Finest Polos back in stock, with charcoal and black
![](https://www.permanentstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/smart-dressing-for-summer-513x770.jpg)
The Finest Polo - our superfine, high-twist merino knit - is back in stock, with black and charcoal new for this season, alongside navy.
The colour choice this summer was partly driven by last summer. I wore a sample of a charcoal at Pitti last year with my Dege & Skinner jacket, and a lot of readers said they’d like to see that added to the collection.
Later the same week, an all-black outfit with a black polo and black linen trousers was equally popular, and so I thought it made sense to add black too. It was also logical given the Dartmoor had just been released in black, and black knitwear is something we’ve written about on PS during the past year.
Grey and cream will be back, but not this year.
Now there’s one thing I wanted to talk about with these polos early on, and that’s shrinkage.
We had four or five readers report last year that they had issues after they washed the polos. That’s not a lot out of the 150 that bought them, but enough to make me want to investigate and prevent it happening.
Readers will know that these polos are basically knitwear, and should be treated accordingly. That’s a pain with a polo shirt, but being merino, I find I only have to wash them every second or third wear.
Just like other knitwear, I usually wash the Finest Polos by hand, simply putting them in warm water with a squirt of detergent, and giving them a couple of squeezes. There’s a video showing a sample washing process here.
Wool is so much better than cotton in this regard, and I find odours disappear almost instantly. Steam has a very similar effect, and I know one reader that just steams his knits for a couple of minutes to good effect.
However, I have washed my polos in a machine - cold or 30 degrees, knitwear/wool setting, no spin, hang dry - and had no issues. All of those things are important, and I only do it because I know my machine: I’ve washed plenty of other fine knits that way.
What you do get when you wash a high-twist merino is wrinkling, which compresses the material and can make it feel like it’s shrunk.
If the knit is quite roomy on you, you can wear it and much of the wrinkling will drop out. But, you can also get rid of it completely by ironing - you can actually see the material reshaping out as you do so.
I asked the makers, Umbria Verde in Italy, to make a little video showing this pressing process, and that’s what I’ve included above. As you can see, it's mostly steam and shaping, not that much pressure, and pretty quick. They're professionals of course, but it's pretty easy to do at home.
The important thing is that it won’t damage the knit at all - one reader was surprised when we told him that; he’d assumed ironing would shrink it further, given heat and moisture are generally seen as bad for wool.
Use a low temperature, certainly (there’s often a wool temperature indicated on the iron) but otherwise you can press most knits - the steam does the same great job it does when you steam a jacket, or this polo when hanging up, as noted.
I also looked at the fit of the polos this year - comparing sizes on a few friends - and decided they’d been a little too slim. We’d come to the same conclusion with the Dartmoors, and like them added a centimetre to the waist on each side.
There may be a little bit of trend to this, with everyone preferring things more comfortable. It feels like there’s such elegance in the drape of a fine material like this.
But they were also pretty slim to start with, and I had found that I sometimes wore a medium, sometimes a large. I’m now solidly a medium, as pictured here.
I’m very pleased the polos are back. Few things give me more pleasure in clothing than something that’s easy to slip on, but creates an instantly elegant effect. That might be a linen overshirt or a pair of Belgian-style loafers, but it’s always the same sense of easy refinement.
The Finest Polo is in that category. You pull on rather than button in, and are perfectly framed by the drape of the body, the roll of the collar.
The sunglasses, by the way, are from Clan in Milan. Connolly stocks them in London, though they’re not on the website. It’s good quality for the price, just over £200. Nicely finished, well-made hinges, understated designs.
I know I have a tendency to go for slightly more striking models, like the Meyrowitz I was wearing with that Dege jacket last year, and these have become a useful everyday style for me.
The Finest Polo in navy, charcoal and black is available on the shop site here. As with many things this past year, we’ve had to put prices up slightly, but only to reflect costs from the suppliers.
All the details about fit and make of the Polo can be found on the original launch article here. That’s always more comprehensive than the product page.
