Friday Polos available again – with new brown colour!
*Many sizes are now sold out. For a breakdown of remaining stock, please see the shop page*
With excitement and not a little relief, given how many people have been asking, I'm glad to say the Friday Polos are now back in stock.
You can place your order here, on the Permanent Style shop. Please don't forget to include in the Notes what size and colour(s) you want.
We have one new colour this time, a dark brown that you can see me wearing in Japan in the images above. It's a nice, deep chocolatey brown that I find works nicely with grey or tan trousers.
(The top image was shot at amazing knife-maker Sasuke. Separate post coming on that as well as one or two other Japanese craftspeople.)
Elsewhere, we have the classic navy, green and white, plus the lighter grey that we ran the short-sleeved Friday Polo in back in July.
I'd also like to put in a special mention for white, which I find is underrated in the range.
It's often the least popular colour, yet it functions particularly well for that role we talk about regularly - subverting the assumptions of formal clothing, by for example replacing a classic white button-down under a grey or navy blazer.
Adam wears it well below, but it is even more useful with conservative tailoring.
One other change this time is that due to the popularity of the Friday Polos, we have hit the UK VAT threshold and will need to charge people in the EU tax on top of their orders. This is stated in the details along with postage, and added in the order summary at the end.
Those outside the EU can simply order as normal, and will not be charged VAT.
As to the rest of the details on the Friday Polo, they are the same as always, and likely most readers will not need reminding.
But for those that are new to the site (hello!) here is the background and all the details:
- The project was started last year with Neapolitan bespoke shirtmaker Luca Avitabile, who has been making my shirts for a few years.
- The idea was to use the best materials (a soft Caccioppoli fabric) and as much as possible make them in the same way as Luca’s bespoke shirts. Everything is hand cut, and there are five points of handwork: hand-inserted sleeves, buttonholes, buttons, gussets, and ends of the cuff placket.
- We sell at below the normal retail price. With a standard retail mark-up these would be closer to £250.
- Five colours are available: Navy, Green, White, Brown and Grey
- Four sizes: Small, Medium, Large and Extra-large (see table below for dimensions)
- Shipping by FedEx, from Naples
- Returns and refunds available if the product is in a resellable condition, although we do not cover the cost of return postage
- Buy from the shop page here
Product details
- Mid-weight Caccioppoli pique-cotton fabric, good for three months of the year (in England!)
- Hand cut and partly hand sewn, all in an atelier in Naples that makes for several big designer brands
- Cutting and work overseen by Luca Avitabile, bespoke shirtmaker
- Mother of pearl buttons
- Stand collar, like a shirt, to help it sit under tailored jackets
- Slots in the collar for shirt-stays
- Half buttoning
- Long tail and front, like a shirt, as the polo is designed to be worn tucked in
- The shirts will not shrink when washed, but should expand slightly in the waist. Do wash cool and line dry
Sizing
- The shirts have a moderately slim fit
- In the images we are all wearing mediums
- If you are unsure about fit, we recommend comparing the measurements below to a polo shirt you currently own. They are in centimetres.
Chest Waist Yoke Sleeve Body
S 102 92 40 61 75
M 106 96 44 65 76
L 116 106 47 69 81
XL 124 114 48 69 81
Photography: Jamie Ferguson @jkf_man
Are the measurements for the chest and waist around or across the polo?
Across – should be fairly obvious hopefully, one would be tiny!
Hi Simon, very good that you have re-stocked, I love my Friday Polos and I already have ordered another one here. However I am wondering why the shirts are so much cheaper in Luca Avitabile’s own online shop and in The Bespoke Shop (180€). VAT can’t be the reason for my understanding, as these are professional stores too? Thanks for clarifying!
With the current weak pound, £155 is actually 172 euros, but yes the relative prices fluctuate with the exchange rates
Thanks for your reply. I am looking at the final prices for European customers which seem to be 180€ there and which are 172€ plus VAT = 206€ here. Maybe the other webshops are misleading and they charge VAT at a later point in the check-out procedure, I haven’t tried that. Looking forward for the shirt!
It’s not clear whether the € 180 charge on Luca’s website is inclusive of VAT. If is then it is 20% cheaper to buy direct, although it seems as though a number of the colours / sizes are still listed as ‘Sold Out’.
