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Polo neck

An example of a classic polo neck.

A polo neck (UK) (or turtle neck in the US) is a garment—usually a sweater—with a close-fitting, round, and high collar that folds over and covers the neck. It can also refer to the style of collar itself, or be used as an adjective ("polo-necked").


History

Woman in a black polo neck.

The poloneck sweater, like most sweaters, first emerged in the 1890s as an article of sportswear. It had a varied application but was most often used for the more static players in field sports (a use preserved for the soccer goalkeeper as late as the 1950s in the UK). It was also used in some equestrian activities, though no evidence exists for its use in polo, which might otherwise have explained its name. Originally a thick woollen garment, lighter versions were designed for those who found coarser wool uncomfortable against their skin. These lighter polonecks would become popular for golf amongst both sexes by 1895. Its use by women was also extended into field sports like hockey soon after this. This use as sports wear would continue into the early 20th Century.

Workwear

Polonecks crossed over from sportswear to work wear at the turn of the century, mostly amongst menial workers and seamen. The latter use at sea also led to its adoption by Royal Navy. It was probably at this time that its unisex status as sportswear was exploited by early feminists, who would wear their Hockey sweaters as day wear.

Casual wear

Over time polonecks would become acceptable casual wear, though still usually for men only. It was in this stage that a range of light polonecks in a variety of colours began to be designed. Their adoption by Noel Coward in the 1920s turned them into a brief middle class fashion trend. Again, it was the feminists who turned these into a unisex item.

Absorbed into mainstream American fashion by the mid 20th century, the poloneck came to be viewed as an anti-tie, a smart form of dress for those who rejected formal wear.

Womens wear

Later its increasing acceptability as women's wear saw it become a fad amongst teenage girls, especially in a lightweight form that emphasised aspects of their figures. It was not long before Hollywood was also exploiting this image as part of the sweater girl look.

By the late 1950s the "tight poloneck" had been adopted as part of the preppie style amongst students, a style emphasising neatness, tidiness and grooming. This would become an important aspect of the polonecks image in America. The look would filter through to Britain and Europe in a watered down version.

In contrast, France saw the black poloneck adopted by left wing bohemians and intellectuals, and by the late 1950s their counterparts in the United States and Britain had also adopted the fashion.

Feminist wear

This trend continued into the 1960s and 1970s, with the white poloneck being briefly adopted as a corresponding item for mainstream feminists. The poloneck was generally seen as a unisex and classless garment and wearing one remained a political statement in many circles. However, the poloneck in all its forms soon became a standard wardrobe item for both sexes during this period.

As explained in the spandex fetishism article, another reason why spandex and other tight fabrics may be fetishised is that the garment forms a "second skin," acting as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin. Wearers of skin-tight spandex garments can appear naked or coated in a shiny substance like paint. The tightness of the garments may also be seen as sexual bondage.

Polo neck with sleeves. Polo neck without sleeves.

Return to fashion

By the 1980s it was largely out of fashion, though continued to be regarded as a staple item. However the 1990s saw its return to the catwalk, and it was soon to regain its place as a popular fashion item, particularly in America and on the Continent.

See also:

  • Spandex fetishism
  • Lacoste
  • Polo Ralph Lauren
  • Preppy
  • Tennis shirt

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However the 1990s saw its return to the catwalk, and it was soon to regain its place as a popular fashion item, particularly in America and on the Continent. Typically, one neighbour cannot alter the common wall if it is likely to affect the building or property on the other side. By the 1980s it was largely out of fashion, though continued to be regarded as a staple item. Special laws often govern walls shared by neighbouring properties. The tightness of the garments may also be seen as sexual bondage. A dike is one type of retaining wall, as is a levee. Wearers of skin-tight spandex garments can appear naked or coated in a shiny substance like paint. The ground surface or water on one side of a retaining wall will be noticeably higher than on the other side.