The other clothes shown above are:
- Bespoke trousers in two-ply Draper’s Ascot high-twist wool, from this suit
- Piccadilly unlined loafers from Edward Green
- Dark-grey socks from Anderson & Sheppard
- Rolex GMT Master 1675
- Dege & Skinner jacket outfit details here
- Details on outfits below, here
Photography: Jamie Ferguson
Hi Simon, could you briefly explain which colour jacket could go well with black and charcoal polos? I assume charcoal could probably work with almost everything but what about with black other than cold colours such as dark brown or green?
Many thanks,
Jack
Sure Jack.
With the black polo, I’d wear jackets in:
– Charcoal, grey
– Black
– Perhaps cream for an evening look
– Dark olive
– Dark brown
– Stone/beige colours if muted and cold
– Navy, perhaps as an evening thing, if a real dark navy
I’d also wear it at least half the time with just trousers, in all those colours.
In the comment above, you only mention the black polo.
Do the remarks above also pertain to the charcoal polo? I’m specifically curious about which other color of trousers you would pair it with.
Hey Henry,
Did you see the link to my Dege jacket outfit? I think that shows how good the charcoal is with cream and with dark brown. I also like it with more grey/brown shades of beige and tan.
Hey,Simon
I have a question regarding the size of the polo.
I recently purchased the tapered t-shirt on size S which has a extended shoulder feature.it comes out to fit my aesthetic body right exactly where my shoulder is and leave quite a good amount of room on the body part.
So it would be much appreciated if you could help suggest what size i should go for this polo.
Thank you
Guy
Hi Guy,
I would think a Small as well. However, it does depend a little on personal preference – do you have a polo shirt at home you could compare the measurements to, to be on the safe side?
No,i m just beginning to build a Ps wardrobe and yours polo would be my very first piece of decent one.
I will take on S then
Thank you very much
Guy
OK Guy – it doesn’t have to be quality to get any idea of the fit, but if you’re happy that’s fine
isn’t the polo A LOT. slimmer? XXL polo has smaller chest than L t shirt according to sizing tables.
It’s more the style Martins – the T-shirt is cut to have a wider body and has less stretch, the knit is always going to be closer fitting.
Looks nice. I’m very happy with my cream finest polo so it’ll be great to get darker colour. One question Simon, are all of the images here of the charcoal one? Do you have any photos of the black one ?
They are, we don’t have any of the black, sorry. Hopefully not that hard to imagine, it’s the same black as the Dartmoor as well (different yarn, but same colour) if that helps
Could you please comment to formality level of number of buttons left open or closed?
Well, if you had all the buttons open it would certainly be a little more louche and more casual. But beyond that it’s mostly about style and what flatters you.
On most people, I find having two buttons open, as I do here, is more flattering as you get that longer ‘V’ and any difference in smartness is very small. It’s the same with shirts – many men only want to undo one button as it somehow feels smarter, but it’s not really and it doesn’t look as good.
Of course, it also depends exactly where the buttons are placed, but that’s on average.
Doing all the buttons up is kind of smarter, in that the neck is closed, like a roll neck or wearing a tie, but really the bigger effect is that it’s more of a ‘look’, more striking – great in some situations, but not necessarily what you want every day. Also looks better under a jacket like that
The charcoal and black XXL are already shown as sold out 🙁
Yes, sorry, there were only a handful of those each. Though it’s always worth being on the waiting list – if you had been you would have received an alert yesterday, before they went. About half were sold to the waiting list this time
Perhaps you should consider a pre-order in the future as it allows you predict demand, not worry about excess stock and make sure people get what they’d like 🙂
That can work well James, yes, but there are a few issues. The biggest is that it is a tremendous amount of work to organise. You wouldn’t think so, but the back-end operation is multiple times what it takes for a regular order, because there is often so much email communication. That’s why we’ve only done it for bigger pieces like the coats and the shawl collars, where it’s easier to justify that.
The other issue is lead times. This particular producer takes 4-6 months to deliver an order, because all the yarn has to be ordered specially and because they work largely to seasons. As a result, we would have to start the pre-order at least 7 months before delivery, which I think might be a struggle for some people. Of course, if not many take it up that’s not a problem, but it kind of defeats the point of doing it.
