THE POLO COAT: THE ARISTOCRAT OF TOPCOATS
The game of polo has inspired countless icons of modern style: the polo sweater, the chukka boot and of course, the iconic Brooks Brothers Original Polo Button-Down Collar. Each time there’s a bit of tweaking by the deft hands of our designers to give it a modern, wearable update. Such is the case of the polo coat.
From
athletic essential to Ivy League staple
The game of polo
has inspired countless icons of modern style: the polo sweater, the chukka
boot and of course, the iconic Brooks Brothers Original Polo Button-Down Collar.
Each time there’s a bit of tweaking by the deft hands of our designers to give
it a modern, wearable update. Such is the case of the polo coat.
Called by
menswear authority G. Bruce Boyer, “the
aristocrat of topcoats,” the double-breasted, camel hair outerwear finds its
roots as a simple cover-up. Worn by polo players on the sidelines in
between chukkers, it was originally robe-like: oversized, deconstructed
and closed only with a belt. But when Brooks Brothers introduced it to America
in 1910 the piece had evolved to a version of the double-breasted, notch
lapelled icon that it is today. You’ll still find iterations of this
classic design here at Brooks,
including horned buttons, a martingale in the back and flap patch pockets.
The first
version of the Brooks Brothers Polo Coat was done in cream-colored cloth and
featured mother-of-pearl buttons. In quick order, the coat was offered in grey
and then in camel hair, becoming a staple of the Ivy League undergraduate’s
wardrobe in the ’20s. Men’s Wear magazine reported in 1928:
“While the vogue of this style with the best dressed men of the world is
indisputable, it is only getting started, so far as national popularity is
concerned.”
By the 1930s, more polo coats were being worn by the students at Miss Porter’s School for Girls than at any boys’ prep school. And now, having been cut into a female-specific style as well, the piece is truly an icon of Brooks history and the well-stocked wardrobe.
Brooks Brothers Vietnam:
– Ho Chi Minh: L1 – 19 & 20, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, District 1 – ☎ (028) 3939 0477
– Hanoi: 31 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem District – ☎ (024) 3266 8206
