Save this story Save Story Save this story Historically, rugby shirts are a somewhat conflicted character in the never-ending tale of menswear shirting. On one hand, they’re a prep staple on par with OCBDs , loafers , and boat shoes . On the other hand, they were quite literally designed to handle the rigors of full-contact rugby and were later embraced by folks who proudly call themselves dirtbags .
There’s an interesting duality to rugby shirts: they can feel twee or they can feel traditionally sporty. Thanks to this polarity, it makes it even easier to fit into your wardrobe. Regardless of which camp you fall in, rugby’s crush. And thanks to a recent resurgence , we thought it would be a good idea to highlight some rugby shirts under $150.
Not only are they traditionally as comfortable as any polo you own, they’re also refined enough to take into stuffier settings, rugged enough to handle some serious outdoor exploration and flexible enough to wear from Friday to Monday morning (but don’t do that, probably). And while we love an expensive version of, well, anything , we also love it when we can find some killer alternatives for prices we’d like to think of as reasonable. There wasn’t a paucity of options either, so we rounded up 13 of our favorites, right below.
The Classic Pick Polo Ralph Lauren The Iconic Rugby Shirt Read more $145 Ralph Lauren
The Minimalist Pick Abercrombie & Fitch Premium Heavyweight Rugby Polo Read more $70 Abercrombie & Fitch
The Oversized Pick Kotn Rugby Shirt Read more $148 $79 (47% off) Kotn
The Office-Ready Pick Brooks Brothers Cotton Rugby Shirt Read more $188 $141 (25% off) Brooks Brothers
The Heavyweight Pick Reigning Champ Heavyweight Jersey Standard Rugby Shirt Read more $98 Reigning Champ
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Abercrombie & Fitch
One of the least expensive options on this list is also one of the best—the loose, shorter cut makes wearing it with jeans, some chinos or virtually anything else in your closet as easy as any polo you have in the arsenal.
J.Crew has a few louder options in the catalog, but the pared-down, solid-bodied iterations are even more affordable and play a supporting role with as much skill and charisma as your favorite character actor.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Gramicci
There is an actual science to color combinations, and Gramicci deserves an Einstein Award for this one.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist L.L. Bean
When done right, a rugby can be one of the best outdoors shirts on the market, and this one is just that: super comfortable, a little hardy and delightfully remiscent of the ones you would've seen in Camp 4.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Patagonia
There's simply no way that the company founded by an original Camp 4 denizen could ever make a rugby not worthy of a Half Dome assault, and it's also improbably still under $150.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Alex Mill
Alex Mill makes a few killer monochromatic, garment-dyed variations of this striped number, but this one is more fun than those and we could all use a little bit of fun when the days are as short as they are now.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Reigning Champ
It's odd to call something a rugby if it doesn't have a contrasting placket, but this one gets a pass because everything else checks out and it's also made out of a hardy-ass jersey fabric.
One of the best rugby shirts we've found also happens to meet the rigorous price qualifications of this list—and now it's half-off—and it's not all that often that the best of anything is also a value play.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Polo Ralph Lauren
Putting "Iconic" in the name is one of those things that can backfire on you if it doesn't live up to the billing, but this one does and remains both a standard of the genre and, against all odds, under $150.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist 18 East
Very few brands appreciate the rugby—or the possibilities that exist under the rugby banner— more than 18 East, and not only is the Harold reimagining the notion of stripe spacing within the genre, but it's also the only short-sleeve option on this list.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Banana Republic
This one is going to keep working its way into lists as long as its available because sometimes a brand just nails it. In this case, the cocktail of perfectly-faded brown and black is radiating Leatherheads (complimentary) and the cut is the comfy kind that can layer on either side.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Brooks Brothers
Some big ol' stripes, a woven collar and a cool little oxford cloth hit at the inside of the neck are just a few details elevating this one from "not bad" to "oh hell yeah." (It's also on sale, which always helps.)
Hear me out: I've made a habit of finding stuff in the women's section that fits better than anything on the men's side, and this rugby has all the trademark elements of those past hitters. Also, it might be the softest one on this whole list.
Source: Celebrities