I hope that makes sense!
Been looking forward to these 🙂
Simon, I recall you suggesting you wouldn’t wear the original ones with jeans because of the different levels of formality – what about the charcoal/black with, say, Anglo-Italian’s ecru jeans or perhaps Rubato’s off-white officers chinos?
Just curious really and wondering if these newer colours could perhaps be a little more versatile?
I’d certainly wear them with the Rubato officer’s chinos, yes, and probably with ecru or black jeans too – just not the blue or indigo as much
In my understanding and experience with wool, what you want to avoid is agitation with moisture and heat (all at the same time). This is because wool is a protein fiber that has a scale structure, so a combination of agitation, moisture, and heat makes the scales expand and catch on each other, binding the fibers closer together. If you have moisture + heat alone (with nil agitation), I don’t think significant shrinkage should occur.
Thanks Nathan. Yes you’re right, that’s why hand washing involves such little agitation – something people find it hard to understand if they’re used to cotton, that you can just soak out the dirt
Hi Simon, any update on the grey tee? Thanks
Only that we finally have a sample we like, and are now trying to work out when production can be done by. It’s so hard to get making in Japan right now
Are there anymore xl or xxl in black or charcoal? I’m pretty sure I put myself on the waitlist before but didn’t see an email. Kinda bummed…
No, sorry Brendan. An email certainly went out – it didn’t go into your spam by any chance did it?
Will they be restocked for summer again?
No, sorry Brendan
I appreciate that this post is about the polo shirts (which look fantastic in both of these outfits), but can I ask how well the VBC / Drapers 2 ply high twist trousers wear? I want to get a pair of smart grey summer trousers that I can wear even on the hottest days (remembering our 40*C heat wave last summer in the UK). I would normally be unsure about such a lightweight fabric but in these pictures they look like they hold a crease really well and don’t look like they are wrinkling much.
They definitely hold a crease well and don’t wrinkle much. I think in the long term there’s a risk they don’t last as long as something like a 4-ply, and that would be my default, but it depends how heavy you’re likely to wear them
Thanks Simon. That was another concern of mine, as my trousers get quite heavy wear, often worn for 16 hours at a time. The rest of the year I tend to wear dense twill weaves for the durability, drape and wrinkle resistance, so I’m looking for a summer counterpart. Is there much difference in breathability between the VBC 2 and 4 ply?
There is a difference, but I don’t think it’s a large one – I happily wear either in hotter weather
Hi Simon
I’m slightly confused on changes in measurement on merino wool Crew Neck, Dartmoor and Polo. I’m interested in buying the Dartmoor and Polo if chest size has increased to 54 for medium, but its not quite clear if the body/waist/chest has increased on these. Can you confirm if chest has increased on all (crew neck, Dartmoor, polo) and is now 54 cm or whether it varies by style. According to the shop website, its 54cm for the crew neck and 52 for Polo and Dartmoor,
thanks
Malcolm
Hi Malcolm,
That’s correct, they have all increased this year, but the crew neck is still cut a touch bigger with a chest of 54
I’m also confused. I just received a size small Dartmoor, and it measures 52cm across the chest (pit to pit). But the measurements table on the product page says size small should have a 50cm chest. The table also lists size XS, which doesn’t appear to be a size that can be ordered
Hi Nathan,
There will always be 1-2cm allowance in measurements, particularly with something like a fine knit that has so much natural stretch. Does it fit OK?
The XS was offered at one point in the past. I can remove it from the table if that’s confusing.
I recall the Polo having a narrower chest, which is why I opted for size L in the Polo and M in the Dartmoor. With the recent changes made to the Polo, would it be safe to assume that I should now go for a smaller size and choose M instead?
Probably, though always worth trying your existing and considering what it would be like with that extra 1cm on either side
Hello Simon,
I received my polo today, and I really like it a lot.
I noticed that it arrived with a fragrance of some kind on it (not an unpleasant one, smells quite nice actually). Is this a fragrancee or eau de toilette that is being added before shipment? If so, I was wondering if you’d consider eliminating this for future orders. I have a rather unfortunate allergy to a lot of fragrances/perfumes!