As explained in the spandex fetishism article, another reason why spandex and other tight fabrics may be fetishised is that the garment forms a "second skin," acting as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin. Retaining walls are a special type of wall, that may be either external to a building or part of a building, that serves to provide a barrier to the movement of earth, stone or water. However, the poloneck in all its forms soon became a standard wardrobe item for both sexes during this period. In areas of rocky soils around the world, farmers (and their slaves, as in the United States before slavery was abolished) have often pulled large quantities of stone out of their fields to make farming easier, and have stacked those stones to make walls that either mark the field boundary, or the property boundary, or both. The poloneck was generally seen as a unisex and classless garment and wearing one remained a political statement in many circles. Extreme examples of boundary walls include the Great Wall of China and Hadrian's Wall. This trend continued into the 1960s and 1970s, with the white poloneck being briefly adopted as a corresponding item for mainstream feminists. Since they are no longer relevant for defense, the cities have grown beyond their walls, and many of the walls have been torn down.

In contrast, France saw the black poloneck adopted by left wing bohemians and intellectuals, and by the late 1950s their counterparts in the United States and Britain had also adopted the fashion. In fact, the English word "wall" is derived from Latin "vallum, which was a type of fortification wall. The look would filter through to Britain and Europe in a watered down version. Before the invention of artillery, many European cities had protective walls. This would become an important aspect of the polonecks image in America. the Berlin Wall or the Israeli West Bank barrier. By the late 1950s the "tight poloneck" had been adopted as part of the preppie style amongst students, a style emphasising neatness, tidiness and grooming. A common term for both is barrier, convenient if it is partly a wall and partly a fence, e.g.

It was not long before Hollywood was also exploiting this image as part of the sweater girl look. More to the point, if an exterior structure is made of wood or wire, it is generally referred to as a fence, while if it is made of masonry, it is considered a wall. Later its increasing acceptability as women's wear saw it become a fad amongst teenage girls, especially in a lightweight form that emphasised aspects of their figures. These intergrade into fences; the conventional differentiation is that a fence is of minimal thickness and often is open in nature, while a wall is usually more than a nominal thickness and is completely closed, or opaque. Absorbed into mainstream American fashion by the mid 20th century, the poloneck came to be viewed as an anti-tie, a smart form of dress for those who rejected formal wear. Boundary walls include privacy walls, boundary-marking walls, and city walls. Again, it was the feminists who turned these into a unisex item. On a ship, the walls separating compartments are termed ' Bulkheads', whilst the thinner walls separating cabins are termed 'Partitions'.

Their adoption by Noel Coward in the 1920s turned them into a brief middle class fashion trend. Building walls frequently become works of art, such as when murals are painted on them. It was in this stage that a range of light polonecks in a variety of colours began to be designed. Electrical outlets are usually mounted in walls. Over time polonecks would become acceptable casual wear, though still usually for men only. In addition, the wall may house various types of electrical wiring or plumbing. It was probably at this time that its unisex status as sportswear was exploited by early feminists, who would wear their Hockey sweaters as day wear. In today's construction, a building wall will usually have the structural elements (such as 2×4 studs in a house wall), insulation, and finish elements, or surface (such as drywall or panelling).

The latter use at sea also led to its adoption by Royal Navy. Such walls most often have three or more separate components. Polonecks crossed over from sportswear to work wear at the turn of the century, mostly amongst menial workers and seamen. Building walls have two main purposes: to support roofs and ceilings, and to divide space, providing security against intrusion and weather. This use as sports wear would continue into the early 20th Century. There are three principal types of structural walls: building walls, exterior boundary walls, and retaining walls. Its use by women was also extended into field sports like hockey soon after this. Most commonly, a wall separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air.

These lighter polonecks would become popular for golf amongst both sexes by 1895. A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Originally a thick woollen garment, lighter versions were designed for those who found coarser wool uncomfortable against their skin. It was also used in some equestrian activities, though no evidence exists for its use in polo, which might otherwise have explained its name. It had a varied application but was most often used for the more static players in field sports (a use preserved for the soccer goalkeeper as late as the 1950s in the UK).

The poloneck sweater, like most sweaters, first emerged in the 1890s as an article of sportswear. .
. It can also refer to the style of collar itself, or be used as an adjective ("polo-necked").

A polo neck (UK) (or turtle neck in the US) is a garment—usually a sweater—with a close-fitting, round, and high collar that folds over and covers the neck. Tennis shirt. Preppy. Polo Ralph Lauren.

Lacoste. Spandex fetishism.