The Polo Gazette No.4

The Autumn Refresh

5 Easy Upgrades

A change in the weather often tests the mettle of a wardrobe. Do you have the pieces that meet the practical needs of the season and also add a little something classic but new to your closet? The daily routine of getting dressed should be a moment of creative inspiration. To keep it that way, broaden your range or break an old habit. If you love chinos, for instance, why not try a cool new cut; or add a simple pop of colour you might not expect; or make one of Ralph’s favourite staples one of your own.

The Editors
Madison Avenue, New York City

The Chino Reimagined

Authenticity is one of the true marks of style. Take a pair of simple chinos, named after the utilitarian cotton fabric they’re made from, and that range in colour, from khaki to olive green. What dictates the way a chino is cut shouldn’t be the ankle-strangling trend of the moment but the purpose of the trouser.

The Cuts

A chino of sewn-together panels (fig. 1) is made to work and should allow for that; a patched and banged up pair (fig. 2) should project a story of age; and one inspired by military fatigues (fig. 3) should have its own purposeful silhouette. Form, as they say, follows function.

fig. 1

fig. 2

fig. 3

Updated Classic

Coin Pocket
Double Pleats

This pair of chinos is Polo through and through. The double pleats create a look of ease and comfort, and the coin pocket – a Ralph signature – makes them anything but the plain old thing.

The Khaki Chronicles

How a modest fabric went from military issue to style standard

It’s an uncomfortable fact among peace-loving folks, but nearly every time a man gets dressed he’s effectively getting dressed for war. Countless components of the modern man’s wardrobe were developed for military use, from the battlefield fashions that evolved into the tuxedo you wore on your wedding day to trench, toggle and peacoats – not to mention overtly military-inspired pieces like bomber jackets and combat boots. The very concept of tailored clothing bequeathed to us by Beau Brummell, the so-called father of modern costume, has its roots in Brummell’s modification of military coats for gentlemanly city dress.

And so it is with khaki, which stands alongside denim as the defining fabric of masculine American style. Whether worn by weekend warriors on the golf course, at the office with a navy blazer (another military-derived item, by the way), or relaxed and rolled up on the beach, khaki is with us wherever we go. And its journey to the legs of modern men began more than 170 years ago.