Hi Jeremy,
That’s lovely to hear. No, there is no fragrance added, anything that’s there is just the wool and any packaging etc
Hi Simon, I indeed noticed shrinkage on my navy polo (after a cool hand wash and ironing). Not much but enough to be slightly uncomfortable. As it was the previous iteration it was quite slim to begin with. Do you think it will stretch back when worn?
It will a little bit, but I would also try pressing it as in the video – that will put the maximum back into it
Thanks for the video on ironing the polo. I iron my polo knits inside out with my steamer fearing that there would be a shiny finish if I ironed them directly.
No worries. That shouldn’t be an issue, but if it works for you then you can carry on doing that. Remember it’s heat and pressure that can cause the shininess, so if in doubt keep the heat fairly low, but the steam can be at the highest
If you’re washing wool by hand or machine use the No 3 formula for cashmere and wool by The Clothes Doctor. On a woollen or delicates setting even in a machine it will revive the wool and make it soft again. I use this when doing my socks now too.
If you’re a large in the Dartmoor, are you a large in this too? Thanks
Yes
Are the sleeves long enough to wear with an undershirt? Your short sleeve dress shirt’s sleeves are by comparison. Thanks.
Yes
Hi Simon,
Knitted poles like these by bryceland (Bryceland’s Cotton Short Sleeve ‘Skipper’ Polo Blue – Bryceland’s & Co. (brycelandsco.com)) and the anthology are pretty nice with tailored trousers as they are both ‘slimmer’.
I’m often in wider fitting trousers (e.g. army chinos, rubato chinos etc.) and given that the temperature in asia (where I am) is very very hot now with heat waves, I’m afraid I have to ditch my long sleebed shirts for polos. However, I find my knit polos are quite incongruent with my bottoms (e.g. the knits huge my bicep and are relatively slimmer in the body) giving a very small top and wide bottom effect. Do you think once should just embrace the look or am i better off with more pique polos like lacoste ones which are looser so to speak?
I don’t have the anthology ones, but the Brycelands I don’t find that slim at all – especially as the shortness means people often have to size up at least one size. They’re big in the body, just held at the waist
Thanks simon on that note am axtually planing to try the bryceland polo. Do you think it works well with shorts? The short placket makes it look quite smart in my opinion and not sure if it works with shorts
Depends a bit on the smartness of the shorts, but I think it should be OK. I wouldn’t worry about the short placket, as there’s that loop, more about it being knitted. But I think it should be fine
Thanks simon bryceland has a charcoal and a black. Can i say charcoal will be easier to wear?
It depends rather on your style and the other colours you wear, but probably yes
Hey Simon,
Unfortunately, seems like the Charcoal is already sold out in M. Are there any plans for a restock this year?
No, I’m sorry
Hi Simon,
No problem at all. Just signed up for the waiting list. Will also sign-up and hopefully grab a cream and grey if they come in stock again next year!
What exactly is the benefit of a particularly fine gauge such as the one you went for?
Good question David. It’s one of the things – along with the yarn and the fashioning work – that makes it feel more luxurious. The material flows and drapes really nicely, and it has a more elegant, luxurious look. Like a superfine wool does as compared to a looser, chunkier tweed
I assume a corollary is that it’s less robust over time? Does it also have an impact on how see-through the fabric is?
Not necessarily David, no. Superfine wools are very strong if they’re not too light. This would be more robust than any cashmere or cashmere/silk mix, which is what most high-end ones ones. And pretty similar to lightweight cotton too
Hi Simon,
Would you consider the navy more versatile than the black? I am trying to choose.
I have a feeling you will say it comes down to my personal style, but I live in a hot and humid climate and am not sure what shorts/trousers I could pair a black polo with.
The navy I could always at list count on white trousers as an easy, elegant outfit.
Thank you!
The black I would wear with particular shades of lots of things – of beige, of brown, olive, greys, and cream too (but that is more a question of style).
But yes, I think navy would be more versatile in general.
On the issue of shrinkage, I thought I’d post this here in case it’s useful for prospective buyers or current owners of this wonderful item.
