Brown 23105 Quarter-Zip Knit Polo

A zip polo is what you put on when a sweater feels like too much and a shirt feels like too little. Zipped up, the knit collar sits like a polo collar. Open the zip a few inches and a shirt collar can show underneath, which is how it works under a sport coat. On its own with jeans it looks put together without any effort.

The yarn is extra fine merino wool, knit smooth rather than chunky. The cuffs and hem are ribbed, which keeps the sleeves and bottom edge sitting neatly. The Di Stefano family has been knitting in Abruzzo since 1952, and this one was made in Italy.

Brown is an easy colour to wear. It sits next to navy, grey flannel, olive and denim without any fuss, and it is a quiet way out of the usual navy and grey rotation.

Standard fit. Order the chest size you wear in a sport coat, and if you sit between sizes take the larger. The tag inside carries the Italian number, so a 40 from us is marked 50.

It does the work of a shirt and a sweater in one layer, which is why it is the one we would pack for a weekend away.

“Made in Italy”