Top pick
This polo sweater is made from a sturdy cotton weave (inspired by 1970s fisherman’s sweaters), and it has a look that’s put-together without being dressy. It’s pricey for cotton, though, and it comes in just two colors, but the quality justifies the investment.
The Buck Mason Seafarer Cotton Rugby Polo is the type of piece you’d imagine wearing on a breezy morning in coastal New England. The textured, chunky knit draws inspiration from classic fisherman styles, but instead of wool, it’s executed in thick and chunky (but breathable) cotton. And the design is similar to that of a rugby polo, which generally has a longer placket, a more-substantial weight, and a roomier fit than a regular polo. It’s knit from homespun, yarn-dyed cotton at a midweight 7-gauge, with hand-linked seams and racking-stitch cuff detailing. (Racking stitch is a thick, textured stitch often found in vintage workwear.) The result is a polo that feels broken-in from day one, and it only gets better with age.
It has a throwback maritime style. The Seafarer polo is partly inspired by vintage fisherman’s sweaters, which are traditionally made from a thick cotton or wool, knit in a pattern, and have a boxy and often cropped fit. It’s also inspired by classic rugby polos, which have a large collar, a roomy fit, and a substantial fabric. There are a lot of nice design details, such as a three-button rib center-front placket with mother-of-pearl buttons, a rib collar designed to lie flat, and parts that are hand-stitched. These touches give the sweater a more premium, old-school sweater-polo feel. It has a larger collar than the other polos we tested, and it adds to the retro look and feel.
The fit is incredibly classic. This sweater has a traditional, easy-to-wear cut that’s neither slim nor baggy. It’s cut short and tapered at the waist, so it looks like a vintage garment (vintage pieces were often shorter than today’s styles). I’m 6-foot-3 and usually in between a size L and XL, and I tested the Seafearer in size L. It had plenty of room in the chest and shoulders, and it landed right at my belt line, which I thought was perfect since it created a V-shaped silhouette.
It’s very inviting. This sweater polo is made from a robust, 7-gauge jersey-knit homespun cotton. (“Gauge” refers to stitches per inch, and a 7-gauge knit is a relatively open, chunky knit, like in a lightweight sweater. Homespun means that it’s been spun in a way that mimics old-fashioned hand-spun thread, with subtle variations in thickness along the strand. It’s also yarn-dyed, which means fibers are dyed before being knit into fabric. Combined, the result is a chunky garment that has a rich color and a handcrafted texture that gets better with age.)
It’s definitely on the sweater end of the polo-sweater spectrum; it’s the chunkiest and thickest pick among our polos. I got a lot of wear out of this in early spring, when the temperature was still low but I was getting tired of wearing sweaters. It’s also a good shirt to keep around the office to throw over a T-shirt when the AC is blasting. The relatively loose weave helps with breathability when the temperature rises a bit, though the 7-gauge jersey knit makes this piece feel more substantial than a warm-weather layer.
It’s machine-washable (cold temperature, and dried flat), so it’s easy to care for. It’s available in two colors, with sizes from XS to XXL.
This polo nails “smart casual.” The Seafarer polo works well with jeans, chinos, fatigues, and pleated trousers. It feels a little sharper and more intentional than a simple crewneck sweater, but it is not as dressy as a merino polo.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It ain’t cheap, considering it’s a cotton sweater. At around $200, this sweater is expensive for what it is. The options are White, Navy, and Black.
Availability might be an issue. Even though this is a mainstay item, your preferred size or color may be out of stock (as is often the case with Buck Mason items).
Key specs
- Sizes: XXS to XXL
- Material: 100% cotton
- Colors: three