I have the original (ie, quite slim) navy in medium and it definitely was shrunk. The emphasis there is on the active element; it didn’t ‘just shrink’ after a careful wash: it was put through the ringer. It was washed (not by me but on my watch, so have to hold my hands up) in an unfamiliar machine, at a normal 30 degree (possibly even 40… *shudders*) wash, then spun, then hung to dry quickly over a single thin rail in very hot summer sun (Simon, I feel like I owe you an apology). The difference was immediately noticeable. It looked small and bunched up; it felt stiff, even crunchy to the hand. And it clung – stuck, would be more accurate – to me in ways that were not flattering. The steam ironing method wasn’t enough, presumably because it had gone too far.
I was pretty gutted, not just down to what felt like money wasted but because it’s pretty much my favourite warm weather item. So after some moping I looked online and found this method of ‘unshrinking’ merino items: https://www.mothprevention.com/blogs/the-art-of-prevention/how-to-unshrink-merino-wool#:~:text=Stay%20cool.,near%20a%20vent%20or%20radiator.
Short version: it worked.
I’ve no idea the science of it but presumably the fibres had tightened up in the previous washing process and this gently relaxed them. It now feels and fits as it did; I’m wearing it right now, in fact, which is why I thought to post this. There are other (probably similar) methods online, obviously, but this one seemed thorough, sensible and relatively simple. It took a while but only because of the time taken to allow thorough drying between stages.
Any future washes will be by hand, very brief, in at most lukewarm water, with no spinning.
(I think my wife thought I was a bit crazy, devoting what no doubt looked to her like three days of my life to washing a shirt. But I can’t be the only PS reader who has to endure gentle mockery from their partner)
Amazing! Thanks Joe, I’m sure there will be readers out there who will find this really useful – I almost wish I had a shrunk piece now that I could try this on!
Hey,Simon
I noticed recently that the Navy size S has sold out pretty fast,
Is there gonna be re-stocked any time soon?
Thank you
Josh
No, I’m afraid not Josh. Though always worth putting your name on the waiting list in case some exchanges come back
Is it possible to alter these knits? For instance bring in that new increase in roominess?
Not really. To do it properly you’d need to take it somewhere that made knitwear, and so had a fashioning machine
Hi Simon,
Do you find it best to pair the finest polo with a tailored trouser, due to the fineness of the knit?
I have the navy, and think it looks great with white cotton trousers, and I *think* it works with a pair of tailored linen/cotton tailored trousers I’ve got. I’m not quite sure what else suits it best.
I think the navy is just about OK with jeans (maybe smarter, maybe white/ecru) but it definitely works with any vaguely smart chino, and then any tailored trouser, yes.
Or were you asking about other colours of tailored trousers too?
Thank you! I was asking about colors as well, yes.
Cool. I think the navy is also nice with:
– Grey (worsted, or cotton or even linen)
– Dark brown (dark and not too strong a colour)
– Dark green, again depends a bit on shade
– Black, with a black shoe, a bit of an evening look
– Navy, again more of a look, but nice and elegant
– Light/mid-blues. Probably not your style, but if you do wear that shade of trouser or short
Thank you, as always!
Any advice on line drying shirts and pullovers? How can I line dry them without damaging the shape and structure?
I’m assuming you mean knitted polo shirts, so in both cases knitted products?
Obviously you want to dry on a rack if you can, but if you can’t, just try and squeeze out as much water as you can with a towel (rolling it up in one). Even do it twice if you want to. Then hang the piece over the line, half either side, don’t peg it. That should be fine unless it’s still pretty wet or a heavier knit.
Hi. Are you re-stocking this in 2024? Kind regards Theodor
Yes we will be Theodor. An update on all Spring restocks will be published in February
Great – looking forward to it. And thank you for the quick reply!
No worries, always
Hello Simon,
Are there any plans to restock the Charcoal or Grey versions?
Not this year, but I’m sure in the future
Do you have the problem of puffed up sleeve with short sleeve knitted polos and if so does it look weird?
With some but not others, but no I don’t mind it generally