Tenniscore Done Quietly: How to Style a Polo Top Past the Court

Wimbledon wraps tomorrow. Which means the polo top — already climbing search charts since May — is about to get very loud, very fast. Department stores will stack them at the front. Every brand will call theirs "the one." The smarter move is to figure out how to actually wear one before the trend peaks and everyone starts wearing it exactly the same way.

Why the polo top lands differently in 2026

Tenniscore has been building since 2023 — pleated skirts, racket bags as accessories, court shoes worn nowhere near a court. But the 2026 version is quieter. The logomania is gone. What's left is the silhouette: a clean, collared knit top that reads put-together without trying to announce itself.

Search interest in "polo top outfit" is up 62% year-over-year in the US as of June 2026 (Google Trends). That's not a blip — that's a category shift. The polo has moved from sportswear to the same territory the white button-down occupied five years ago: the top you reach for when everything else feels like too much or too little.

The difference between the polo top that looks sharp and the one that looks like you're about to tee off: fit and context. A polo worn loose over wide-leg trousers reads minimalist. The same polo tucked into a pleated skirt reads editorial. Untucked with athletic shorts reads exactly what it is. The top itself is neutral — the styling is the whole conversation.

"The polo is the 2026 answer to the question 'what's more interesting than a plain tee but less precious than a blouse?' It's the collar. That single detail does more work than any print or embellishment."

— Maya Okonkwo, Livostyle Trend Editor

The collar rule: how to make it read fashion, not club sport

One decision changes everything: collar up or collar flat, and how much of the placket you button.

Leave the collar flat and button all the way to the top — that's the preppy read. Leave the collar flat and undo the top two buttons — that's the relaxed, slightly undone version that works for off-duty styling. Pop the collar — that's a deliberate throwback that only works if the rest of the outfit is very clean (think: straight-leg trousers, minimal jewelry, nothing else competing).

The other variable is the tuck. A full tuck into high-waisted trousers creates a long-torso line that photographs well and reads structured. A half-tuck — one side in, one side out — is the casual version. It looks intentional only if the fabric has enough weight to fall naturally. Thin jersey half-tucked just looks like you got dressed in a hurry.

Natural fibers help here. A cotton-piqué polo holds its shape at the collar and doesn't cling through the afternoon. Polyester blends pill faster and lose the collar structure by the third wash. If you're buying one polo to wear regularly, the fabric is the investment, not the color.

Outfit 1 — Daytime brunch

Polo top + wide-leg linen trousers + leather slide sandals + small crossbody. This is the outfit that photographs well without looking like you tried to photograph well. The polo's collar keeps the top half structured; the wide leg keeps the bottom half relaxed. The contrast is the point.

The top layer: A ribbed crop tank worn under an open polo works as a layering trick — the tank peeks out at the hem and adds a second texture. Our Round Neck Racerback Active Tank in Dusty Blue works exactly this way under a white or cream polo: the dusty blue reads through without clashing.

The bottom: Wide-leg pants in a neutral — sand, cream, or navy — keep the silhouette clean. Avoid printed trousers here; the collar already has visual weight.

The bag: A crossbody bag in tan or white keeps hands free and doesn't compete with the collar detail.

Outfit 2 — Office with actual air conditioning

Polo top + tailored trousers + blazer + pointed flats. The polo replaces the button-down here. It's cooler, has less fabric bulk under a blazer, and the collar still reads professional. The key: the polo needs to be a solid color or a very subtle stripe. Anything bolder fights the blazer.

Tuck it in fully. A half-tuck under a blazer looks unfinished. Pointed flats or low block-heel mules complete the line — nothing too casual, nothing that requires the blazer to do more work than it should.

The layer: Browse our blazers for unstructured options in cream or camel — those drape better over a knit collar than a stiff suiting blazer.

The trouser: Straight-leg trousers in navy or charcoal are the safest pairing. If the office is business-casual, a clean straight-leg jean in dark wash also works — but only if the blazer is present.

