I feel so stupid after finding out what the collar on a polo shirt is actually there for

It’s brainrot time again! This week, a post has taken over Twitter that asks what the collar on a polo shirt is actually for. It’s one of those things you’ve never really thought about before, but now you immediately need to know the answer. When you find out, you’ll feel so stupid, because it seems really obvious now.

The tweet is one in a long line of social media posts that leaves you pondering what the purpose of a random everyday object is. For example, one asks what that hole in the middle of stools is for, while another finally explains the need for those brushes at the side of escalators.

This week’s one is a photo of a white polo shirt with the collar circled. In the caption, it says: “Hey @grok, what is the purpose of collars in polo t-shirts?” So, what is the purpose?! Well, it’s not just there for fashion. The collar was added to protect the person’s neck from the sun while playing sports. 

Hey @grok , what is the purpose of collars in polo t-shirts? pic.twitter.com/8DvltxxLWB

— Atulya (@DesiMemesTweets) April 28, 2026

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The polo shirt was invented by French tennis player René Lacoste. Yep, he’s the one who created that brand Lacoste with the crocodile logo that still exists today. He designed it in around 1926 to replace old-style tennis clothing with a more lightweight, breathable option that was way more practical.

He decided to add the soft collar, which could be flipped up at any time to block the sun from his neck, stopping himself from getting sunburnt while playing tennis. It was then Ralph Lauren who popularised the term polo shirt decades later, when he released his own line in 1972.

So, next time you see someone rocking around with their collar up, don’t laugh. That’s actually how it’s intended to be worn! When it’s sunny at least. You really do learn something new every day.

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Featured image credit: Twitter