Polo shirts for women are hugely popular in the United States, easy to wear, a snap to wash and care for, and relatively inexpensive. Polo shirts can be either short or long-sleeved. Women's polo shirts usually have button plackets and typically feature knit collars. Common materials include woven and knit fabrics. Companies like Ralph Lauren and Lacoste are two popular manufacturers of these classic, preppy shirts.

Other major polo shirt manufacturers include Shark, Prada, Burberry London, J.Crew, Banana Republic, and Gap. Determinants such as the dyeing method of the fabric, the weight of the fabric, and the type of yarn all contribute to the ultimate quality of a women's polo shirt.

Typically, polo shirts are made from materials like 100 percent cotton, polyester/cotton blends, or other synthetics. You can find two-ply collared polo shirts, which wear comfortably. Three-ply flat knit collared polo shirts tend to stand up to heavy washing and keep their shape. Herringbone polo shirts, like the three-ply collar variety, retain their form under a number of stressful conditions.

Polo shirts can also vary in terms of shoulder and arm cuts. A simple single-stitched shoulder seam can hold the garment together, but designer polo shirts can feature double-top stitching and ribbed cuffs to prevent sagging and distortion over time. In general, longer-yarned, heavier, and multiple-stitched polo shirts tend to rate designer appellations, while poly/cotton blend polos, single stitch hem polos, and lighter-weight material shirts tend to be somewhat cheaper.