By the way, I just checked with Luca and he had planned to update his prices – they will be increasingly slightly as well. It’s a hard thing to manage given changing exchange rates, but we try to be fair and stay in line with each as much as possible
Congrats with the success of the Friday Polos, Simon.
Even though I have two long sleeve (navy and green) and one short sleeve (navy) already, the new brown looks very tempting.
I ordered myself a navyblue and a brown one with Simone Abbarchi last July.
First I wanted to get a green one instead of Brown, but since he hadn’t green I thought that Brown would be a nice choice. When I see the Pictures of yours it seems like it was a rather good idea. Anyway I just orderd a green one from your shop too.
(Simone takes always so long in shipping…)
Simon,
Yours is a great site. I have been waiting eagerly for the Polos to return.
I ordered two ( in brown and green) and may have forgotten to include my size. It is medium. would you make note, please. Thanks.
Mike
Thanks Mike, will do
Discovering this product, I believe focusing on one such garment as polos is a very good project. Indeed it is very hard to find satisfying polos in RTW. I bought Tom Ford polos, nice but not totally satisfactory while very expensive. By the way, is your collar fused, inside (TF’s is, annoying)?
For what it is worth, below a positive (subjective) criticism of your polo line:
– I’d rather have collar ends pointing downward, not sideways.
– while the slots in the collar is a good idea, the opening (button(holes) area) looks messy, i.e. lacks rigidity. Kind of shocking when worn under a jacket.
– the shoulder patch seam is too visible on the front.
Thanks, useful feedback. The collar is fused, which I prefer on all shirts for the way it shapes around the jacket collar as well as other factors. Collar etc obviously a personal thing but a spread does also often stand up better in the jacket
Fused collars? Dear, dear, dear.
Hi Simon,
What cloth are the shirts made up from? A waffle-stitched cotton?
A fairly heavy pique cotton from Caccioppoli
Another recommendation for the white, It’s my go to Friday shirt. I’ve just ordered a blue as well.
Simon
Looking at the comments above on fusing collars, do,you have fusing on your formal shirts? I have always found fusing, no matter how light, trends to create a very flat , one dimensional collar when compared with unfused. A good unfused collar is of course much harder to make, but personally I think the end product looks much better
Hi Nick,
Yes, I have fusing on all my shirts now. For a long time I had floating collars, from Turnbull & Asser, Sean O’Flynn and others. I also tried it again recently with Charvet. But I find no real benefit in terms of the look, and they are useless at shaping around a jacket collar – so particularly a problem without a tie.
Even those that use a combination of floating and fused, such as Kiton or bespoke maker D’Avino, use a floating piece around the back half of the collar to increase comfort, but have the front sections around the points fused, to help with the above point as well as keeping a clean, sharp line to the ends.
I can see why that might be the optimum solution, but frankly I’ve never noticed a comfort difference between that floating section in the back and having it all fused. Other points, like attaching the collar by hand in the round, make a much bigger difference.
Personally I think there’s a default reaction against fusing because it is seen as cheaper or easier. But the most important thing should always be functionality and style, regardless of the difficulty of the process.
Lastly, there is no point whatsoever having a floating piece in a polo shirt like this, which will pretty much never be worn done up to the neck, and is in a soft material already. The key is to make it work with a jacket collar when unfastened.
Cheers
Interesting. I have my collars made to very precise measures; 1.9/16″ rear stand, 3.25″ points, 6″ spread and 3/8″ tie space. They are unfused but with a heavy interlining. I find that this shape sits very well with a tie, but will also stand proudly when worn tieless under a coat
Interesting too, thanks Nick
Any idea when they’ll start to ship?
Today!
Can I ask about the splendid looking watch in the first picture?
That’s my IWC Portuguese.
Full details on my watch collection here:
https://www.permanentstyle.com/2014/05/how-to-buy-a-watch-part-2-my-watches.html
Just a general question, where would you buy, in London, a silver signet ring?
Just ordered the brown. Can hardly wait. I have been debating the last year whether I should order one from overseas, being nervous about the sizing. Curiosity finally got the best of me, they look stunning. May I ask if you plan on more of the short sleeves next year?
