I’m wearing a polo shirt right now. It has a polo player logo on it. I have a few in my closet with the croc. A few other brands too. I wear a lot of polo shirts I guess. It’s a pretty easy “not look like a slob” look I can pull off when a T-shirt is just to casual.
What would the shirt I had no later than 1970 have been called? I’ve heard both names, Izod always came to mind first and it’s the name I associated with the croc.
Probably Izod Lacoste. From Wikipedia, “Izod Lacoste is a brand name of sportswear that was licensed to Izod by Lacoste from 1952 to 1993.”
Since then the two brands are separate and they seem aimed at different price points. And as I said, only Lacoste shirts are the ones with the crocodile logo.
I had an orange one. Pretty sure it was used when I got it. I did get new ones from Penny’s with the tiger, I think.
Bought a pair of Sperry’s in a thrift store not long ago. A size larger than normal, and still too tight. I swear, they shrink by the day.
I definitely had a few as a kid. More Ralph Lauren clothes. When I was in college (early 90s) the “preppy grunge” look was popular (RL, J Crew, LL Bean, etc). All the students were signed up automatically for subscriptions to the J Crew catalogue and road trips (about an hour) to the outlet stores were pretty popular .
I actually like Sperry boat shoes; the slip-on canvas ones are great in the summer, when regular leather sneakers are too hot.
Polo pony.
& since they’ve been mentioned a number of times in this thread, for a number of recent years, Sperry would partner with someone for their ‘special’ shoes that summer. They did Star Wars & Jaws (the tissue paper in the box was blood splatter red), & Popsicle. They also did (black) sheep two(?) years ago inspired by Princess Diana’s sweater.
They do have a bear mascot, so @rocking_chair wasn’t making it up.
I noted the difference earlier in the thread. I knew they were different.
Wore them a lot and still would but it seems (to me) that the quality has dropped considerably.
Vineyard Vines or J Crew makes decent polos now.
the polo bear is adorable. but not at the prices. even at off price places it is over 100 dollars.
And did you find a link of the Ralph Lauren or Lacoste Polos for $19, as you claimed?
Yes, but I’m proud to say I never popped the collar.
In the late 70s or so, my parents went to Europe, and brought me home a white one. I golfed, so I wore this, as well as a penguin one.
When I went to college, I worked in a dorm cafeteria. We wore these ugly yellow smocks. When my Lacoste polo wore out I cut off the alligator and pinned it to my smock. I thought I was SO funny! 
I usually get a couple pair of Sperry canvas boat shoes for bumming around in the summer.
I generally only wear clothing with animals on them. Pony (Ralph Lauren), sheep (Brooks Brothers), whale (Vineyard Vines), alligator (Lacoste), moose (Abercrombie & Fitch),
Crocodile
Thx. That is funny - for 50 years I just assumed alligator. Guess I didn’t look closely enough at the detailed logo! 
I think most people still think of it as an alligator. But Rene Lacoste’s nickname was The Crocodile and that’s his symbol.
Right - just looked this up. My superficial familiarity w/ pro tennis in the day pretty much ended with the likes of Laver and Newcombe, and never went further back in time. Always assumed Lacoste was the name of a designer, rather than an athlete.
I’ve never owned an Izod or a Lacoste – pay that much money for just a shirt?? – but I wear polos all the time. (Most of mine are Lands’ End.) In fact, I think the last time I wore a shirt that wasn’t either a polo shirt or a Henley was six years ago; the occasion was a job interview, and it’s also the last time I wore a pair of trousers that weren’t denim.