Kent Wang Polo- The Shirt of Kings

Contrary to popular belief, a man can not survive on button up shirts alone. This time of year the polo should be an off duty staple for nearly everyone. Sportier than the short sleeve button up and more refined than a T-shirt. And when it comes to polo shirts there is only one brand for me these days – Kent Wang.

Kent Wang launched his eponymous haberdashery last year to huge internet buzz. He had been making pocket squares and other accessories for sale on StyleForum for a while, but when the polos went live on his own online store they were an instant hit. Pretty much every blogger worth his salt was raving about them this time last year. Kent sent me a royal blue polo that I reviewed over at the Gentleman’s Gazette and was my #1 go-to shirt last summer.

So naturally when the weather started getting warmer this year I had to order a few more. The colors are pretty great across the board, but I chose the navy and lavender for this round of buying. I fully expect this will not be my last order. It isn’t talked about very much, but the colors actually vary in weight of cloth. The navy is “heavy” while the  lavender is the same “medium” as my royal blue polo. Heavy is a bit of an overstatement, but it is a little heftier than the medium and I would imagine the light is just a tiny bit airier. Nothing too drastic in either direction.

One thing I noticed immediately on the new shirts is the improved buttons. Last year’s were still mother of pearl, but they were wafer thin. Now the buttons are nice and thick and the stitching holding them on is more substantial as well. I do wish the buttons were still cross-stitched, but this shouldn’t make a huge difference. I’ll take nicer buttons stitched parallel to cross-stitched thin buttons any day.

Finally there is the collar. This is what really sets Kent Wang polos apart. The cutaway collar has a collar band like a typical button up shirt, while most polo collars are just ribbed material cut in a collar-esque shape. This makes it stand tall and proud, better framing the face, and keeping the shirt from looking tired an lazy. I beat the hell out of my royal blue shirt last summer and the collar still looks almost brand new.

The fit is slim without being tight, sleeves are actual short sleeves and not elbow-length sleeves, and the placket is a nice three-button configuration. I really think if you’re looking for a rakish, sporty summer shirt for the days when a button-up is too much, you really can’t go wrong with these. My two new shirts just arrived and I’m already trying to make excuses for ordering more.