Yes, we’ll likely do another run of those in the Spring
Received my brown polo a few days ago. Very nice quality. The fit is slim. I wear a M in OB and this is just as slim. Appreciate everything you’re doing. Thanks again.
Hi Simon.
I’m having trouble purchasing a Friday Polo. After I’ve submitted my details it won’t connect me to the secure payment site. Is there some trouble with it today or is it something on my end?
I haven’t seen any problems, and purchases have been coming through fine.
It’s always worth trying:
– A different browser
– Checking for pop-up blockers
– A different device (eg tablets can be funny with these secure pages)
Let me know if the problem persists.
Many thanks for your advice Simon, the purchase has now been accepted. One green and one brown. I’m very much looking forward to their arrival.
Oh good. Thanks John
I just have a question about the sleeves. As someone who exercises a fair amount in the gym, I have rather large arms so I was wondering if your sleeves might be comparatively slimmer than other makers with the same chest measurement.
No, they’re pretty average. I’m sure you’ll find them tight if you have big arms though, as I’m sure you do with other polos. This material is very soft, which will help somewhat
Thank’s for the reply. That’s quite reassuring then. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been eyeing a great piece of clothing only to find out that they make their sleeves extra slim or the armholes excessively high to create a more streamlined appearance. Which of course, might work out fine for the average customer, but will prevent me from being able to wear them.
My green and grey arrived in Sydney today. Kudos for the speedy delivery.
After trying them on, I went straight to the shop to order the brown. Sold out!
No real surprise there. The quality’s superb and post-Brexit value for money even better.
Cheers John, pleased you liked them and sorry – but there will certainly be a next time, probably early next year
Since I have been wearing polos by O. Brown after reading your very helpful recommentation, I am surprised how much fuller these Friday ones are cut. It seems to me that the difference in the chest of size M is 8 cm.
The OBs are very slim in the waist, so I wouldn’t be surprised if these are a little bigger there. But I wouldn’t expect that much on the chest. Thanks
I love the brown
Hi Simon, I received a purchase confirmation but no notification of shipping – is that normal?
Cheers,
Sam
Yes Sam, there are no shipping notifications. If you email me I can send the tracking number when it’s ready though
Simon – I’m curious why the light blue was axed considering how versatile the colour is.
The shade wasn’t right – it’s very hard to replicate the pale blue of a shirt on a pique cotton, we found
Thank you very much ! Two earthy (reads wonderfully woven cotton fabric) and exotic (reads custom cutting and hand assembly) Friday long sleeve polos arrived earlier today. This is a wonderful peek into Italian tailoring. Much applause for doing another run of these shirts Simon.
I ordered Navy, Grey and White. Looking forward to trying these. It seems I’m forever in search of the perfect polo. I am/was considering a bespoke set made from the Loro Piana jersey shirt cloth bunch.
What is the recommended collar stay length for the Friday Polo? I assume the polo does not come with collar stays.
Simon, do you have a preferred brand / material (metal, bone, horn, plastic, mother of pearl, etc.) for collar stays?
I tend to just use plastic ones that come with the shirts – and no, these come with stays
Simon, do you have any plans to come up with any more cloth collaborations similar to the PS tweed you worked on a few years ago? I was not really up to speed with your blog at that time so did not participate but would be very interested if you were to do something like that again (depending on how it came out, obviously. I’m a big fan of the colour of your oatmeal jacket from Caliendo and various tweeds for instance but, alas, not so much of your corduroy A&S suit!). Thank you.
Thanks David, yes it’s something I might look at for next year.
I always appreciate when you provide the mill and number for a cloth in your articles. I recently received a bespoke based on the Loro Piana oatmeal jacket. All your observations were spot on. Although, you may not have given enough praise to the cloth.
Any plans for a restock of medium size long sleve polos?
Planning a new batch for February – bigger again, so hopefully won’t go as quickly
Just received my first Friday Polo. Before I commit to this specimen, I had a couple questions about the fit:
1.) Are you happy with where the shoulders are landing? Or should they be slightly wider? I’m happy with the slim fit of the shirt, but wanted to check:
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2. Are the sleeve cuffs meant to close right around the wrist? They are not “tight,” but they certainly don’t leave a gap the way my dress shirts do. They are comfortable, but if that isn’t the intention, perhaps I should size up, when the next batch are ready. I couldn’t wear a watch under the left cuff, for example—it would have to sit forward of the cuff.
