Polo shirts

(source)

A continuation of this post.

Polo shirts are considered to be casual, in comparison with dress shirts. Is this because they are simpler in design (resembling a T-shirt or undershirt in that respect) and do not have buttons all the way down in the front? They have a collar but are usually short-sleeved -- but am I wrong in thinking that dress shirts with short sleeves are still considered to be more formal? Probably not as formal as long-sleeved dress shirts. Are short-sleeved dress shirts acceptable for formal occasions? Apparently not, and those answering someone's query seem to think that it is worse than a polo shirt, in a business environment, even if the dress code is business casual.

It seems that the answer lies in the origins of the polo shirt, rather than a judgment based upon reason alone by the fashion gods. The polo shirt originated as athletic wear and was associated with sports; only later was it worn off the athletic field. (Cotton was the first material used for polo shirts?) So it is not the "nature" of the polo shirt that makes it casual, but rather its original use and convention.

One can ask the question why the original design of the polo shirt was created -- was it adapted from the existing design of contemporary dress shirts?

Guide to Manliness: How to Dress in the Summer, Parts 1 and 2.