Rugby sweaters are back. With young people continue to look back on ‘90s and 2000s style for inspiration, these versatile tops have seen a resurgence. Most of the Americans in the audience have never watched a rugby match, but the shirts are definitely timeless.
Naturally, plenty of people are gravitating to Polo Ralph Lauren rugbies, vintage and new. That appetite increased even more after the brand’s stellar presentation in Milan back in January. But the iconic American label is far from the only brand making a good rugby right now.
Kith currently sells a vast array of options, from premium mohair flips to tops featuring archival Knicks logos. Supreme previewed a red number in collaboration with Jacob and Co. in its Spring/Summer 2026 lookbook. Rising Atlanta brand 74IsWar recently dropped a proper homage to Ralph Lauren.
If you are curious about the origins of the collared long sleeves, in search of the streetwear brands that are doing it the best right now, or just need some quick styling tips, here is The Ultimate Guide to the Rugby Sweater.
When Was the Rugby Seater Invented?
Thank the UK for the rugby sweater. The original white top—plain by today’s standards—was invented in in the 1830s and worn by students of the Rugby School in Warwickshire, England.
The signature stripes and sturdy white collars seen on most rugby sweaters weren’t introduced until later, in 1846. The intention was to make identifying your teammates on the field easier.
It would not be until decades later, between the 1950s and 1970s, when the rugby sweater would be embraced as an everyday piece of clothing and became a key element of the ivy league uniform.
Polo Ralph Lauren Makes the Rugby Sweater Iconic
The brand is responsible for bringing rugby sweaters to the masses? Polo Ralph Lauren. Since the ‘80s, the brand’s striped and solid-colored varieties have been wardrobe staples for everyone from suburban dads to the flyest rappers in the world. The popularity of Polo, and contemporaries like Tommy Hilfiger, also led to to the rugby being adopted by subcultures beyond the campus or the country club, like skateboarding and hip-hop.
Eventually, Ralph Lauren even had an entire sub-line called Rugby that lasted from 2004 to 2013. Aimed at a younger demographic, its designs typically featured various patchwork and crests. Its stores allowed customers the option to customize their rugby sweaters with unique letters, numbers, and patches.
Hip-Hop Embraces the Rugby Sweater
Rock stars like Mick Jagger gave the rugby sweater a bit more edge in the ‘70s. By the ‘90s, rappers were fully embracing the striped tops and making them their own. One of its signature sightings came on a 1992 episode of Yo! MTV Raps when Grand Puba rocked the Polo Alpine rugby to perform. Another notable examples came during a live TV performance by Snoop Dogg on Saturday Night Live in 1994. He wore a colorblocked Tommy Hilfiger rugby sweater. The following day, it sold out everywhere. It’s still considered a holy grail among collectors and regarded as one of Hilfiger’s best designs.
Perhaps no rapper is more connected to the rugby sweater than Kanye West. When he first entered the spotlight in 2004, vibrant Polo rugbies were a key piece of his uniform that helped set him apart from the other rappers at the time rocking throwback jerseys and baggy jeans.
Andre 3000’s short-lived label Benjamin Bixby also put the preppy staple at the forefront of its collections between 2008 and 2011.
Streetwear Continues to Take the Rugby Sweater in New Directions
There are plenty of brands that are offering up their takes on the rugby these days. Some of them stick to the original formula, with striped cotton sweaters in bright colors. Other brands elevate the item through knit constructions, while others give them more edge through giant logo patches and other embellishments.
If you’re looking for something close to the original, check out the current assortments from J. Press and Drake’s. Aimé Leon Dore and Kith are somewhere in the middle of the old and new school approach. If you a take on the rugby that’s lives in a much more modern space, check out House of Errors’s artistic knit pieces or Vale’s maximalist versions.
There’s a version for everyone.
How to Style a Rugby Sweater
If you want to keep things super classic and lean into the preppy aesthetic full force, you can pair your rugby with chinos and penny loafers. But don’t think that’s the only way to style one of the collared shirts. You can also keep your rugby super casual with baggy jeans, a baseball cap, and sneakers. Sometimes your outfit will fall in between the two options. Try a slimmer pant and boots. If you’re trying to keep it really cozy, you can even pull off a a rugby with sweats. Rugby sweaters are super versatile, which is why it’s so great that they have seen a resurgence. Just keep experimenting.