THE DRESS SHIRT
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COLLAR STYLESToday there is a wide spectrum of shirt collars from which to choose. Of these there are seven that a man can add to his wardrobe, confident that they will continue to survive the whims of fashion.
The Button-Down Collar
The Regular Straight-Point Collar
The Pin Collar
The Windsor Collar
The English Spread Collar
The Tab Collar
The Rounded Collar Each one of these collar styles has its various adherents and each can look good under the proper circumstances. Thus, unlike the silhouette of a suit, there is no reason a man must confine himself to only one style.
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The button-down
collar was first introduced in this country by Brooks Brothers, patterned
after the polo shirt worn in England. As explained earlier, the collar
was originally fastened down in order to prevent flapping in the player's
face during a match. This collar, unlike all others, is soft and meant
to remain that way. It is without doubt the most comfortable collar
and represents nothing less than the American spirit by producing a
casual image so in tune with our heritage. It has been popular every
decade since the twenties, and since its origins are definitely in sport,
it is not considered a particularly dressy collar. Since it never lies
exactly the same way, it offers an unpredictable buckling about the
neck, thereby reflecting the wearer's individuality. It is a collar
long associated with the Ivy League look and is especially complementary
to the natural-shoulder suit. It is appropriately worn with tweed sports
jackets and women suits. The Brooks Brothers original model remains
the best version, for its points are long, permitting a "roll" that
changes as the wearer moves. The button-down collar will accommodate
a Windsor knot or a four-in-hand, and when worn with a bow tie, it projects
the ultimate professorial image.
The regular
straight-point collar with medium points should be the basic staple
of any man's wardrobe. It is a shirt collar that can be worn with any
style suit. In the seventies, this collar became very short in length.
Today, though it has lengthened somewhat, it is still on the short side,
especially in relationship to the width of both the tie and the jacket
lapels. Ideally, the collar points should be 2 5/8 to 2 7/8 inches long
to balance with the classic jacket lapel width of 3 1/2 inches and the
tie width of 3 1/4. Because it embodies the least number of associations,
this collar tells the least about the man wearing it. However, its lack
of associations allows untold versatility. There is no suit style for
which it is inappropriate.
This is the same collar as the straight-point except that it is worn
with a pin that goes through the collar, with collar bars that snap
only the collars, or with a bar that has a screw and ball that connect
through eyelets. Popular during the late twenties, it is a style that
is favored by the most meticulous dressers, since it clearly takes more
effort to assemble and lock the tie in place. It suggests that the wearer
has a highly refined interest and enjoyment in wearing clothes. Shirt
collars designed with eyelets for use with a bar are stylish and can
be worn with either sports jackets or business suits. Worn with a starched,
pointed collar, the shirt is dressy; worn with a softer oxford-cloth
collar, the look remains sporty. The first preference should be for
the models with eyelets and the screw and ball; the next choice should
be the style with the pin through the collar; and finally, the snap-on
variety, which has a neat and stylish appearance but does not secure
the collar as well as the other two. There is no need to worry about
putting pinholes in your shirt collar, as after washing the shirt, the
hole will naturally close up. This collar looks best on men with a medium
to long neck.
The Windsor
collar was first popularized in the 1930s by the Duke of Windsor in
order to accommodate the larger knotted necktie to which he was partial.
It is the most formal of all collar styles. Because of its formality,
it has never quite made it into the mainstream of American clothing,
gaining popularity only during those periods when American dress has
been heavily influenced by the English. This is a shame, because with
its open angled, starched, stiff collar, it heightens the dramatic gesture
of the collar. Though often worn with single-breasted clothing, it looks
best with double-breasted jackets since its crisscrossing collar suggests
the crossing lines of the jacket. Clearly this style would look highly
in inappropriate with informal attire such as sports jackets or tweed
suits.
Alas,
one style innovation not introduced by the Duke of Windsor, the English
spread collar is, in fact, attributed to his brother the Duke of Kent,
a more conservative but still stylish dresser in his own right. The
collar is a dressy one meant to accompany suits or possibly a blazer.
The collar itself is less spread than the cutaway Windsor, but because
of its high band, it sits farther up on the neck. Its overly large presentation
often seems out of balance with today's softer, more naturally styled
clothing. The collar has long been a favorite of London's German Street
custom shirtmakers and gained international prominence with the marketing
success of Turnbull & Asser. Prince Charles as well as his father are
two of the most famous adherents to this shirt style.
The tab
collar, yet another style innovation created by the Duke of Windsor,
holds the tie in place by utilizing tabs attached to the collar and
held together under the knot of the necktie. Though it is actually a
more precise way of holding the tie in place than the pin, since the
tab is in the same place each time, it is seen as less fussy and thus
more acceptable in the business world. Today the tab comes with a snap
button or plastic tab. However, the original style, which involves using
a brass stud, is still far more elegant.
The rounded, or club, collar, first popularized by English schoolboys
attending Eton, has been a staple of the Ivy League set since the 1920s.
Worn starched with or without a pin, this style complements a dressy
suit. Worn soft pinned or unpinned, it looks equally well with a sports
jacket. While versatile, the rounded collar does not flatter a man with
a round face since it only accentuates the circularity.