The Ralph Lauren polo turns 50 in tip-top shape. Once a promise of dominion, today it is also the legacy of the left
It seems unbelievable, but the Ralph Lauren polo shirt (New York, 1939), the garment once exclusive to chic men and now ubiquitous in every wardrobe, turns 50. It is one of the New York designer’s most celebrated creations. although the invention, once a hallmark of the perfect ‘cayetano’, is much earlier.
The ancestor of polo dates back to the 1800s when some British soldiers in Manipur, India, embraced the sport practiced by the natives and decided to transfer it to the United Kingdom. And with the importation of sports came that of clothing, which consisted of the use of a long-sleeved cotton shirt.
However, as it is known today, the birth of polo is also related to tennis. Jean René Lacoste, aka ‘le Crocodile’, became the father of modern polo when, in 1926, he decided to break the rigid and tedious rules of tennis clothes, which were initially difficult to be comfortable. Not surprisingly, in the late 1800s, gentlemen wore button-down shirts, a tie, long white trousers and a belt, a dress designed more for going to a cocktail party than desperately just to climb.
Regardless of the garment’s true paternity, everyone from Fred Perry to Purificación García, including Burberry and Pedro del Hierro, has taken a slice of polo.
Most importantly, polo has broken through class barriers and is no longer the exclusive domain of the law. The shirtless left also claims it, although it omits the laurel, crocodile and player on horseback logos. When the right wing wears the shirt in question, with an essential sweater buttoned over the shoulders, the left wing has given the polo a vengeful touch, as has Pablo Iglesias, who wears the colors of the Republican flag around his neck.
The polo shirt is left from the moment it arose from a dialectical process: it is neither a shirt nor a t-shirt, but rather a synthesis of both. As an example of the overcoming of capital by the labor force, the labor pool dispenses with the pocket, the opening where the credit card is kept.
A casual style is making its way to the new left. Gone are the days of the social-democratic corduroy jacket and the knit sweater by Marcelino Camacho, the polo shirt can be worn by any Pijoaparte. Pier Paolo Pasolini, communist and lover of beauty, attracted more than one comrade for his elegance. He combined the informality of the street urchin with the presence of the perfect gentleman in his plain jackets and polo shirts.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
