressed in polo shirts , shorts and tennis shoes. Alot of ball caps and a couple floppy bush hats. The ladies far out dressed the gentlemen.
If I had a half dozen polo ponies, a monster horse trailer and a monster truck to pull it all with I'd become a polo player myself. Looks like fun, lots of bumping and blocking and flat out break away runs. Pretty cool stuff.
It was The Madison WI. club against the Quad cities club. Score was tied at the end of the game and they decided to leave it at that due to the heat.
Never saw Ralph or Winston there either....

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Good show

Sounds spiffy. The tie, fedora and boots really made the look, seems. Invites to fancy joints work!

 

[dhermann1]

Between you and Winston you've got me interested. I found a website
http://www.polozone.com/
that has a lot of interesting stuff.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The ladies far out dressed the gentlemen.

You surprise me . . . NOT.

I'm glad you had fun. Polo is a great game to watch.

bk

 

[Edward]

It's an intriguing game. I've never been attracted to it myself (negative associations - i.e. the royals and the rest of the braying upper classes), pity, really. I think it wouild be an interesting social occasion if nothing else - I'm not a sport person at all. It does seem to be the preserve of the upper classes still - I suppose it's an expensive game, what with all the needing horses et al - c/f soccer which anyone can play with minimal equipment needs. Could never play myself, of course - the rules of the game preclude playing with my dominant hand (the left), and I lack the coordination in my right that would be necessary. Charles Wales manages around that somehow, though - if memory serves, he's left handed but plays right handed in accordance with the ruels of the game. Does anyone know whether there is a specific practical reason for this, or is it just another one of those social conventions that was never outmoded? After all, that rule would date to a period in time where being left handed was still considered something that should be beaten out of you at school!

 

[Smithy]

Edward, left-handed polo players are not allowed as if you had a left handed player approaching the ball from one side and a right-handed from the other, this is far more dangerous, as the horses are approaching head-on. The rule has nothing to do with the "sinister" left. Left-handed polo play was forbidden awhile ago now (60s, 70s?) so it hasn't always been like that. Purely a safety aspect.

Actually polo has become less elitist now with clubs offering introductory social polo lessons and social games. Back home in NZ, it is around $NZ80-100 per hour plus horse hire, so still not terribly cheap.