What gentlemen wear at a Polo match???

[lovemeparis]

OK...I will be going to see a polo final match for the very first time---wow!

I wonder what gentlemen usually wear to go and see the games at a polo club. Please give me some hints. ^_^

...from paris

[DougNZ]

Depends a bit on where and what event. A safe bet is a country look: moleskins / chinos, tattersall / check shirt, sports coat, brogues or boots. If its dirty weather, throw on a barbour.

Of course, the event may call for something more dressy, or it may be a more casual match.

[Vik]

While not potenitally required everywhere, you can't go wrong with a blazer and tie - common dress at the last polo match I attended.

[Intrepid]

May be different, in different areas. In Central NJ, USA, it's usually jacket and tie, khakis, and sturdy shoes.

Many of the pre match parties have crystal, candles, and elaborate table settings.

[Will]

Polo, like the race track, is an opportunity to wear spectator shoes.

[SartoNYC]

Depends on where it is, what part of the season and therefore what match. Best thing to do is consult your host as to what is most appropriate to wear. If you'd prefer not to do that, contact the organizers, field where it will be played, etc. Also, so you will enjoy it more, educate yourself about the sport; i.e. nomanclature, how match is conducted, scored, # players & how many ponies each, etc. A place to start would be here:

http://www.fippolo.com/default.asp

Have fun.

[Vik]

Polo, like the race track, is an opportunity to wear spectator shoes.

unless you walk the ground at half time...getting those nice spectators dirty!

[Clovis]

You can wear almost anything that you want, but make sure to wear a tie, otherwise you may be excluded from certain sections of the grounds. Depending on the season a blue blazer or tweed sportcoat and linen or kahki pants is perfect. Leave your pocket square at home. This is also a good time to consider (wearing or purchasing) a pair of CJ brogues (brown).

http://www.saratogapolo.com/aboutpolo.htm

[Will]

unless you walk the ground at half time...getting those nice spectators dirty!

If you're going to walk the ground you either get your shoes dirty or you wear riding boots with trousers inserted into the boots. The latter is more sensible if less handsome.

[tripreed]

Seems to me that the natural footwear choice might be chukkas, given their polo field origins.

[rip]

Be aware with your footwear that it is traditional to walk the field between chukkars to replace divots with your feet. This might put paid to your spectators! I usually wear chinos over some country shoes, blue or pink OCBD with an ascot and a blazer, unless I know before hand that there is a tie requirement for certain areas, although I must admit I have rarely, if ever, been denied entrance to a tie only area while wearing an ascot.

[DougNZ]

In addition to my recommendation above, you can alternatively wear a rugby jersey or old polo shirt, jeans and chelseas and pretend you are one of the 'support'!!! Try to avoid direct questions.

[jml90]

Polo, like the race track, is an opportunity to wear spectator shoes.

I wouldn't say that.
I don't look for an opportunity I wear them when ever I feel like it

[lovemeparis]

May be different, in different areas. In Central NJ, USA, it's usually jacket and tie, khakis, and sturdy shoes.

Many of the pre match parties have crystal, candles, and elaborate table settings.

U know...I think they will have a dinner party with open bar after the final match. So what do u think? Perhaps the gentlemen will change their attire at the party? How about the ladies?

...from paris

[LondonFogey]

Depends on the match. I have been to some bog-standard matches at Guard's, most men were wearing jeans or cords and tweed jackets or blazers, with or without ties, with raincoats or barbours, and brogues/boat shoes. At the more dressed up events that the new money folks go to, like the Cartier Cup, blazer, tie and khaki trousers, or khaki linen suits are worn, with optional panamas.

[lovemeparis]

Hello gentlemen,
Thank you for all your helpful hints. I especially enjoyed reading about the polo ponies from the links...fasinating creatures, indeed.

The matches are on today in Paris at Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly La Ferme d'Apremont 60300 Chantilly. www.poloclubchantilly.com

Hopefully I will have some photos posted on www.pariswoman.com website by next week.

...from paris (il fait trop beau)

[Chuck Franke]

I'd always call the club to ask first because it tends to vary by club and by event. Polo in Texas is a little less formal typically so for some events 'picnic casual' is cool and at other events there is a $150/person dinner afterward benefitting a charity.
I would not worry too much about messing up shoes during the stomping of the divots since that is more or less an opportunity for men to rescue women who wore spiked heels from the turf then it is to replace divots.

The worst thing a person can wear is white pants and polo boots. There is usually one or two guys who do this to look just like the players and the players always kinda snicker and offer him a nice green pony to try out.

While you are there see if they offer lessons. I haven't had time to teach them the past couple years but a polo lesson is one of the most enjoyable, exhilirating and humiliating experiences you can have - get some friends together and give it a shot sometime :-)

You'll find the match exhilirating, most folks think of polo as a frilly rich boy sport.... it is more like rugby with 1100 pound bullies running at 40MPH and requires some degree of insanity and a disregard for sound safety measures to truly enjoy.

Oh, one other thing - Don't stand right at the edge with your back to the field chatting - the ball moves at 100MPH and is solid plastic and the horses tend to swing wide when turning onto the line to pursue it... invariably a group of too-close spectators gets scattered into the stands at most matches.

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Johnson's Deep Woods "Off".

[Tomasso]

At the more dressed up events that the new money folks go to, like the Cartier Cup, blazer, tie and khaki trousers, or khaki linen suits are worn, with optional panamas.

Love the Cartier Cup, lots of pretty young things. Don't know if their $$ is new, don't care.

[lovemeparis]

Hello gentlemen,

As promised, here are the photos. Please spend some times to enjoy them. It was a fun event for me and lots of new things to see...hihi...

...from paris

http://www.pariswoman.com/paris/lett...polo_games.htm

[Literide]

Been to 2 in my life;
Wellington FL 1982, wore polo & jeans, dont recall the footwear. I remember this because my group made the front page of a local newsapaper.

Last one a few years ago in Bridgehampton, lots of both very attractive and very unattractive people, nobody was too well dressed. (Unless you count extremely expensive T shirts) Rich (nuevo) enough not to care??

[lovemeparis]

I sported a mid-thigh white linen skirt, topped with a white small-polo white shirt. I wore a skirt because I am a woman...and I wore polo shirt because I like the cotton material (light and soft and it's a choice).

Please dont assume otherwise because you have not met me yet. Also, if I did say something wrong or offensive to anyone...please tell me so openly and politely. I would appreciate your true gentlemen's attires and manners.

...from paris

[lovemeparis]

Sorry for the double posting...but I think it is important to defend who I am as some of the gentlemen here had assumed otherwise.

I sported a mid-thigh white linen skirt, topped with a white small-polo white shirt. I wore a skirt because I am a woman...and I wore polo shirt because I like the cotton material (light and soft and it's a choice).

Please dont assume otherwise because you have not met me yet and you have no proofs whatsoever (only and purely false accusations!).

Also, if I did say something wrong or offensive to anyone...please tell me so openly and politely. I would appreciate your true gentlemen's attires and manners.

...from paris

[acidicboy]

did i miss something here?

[lovemeparis]

did i miss something here?

Oh I'm sorry. I must went to the wrong forum...the Trad.

Thank you for guiding me back.

...from paris