Tailored Testosterone: Dress Shirt Collar

Collar Types
The collar is a focal point on the dress shirt as it one of the more visible components, particularly as it frames both the face and the tie. Collars can be easily divided into two broad groups, namely "stand-up" or "turn-down". The former was far more popular in the past, but is still seen today in specific versions of so-called formal dress (tuxedos and tailcoats). During the early 20th century, though, the turn-down became the norm, and so we focus on that version here. There are several versions of the turn down collar. In order of popularity they are: the basic turndown, the cutaway, the soft-collar and the detachable

Basic Turn-Down
The basic, or regular, turn-down forms represents the fundamental form, from which the other styles of the turn-down collar have developed. On a regular turn-down the angle between the top button (caused by the inside edges of each point) is less than 90 degrees. While most collars are close to this 90 degree threshold, it is not uncommon to find some versions at the acute end of the spectrum, for example those seen in popular Mafia movies. The basic turn-down is generally pretty user-friendly; it looks good with a suit and tie, but can be worn open with more casual wear.

Tab/Pin Collar
Within the basic turn-down genre, there are two specialised versions called "the tab" and "the pin" are specialised versions. The tab collar and the pin collar are rarely seen, but do still seem to enjoy limited popularity in the US. Their names describe what is involved; the tab or pin acts as a small bridge between the collars causing the tie to stand out a little further. In terms of collar shapes, typically the tab’s points are longer and thinner, whilst the pin’s collar points are shorter and actually have rounded corners. Both styles require a tie.

Cutaway Collar
The cutaway, or spread, collar describes a collar with an angle of more than 90 degrees. The widest style is sometimes called the Windsor collar, named after the British Duke who regularly wore this style (and who also has a necktie knot named after him). It seems the spread collar has remained popular amongst the British Royals, with Prince Charles having also worn one for years. The principal idea behind the spread collar is to allow a knotted necktie to be more visible, although the shirt can be worn without one. Around the late 90s the cutaway became very popular in the City of London, driven in part by the dashing cuts and colours of Thomas Pink.

Soft-Collar/Button-Down
The soft-collar differs from the basic turndown and the cutaway in two main ways. The first is as a result of the type of material typically used on such as shirt; while the traditional dress shirt collar is usually stiffened, the soft-collar, as its names suggests, is not. Secondly, the collar point often features a button-hole used to fasten the collar to a small button on the front of the shirt near the collar bone, the so-called "button-down".

Generally speaking, it seems that the soft-collar remains very popular in the US (and Italy to some extent), primarily led by brands such as Brooks Brothers (a American menswear staple for many years), but is becoming less popular in other parts of the world, notably the UK and France. Indeed, the Financial Times recently reported that "even Britons who, along with Americans, were once only too happy to button down now appear to be giving up this particular shirt choice”. In terms of formality, the soft-collar is typically considered to be slightly less formal than the basic turn-down or cutaway. This is due, in part, to the fact that the shirt is often made of softer material, and although it can be worn with a tie, tends to look better with a single-breasted blazer or tweed jacket, rather than a suit.

Detachable
The final collar style, is the so-called detachable collar. This is significantly older design that allowed the collar (and cuffs of the shirt) to be removed and washed separately since they were more susceptible to dirt. They are strongly reminiscent of the dandified days of old, particularly due to the fact that it takes much longer to put on. Despite this, it is still worn by many, including “Bonfire of the Vanities” author, Tom Wolfe.

Collar Fit
No matter what the style of the collar, it is the fit of the collar that is crucial to a shirt fitting properly. The primary consideration here is that the collar is neither too tight nor too loose around the neck. Antongiavanni writes: "If your collar gapes or stands away from the neck at any point, it is too large. If you feel compelled to unbutton it or loosen your tie, it is too small". A quick way to check is being able to insert two fingers between the neck and the collar with the top button done up. The secondary consideration is that the height of the collar is appropriate. The key points here are that the collar should sufficiently tall enough to fully cover the necktie and to track about half an inch above the collar of the jacket. Additionally, some consideration should be given to the length of the wearer's neck (shorter collars for those with shorter necks, taller collars for those with longer necks). Finally, the collar tips should touch the shirt and remain touching the shirt when the top button is done up, a tie put on and/or the head is turned; collars whose points are raised are indications that the collar size is too small.

Collar Types