13 Rugby Shirts Under $150 for Credible Old-Money Cosplay

Get your prep on without breaking the bank.Courtesy of Alex Mill, Banana Republic, Gramicci, J.Crew; Design: Emily HanhanHistorically, 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 Affordable Rugby Hit ListThe Classic PickPolo Ralph Lauren The Iconic Rugby ShirtRead moreThe Minimalist PickAbercrombie & Fitch Premium Heavyweight Rugby PoloRead moreThe Oversized PickKotn Rugby ShirtRead moreThe Office-Ready PickBrooks Brothers Cotton Rugby ShirtRead moreThe Heavyweight PickReigning Champ Heavyweight Jersey Standard Rugby ShirtRead moreAbercrombie & FitchPremium Heavyweight Rugby PoloOne 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.GramicciLangdon Rugby ShirtThere is an actual science to color combinations, and Gramicci deserves an Einstein Award for this one.L.L. BeanVintage Soft Rugby ShirtWhen 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.PatagoniaLong-Sleeved Rugby ShirtThere'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.Alex MillRugby Striped ShirtAlex 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.Reigning ChampHeavyweight Jersey Standard Rugby ShirtIt'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.Polo Ralph LaurenThe Iconic Rugby ShirtPutting "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 $150.18 EastHarold S/S Oversized Rugby ShirtVery 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.Banana RepublicArchive Reissue Striped Rugby JerseyThis 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.Brooks BrothersCotton Rugby ShirtSome 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.)QuinceCotton Cashmere Rugby Polo SweaterHear 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.Reed Nelson is a freelance writer for GQ Recommends covering menswear and gear. Before writing full time, he spent years working retail at Unionmade Goods, Gant Rugger, J.Crew, and Nike—experience that sharpened his eye for what’s actually worth buying. He’s also worked as an in-house copywriter for brands big and ... Read More