After much consideration, I still have not come up with a reason as to why I suddenly started wearing polo shirts after a lifetime of avoiding them. After test driving one back in June and, much to my surprise, liking it, I started looking for more. My quest led me to Criquet, the small Austin-based clothing company that is run by two polo shirt aficionados. Billy Nachman and Hobson Brown each have a lifetime of polo shirt experience and their company, Criquet, is the culmination of that experience and their life-long pursuit of the perfect polo.
Are these shirts perfect? Not exactly, but they are pretty darned close. Their short sleeve shirts are cut from 100% organic cotton jersey that is soft and light and feels like an old favorite the first time it’s worn. Their long sleeve shirts are cut from a heavier 100% organic cotton piqué weave that just begs to be worn, and, like its short sleeve sibling, feels like an old favorite from the get-go.
The short sleeve “Players” shirts are simply brilliant. The light material drapes like a tee shirt while the classic polo structure of the shirt keeps everything tidy and handsome. The crisp spread collar keeps its shape thanks to the short removable stays tucked away on either side and the overall fit is just right. In fact, their XL feels like it was custom-made just for me.
The long sleeve Players shirt is a much more rugged affair. The bulkier piqué weave wears like a light sweatshirt, but thanks to its polo shirt appointments the overall look is quite refined. This shirt is right at home doing weekend chores or brunch at the yacht club.
What keeps these shirts from being perfect are minor, but still worth mentioning. The American made long sleeve Players shirt has some sketchy stitching around the collar and cuffs that would be almost imperceptible if it wasn’t done in a contrasting color. This stitching issue isn’t going to make the shirt fall apart or anything, but it is a bit of a bummer on a $95 shirt. On the Chinese made short sleeve Players shirt the button holes have a bit of an issue with some loose threads which inevitably get caught on the buttons. This, too, is not going to make the shirt fall apart, but it is an issue nonetheless.
Since Criquet provides free shipping and returns, any issues could be easily addressed, but the issues I experienced were so minor that they wouldn’t warrant an exchange. In fact, I like these shirts so much that it would take a whole lot more than some slightly misguided thread to make me change my opinion of them. They’re awesome, just not quite perfect. For more information or to make a purchase, click here. Your future favorite shirt awaits you.
**Full disclosure: These shirts were provided at no cost for the purpose of testing/reviewing. To think otherwise would be silly.
