Taking a look at weekend style, this weather makes casual dress slightly more complicated. We can no longer simply throw on a t-shirt or a polo shirt to survive the day at home or the trip to the shopping mall; the cooler temperatures outside demand long sleeves. We might also want to use the season to wear something more visually interesting, something that will keep up with the shift toward patterned sweaters and textured pants. A longstanding answer to this sartorial challenge is the rugby shirt, a casual classic in the colder months that continues to be a smart choice for your relaxing weekend.
The rugby shirt’s origins are straightforward enough. It began as and continues to be based on the shirts worn by rugby players as part of their team uniforms. Traditionally, it has been brightly and boldly striped with a stiff polo collar of a contrasting color, typically white. The buttons are made of rubber; this is so that during rugby games, the buttons will come undone when pulled rather than pop off. Though the shirts worn by modern rugby players are frequently made of synthetic fibers, the rugby shirt as a style item is almost always made of thick cotton. Sometimes the cuffs are also a contrasting color, though this is not common. Beyond striping, rugbies can be solid colors or even have color blocking across the body of the shirt.
The rugby shirt should be seen as the Fall and Winter equivalent of the polo shirt, given that they have the same collar. Actually, a rugby shirt is slightly more casual than a polo shirt, its thick cotton being inherently more rugged, less formal than a polo shirt’s mesh. The rugby is therefore a good match with blue jeans on a weekend or a day off; it can also be worn with chinos. Give one a try, and don’t be surprised if you feel like hitting the pitch when you slip it on.