Outfit 3 — Rooftop drinks

Polo top (collar popped) + tailored midi skirt + strappy heels + clutch. This is the evening version, and the popped collar is the one context where it makes sense — it reads intentional rather than accidental when the rest of the outfit is clearly dressed-up.

Choose a polo in a richer fabric for this: silk-blend or a fine-gauge knit reads evening better than a cotton piqué. Navy, black, or a deep burgundy all work. Keep jewelry minimal — the collar competes with necklaces, so earrings only.

The skirt: A midi skirt in a solid color or subtle texture pairs better than a printed one. The polo already has structure; the skirt should follow rather than lead.

The shoe: Strappy heels in gold or nude. The height pulls the polo into evening territory that flats can't quite reach.

Outfit 4 — Weekend errands, elevated

Polo top + biker shorts set + sneakers. This is the athleisure read — and it's the one that requires the most restraint to pull off. The polo has to be clean and fitted; oversized doesn't work here. The shorts need to be high-quality enough that they don't read as gym gear.

Our Cotton V-neck Top & Biker Shorts Set in Sand Beige gives you the shorts half of this equation already sorted — the sand beige reads neutral enough that a white or navy polo sits on top without clashing. Swap the included top for your polo and the set does the rest of the work.

The shoe: Low-profile sneakers — white leather, not chunky trainers. The polo already has structure; a chunky sole fights the clean line of the collar.

The bag: A small tote bag in canvas or cotton. Nothing too precious — this outfit is built for movement.

Outfit 5 — Date night, no effort apparent

Polo top + straight-leg dark jeans + heeled mules + layered necklaces. The polo does the heavy lifting here. Dark jeans keep the bottom half clean; heeled mules add height without the formality of a strappy sandal. The layered necklaces are the one place where jewelry works with a polo — they sit below the collar and add visual interest to the open placket.

Half-tuck the polo here. The slight asymmetry reads casual-intentional rather than dressed-up, which is exactly the register for a first or second date. You look like you thought about it without looking like you planned an outfit.

The jewelry: Two or three layered necklaces in gold at varying lengths — 16", 18", 20" — fill the open collar space without competing with it.

The shoe: A heeled mule in tan or black. It adds 2–3 inches and signals "evening" without the commitment of a full heel.

Three polo mistakes to skip

The polo top is easy to get wrong in specific ways. These three come up most often.

1. Wearing it with athletic shorts and calling it done. The polo and athletic shorts combination reads "just left practice" unless the shorts are tailored and the shoes are clean. If the shorts are the same fabric as a gym kit, the polo doesn't elevate the look — it just creates a mixed-signal outfit that reads unintentional.

2. Sizing up for comfort. A polo worn too large loses the collar structure that makes it interesting. The collar should sit flat and close to the neck, not gap or droop. If you're between sizes, size down rather than up.

3. Too much color at once. The polo's collar is already a detail. A printed skirt, a statement bag, and bold earrings alongside a polo creates noise. Pick one other element to be interesting — everything else should be quiet.

Tenniscore at its best is restrained. The women who wear it well at Wimbledon — in the stands, not on court — look like they own one excellent version of each piece and nothing is fighting for attention. That's the edit worth copying.

Shop the top edit

The polo itself isn't in our current inventory — but the pieces that complete the outfit are. A few worth noting from our tops collection:

• Round Neck Racerback Active Tank in Dusty Blue — the ribbed dusty-blue fabric layers cleanly under an open polo placket, adding texture without bulk.
• Cotton V-neck Top & Biker Shorts Set in Sand Beige — use the biker shorts half with a polo on top for the elevated athleisure read in Outfit 4.
• Light Rose Sweater Boxy Top and Long Pants Set — the wide-leg pants in this set work directly with a polo top for the brunch silhouette in Outfit 1.

For the full range of short-sleeve tops and athleisure options that pair with the tenniscore aesthetic, both collections are updated weekly.

Frequently asked questions