Your standard polo shirt can run the risk of feeling a bit bland. If the fit and finish isn't spot-on, you can look a little "middle management on casual Friday." But what you really want, especially in the summertime, is a shirt that's easygoing and comfortable, that not only looks good but also keeps you cool and dry. And that shirt is a terrycloth polo. The same kind worn by Sean Connery when he was playing James Bond in the 1960s. There's a sexy swagger to the textured toweling material—it's laidback and louche yet incredibly functional too. Wear it with shorts, your swim trunks or a pair of lightweight chinos. Are they a little far-out? You bet. But are they stylistically bulletproof? You better believe it.
Your Best Options
Orlebar Brown, $245
Onia, $85
Universal Works, $90
OAS, $99
J.Crew, $64.50
Sunspel, $145
Howlin, $108
Goodlife, $135
Todd Snyder, $138
De Bonne Facture, $215
How does it absorb?
Terrycloth's texture is what makes it so absorbent. The loops on the fabric's surface provide more places for the cotton and water to come into contact.