Then, in 1933, French tennis legend Jean René Lacoste stepped up to transform the modest short-sleeve cotton-piqué polo shirt design into the contemporary menswear staple we all adore.

These days, it’s easy to dismiss the polo shirt as the cursed preserve of fraternity wine mixers or a quick round on the links, but the endlessly-versatile warm-weather staple deserves a better rap.

But men’s style has evolved considerably since the ’80s, and the cotton polo, in a range of increasingly irreverent iterations, is no longer reserved for well-heeled country clubbers.

This polo dress is an easy all-in-one outfit, and it’s currently on sale for 40% off. Note that it runs a bit small, so Lacoste suggests going one size up from your usual size.

The Lacoste Polo Shirt—the First and Best of Its Kind—Is on Sale Right Now Avidan is 5’11” and about 155 lbs; he's wearing a size medium.© Bowen Fernie ...

Izod Lacoste, as the brand became known, initially looked like a flop; there weren’t many customers in the early ’50s for a pricey polo shirt (about $8 then) with a small crocodile sewn onto ...

Some liked Lacoste's approach, "I love how he has specific colors for specific tournaments/swings" and "Lacoste always delivers with men's wear." The green and black shirt is currently available ...

Bernard Lacoste, who is widely credited with turning the family sportswear business best known for its crocodile-crested polo shirts into a major apparel company, has died, the firm said Wednesday.

The Lacoste polo shirt isn't simply the first of its kind—a century later, it's still the best on the market. And right now, it's on sale for up to 40% off.