The Rugby Shirt Is Back from the Dead

The rugby shirt might not be quite as critical to a man's wardrobe as the polo, but the athletic-inspired staple always manages to weave its way into the menswear narrative at least once every decade. Preppy college kids wore it in the '50s, Mick Jagger made love to it in the '60s and '70s, in the '80s it was all about the Coca-Cola polo, in the '90s it was large and in charge. In the new millennium, Kanye West made it his thing, and Ralph Lauren launched an entire brand around the staple (RIP Rugby). In short, to announce that it's "back" is sort of like announcing that the Olympics are back; it shouldn't really be a surprise to us at this point. It's just, you know, time to pay our old buddy a visit again. In 2017, with athleticism and dad-wear trending to an eleven, we're due for yet another rugby-shirt moment. Here are a few that are already on shelves before the leaves have even turned. Hold out a little longer and you'll have options from the likes of Gucci and Balenciaga to choose from as well. Though, if your budget is more like $75 than $750, we say snap up a few vintage shirts now and hit the trend before it reaches critical mass. The beauty of the fact that the rugby shirt has been around for so long is that you don't have to go hunting for good, cheap vintage options—they're a dime a dozen.