Knitwear · Est. 1972
Knitwear thatreplaced the shirt
Structure without stiffness. For half the DFW week it now does the job a dress shirt used to.
A fine-gauge knit polo in merino or a cotton blend has replaced the dress shirt for much of the DFW week. It gives structure without stiffness, does not need adjusting through the day, and layers under a sport coat cleanly. Merino for range, cashmere for winter, cotton for daily wear. Fitted at The Man’s Shop in Arlington.
Why it happened
The line between formal and casual moved
A knit gives you something a dress shirt cannot: structure without stiffness, texture without bulk, and a finished appearance that does not require adjusting every time you stand up.
The luxe polo is the clearest example. In a fine merino or a good cotton it sits under a sport coat as convincingly as a shirt, and it is far more comfortable across a day that includes a car, an office, and a restaurant.
What separates a good one from an ordinary one is gauge and recovery. Fine gauge for layering, and a yarn that returns to shape rather than sagging at the elbows by three in the afternoon.
Fibres
What each is actually for
- Merino
- The most useful. It regulates temperature genuinely, resists odour, and a fine gauge weighs almost nothing under a jacket. If you buy one knit, buy this.
- Cashmere
- Warmer, softer, and more delicate. Best in a crewneck for winter rather than in something worn daily against a jacket lining.
- Cotton and pima
- The everyday option. Less adaptive than merino but more robust and easier to launder. Pima holds its shape and color far longer than standard cotton.
- Silk and cotton blends
- A quiet sheen and excellent drape. Dressier than they look, and good under an evening jacket.
- What to avoid
- Heavy acrylic blends. They pill quickly, hold heat, and the difference is obvious within one season.
Layering
How knits sit under tailoring
- Gauge is everything
- Fine gauge under a jacket, heavier gauge on its own. A thick knit under a sport coat distorts the line and is too warm here by mid-morning.
- Knit polo under a jacket
- The collar must have enough structure to hold against the lapel. This is the single detail that separates a polo that works from one that collapses.
- Crewneck over a shirt
- Collar and cuffs showing, knit sitting flat across the chest. A quiet, reliable combination for cooler months.
- Quarter-zip
- More casual than a crewneck and useful when the day swings in temperature. Keep it plain and unbranded.
- Color
- Navy, charcoal and camel cover almost everything. These are layering pieces, so they should recede rather than lead.
Common questions
Knitwear, answered
Can you wear a knit polo instead of a dress shirt?
For most business casual settings here, yes. Where it stops working is anywhere a tie is expected — a knit collar will not hold a knot properly, so formal interviews and traditional finance settings still call for a woven shirt.
Is merino or cashmere better?
They do different jobs. Merino regulates temperature, resists odour, and is fine enough to layer daily — the more useful of the two here. Cashmere is warmer and softer but more delicate, which makes it better as a winter crewneck than as an everyday layer.
What gauge knitwear should I buy?
Fine gauge for anything worn under a jacket, heavier gauge for pieces worn alone. Most men own knitwear that is too thick to layer, which is why their jackets do not sit properly over it.
How do I stop knitwear from pilling?
Buy better yarn and wash it less. Long-staple fibres — merino, pima cotton, good cashmere — pill far less than short-staple or acrylic blends. Wash cold, lay flat to dry, and use a fabric comb rather than pulling pills off.
How should a knit polo fit?
Close through the body without pulling at the buttons, with a sleeve finishing at mid-bicep and a hem that sits where you intend to wear it. Knits stretch as the day goes on, so a slightly snug fit at purchase is usually correct.
Does The Man’s Shop carry fine-gauge knitwear?
Yes, including pieces cut specifically to layer under tailoring. Worth handling in person — gauge and recovery are almost impossible to judge from a photograph.
Handle the yarn
Book with Patrick or Austin
Gauge and recovery don’t photograph. Two minutes in person settles it.
Book with PatrickBook with Austin
100 S. West Street, Arlington, Texas 76010
Mon–Sat 10am–5pm · Closed Sunday
(817) 265-1116