Thanks—it looks great and I’m looking forward to wearing it.
This all sounds good Dan. Ideally you want the shoulder seam to sit on your shoulder bone and from the image it looks like this is happening. And the cuff fit sounds right too. You might be able to fit a very slim dress watch under the cuff, but that’s all
OK—thanks. Next round, I might experiment with a medium, as I suspect I’m in-between and either would be fine on me.
I usually don’t ever hang polos, on account of their stretchability (same with knitwear), but these have more tailoring. How do you fellows store them? Hung or folded?
Folded normally
Just wondered what you currently have in stock for the Friday Polos?
And when might you have the blue medium back in stock?
I am 6ft and 40 in chest. Would either the medium or large fit best?
I’d think you were probably a large, but do check the sizing against something you already own. It depends a little on how you like it to fit.
Blue medium won’t be back in for several months I’m afraid. Everything else is currently available.
Just received my first polo, blue in large and could not be more delighted. Fits like a glove and now want another one! Do you have white in large in stock?
Many thanks.
No more white I’m afraid… The stock is always kept updated on the Shop page, so you can check there whenever you want to know. Thanks
Hi Simon,
Had my eyes on your Friday polo’s for a while and keen to now purchase one!
Being 6ft 2 and a fellow cyclist, I’m rather tall and slim. I’m a slim 38-inch chest and should fit the small in the body, but then the arms would be too short. However, the medium with its 64cm arms would be the perfect fit underneath my jackets.
Would you think it would be possible to buy one in a medium size, then ask my tailor or someone you recommend such as Graham Browne, to alter the polo and make it much slimmer?
Many thanks,
Chris
Medium would probably be the best call, yes, and then a tailor should be able to put darts in the back to slim it yes. Not all tailors would be comfortable doing so but someone that does lots of alterations should be fine with it
Heavily leaning toward the navy, though the brown and green are both very tempting… 5’8″, 150 lbs – small would be the way to go, I assume?
We recommend comparing the measurements to a polo you have – it’s a much more accurate way of telling. But yes, most likely a small
Jordan, I’m 5′ 8 1/2 and 152 lbs and I can happily wear either the small or the medium. Medium is perhaps slightly better for my shoulder width but the small is fine also. There’s not a huge difference between those sizes in my experience. My shoulders measure 17.5″ — FYI
Simon,
Received my brown long-sleeve polo recently but unfortunately the sizing is wrong. Immediately shot you an email about it, following the return instructions, but have not heard back from you yet. How do I return the item?
Cheers, Laurent
Apologies Laurent, you should have received a reply. Let me check
Any plans to bring back the long-sleeved version in white?
In a new design in October, yes…
What’s changing in the new design, if I may ask?
I’d rather not say in advance, if that’s ok Dennis
Totally understand! I decided to order the current design in green and received it today; fast shipping and it fits like a glove! Couldn’t be more happy and am definitely going to order other colours!
Hi Simon ,
Appreciate the great service; ordered the polo on Saturday, and it arrived in Singapore by Wednesday afternoon. A nice touch with the bag. What does Luca use on the fabric? The polo has this fantastic fresh soap scent.
OK – so new polos are not due until October then? Will the new batch include the brown version (hoping that it will)?
Hi Simon, about the Friday Polo: is the main difference between the original and the one-piece collar the fact that the latter’s is more like a shirt collar and less like a traditional polo collar? (That said, I don’t think I’m doing justice to how elegant they both look. They both find that casual/elegant sweet spot between shirt and garden-variety polo.) For someone like me who’s aiming to wear it on a casual Friday under a cotton sports jacket (in a New York summer), the original’s material seems to be less thick? I mention this because the description for the one-piece collar mentions “heavy pique cotton”. Could one get away with wearing the one-piece (which I think I’m gravitating towards) in a summer like New York’s?
Hi David,
No, the original Polo has a shirt-style collar. The one piece uses a single piece material folded down around the neck, which looks a lot more casual and relaxed. Unusual but still subtle.
The material is the same on both of them – and no, they’re not really designed for summer like a traditional polo. More for year-round wear, like a regular shirt.
Thanks
Thanks for clarifying that Simon, that’s very helpful. David