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How to choose your shirt collar?
How to choose your shirt collar? Here is a recurring question to which we will attempt to provide a precise answer.
It would be wrong to believe that you can choose a shirt without worrying about your collar. Indeed, this element which overcomes and, in a way, crowns the shirt, of great importance.
Until the early twentieth century, the shirt as we know it today did not really exist. She was, we might say, in a kit. We had to add a plastron, removable buttons in buttonholes, cuffs and ... a collar! The collar was therefore an independent accessory that was added to the shirt. The modern shirt, the one we all know and wear today became popular only after the First World War. It is then that one will begin to find in the trade shirts in one piece and endowed with a closure with buttons sewn.
What criteria to choose his shirt collar
Today, there are countless shirts on the market and almost as many shirt collars. So you can not choose the collar that overcomes his shirt lightly, under penalty of committing a fault of taste. We propose here to establish a folder that will allow you to make the right choice when it comes to buying the right shirt topped the good collar. To see clearly we propose you to draw up the list of the main collars of shirt and to announce you with what type of physiognomy and what kind of event it agrees the best.
Shirt collars are numerous and are not necessarily adapted to every type of face or neck, as well as the occasions to wear them. In order not to make any mistake as to the choice of your shirt collar, you must always ask yourself the following three questions:
1) Is this collar adapted to my morphology?
2) Does the collar that surmounts my shirt correspond to the use I have to make of it?
3) Is this shirt collar really for my taste?
Choose your shirt collar according to your morphology
There is a great variety of shirt collars, so it is not always easy to be sure of its fact when the decisive moment of choice comes. A good starting point is to think about your morphology. The shape of your face, the strength and the length of your neck can give you valuable indications that will allow you to choose your shirt collar.
If you have a rather square face, a strong and angular jaw, the round neck will be an ally of choice. It will soften your features and bring a little softness to your figure.
If you have a small head, thin and elongated, you will have to opt for a neck rather short and with a wide opening. The Italian collar is a good example. It will balance the finesse of your face by creating a gentle bond with your bust.
If you have a powerful round head, the turtle collar and low notch will be an ally of choice. The verticality of your collar will counterbalance the roundness of your face and bring harmony to your bet.
Finally, if your head is of average size, and does not have any striking peculiarity, you will be free to opt for any of the passes presented below. They will all be suitable for you.
Note also that in general and for maximum elegance, the top of your shirt collar should come close to halfway up your neck
The different types of shirt collars
French collar or classic collar
To all lord honor, we will begin our list of different collars shirt by the French collar! This is one of the most common passes and you probably have a shirt topped with a similar collar in your closet. With a light opening and spikes perfectly balanced width, the French collar has the advantage of being all-purpose and to easily agree with all kinds of outfits. It will be as well open with a tie (in which case you will have to favor the use of a simple bow tie) and can be adopted for any occasion. In addition, the French collar, also called classic collar is suitable for almost all morphologies, but will be particularly suitable for round faces and short necks in that it allows to lengthen the face the impression that is made of a face. It can therefore be considered an excellent choice.
English collar
Quite rare in France, the English collar is recognizable by its small opening and its two small legs that button in the notch of the collar and, placed under the bow tie, gives it an exemplary dress. Very elegant, the English collar will necessarily wear with a tie and a strict and dressed outfit. Be careful though, English collar is very tight and therefore not suitable for men with a neck a little strong. As regards morphology, the English collar will be perfectly suited to round, square or triangular faces, with much less elongated faces and oblong physiognomies. Also called Tab collar, the English collar would have been popularized, if not invented, by the Duke of Windsor, the one to whom we owe the tie knot of the same name. Falling into disuse since the mid-twentieth century, it has gradually returned to fashion in the 21st century.
The Italian collar
Like the French collar or classic collar, the Italian collar has become very popular in recent years. It is a little less strict than the French pass or, say, a little more exuberant, in the manner of the Italians! The opening of the neck is wider and the points significantly shorter than those of the French collar. This collar is designed to accommodate a large bow tie. That said, the shirt with Italian collar can also be worn open collar. A collar that will not suit men with a strong neck, but that will go perfectly with long faces and soften the angular physiognomies.
The American collar or collar button down
The American collar, unlike the French or Italian collar, is a soft collar, without neck whale. Its two points, and this is its particularity, are buttoned at their end, hence its name "button down". It is a casual collar that can be worn without a tie. This collar will be better suited to round or square faces than to elongated faces. Very common in the United States where it was invented (hence its name ..), the American collar, all together fairly streetwear and sport, will be more easily on informal occasions than the office.
The officer's collar
The officer's collar is a collar without a flap, consisting of the sole collar. It looks somewhat like the mao collar. Unlike the latter, the officer collar has square edges where the mao collar has rounded edges and has a button that closes the collar. In addition, the mao collar is generally slightly more open than the collar collar whose edges, once buttoned collar, will almost touch. The officer collar is worn without a bow tie or tie, but more generally closed and close to the neck. The collar will suit almost all faces, but should be avoided for people with short necks.
The Turtle collar
Like the officer collar, the collar Mao is composed of the single collar and therefore has no flap. He is therefore wearing no tie or bow tie. It is an original neck, but not informal. So it can be worn under a suit with a lot of elegance. Like the officer's collar, the mao collar being a high neck, it will be better suited to long necks than short necks. In addition, its aesthetic all round, will be better angular faces that soften than round faces he will tend to emphasize.
The bow tie collar
The bow tie collar shirt is not the most common nor the most common. In fact, it is a very dressy shirt whose use is somewhat codified. It is only worn during major events and ceremonies, always under a tuxedo and always with a bow tie. Indeed, the neck of the shirt collar is shaped to accommodate a bow tie and not a tie! It is a collar that suits all faces, but will be more elegant on a person with a long head.
The club collar
The club collar is a curiosity as fashion counts so much. It does not have spikes but rounded ends. Which gives it a very fashionable touch, even dandy! It is not suitable for going to the office, but rather at parties with friends. It can tie either tie or bow tie. The club neck will be well suited to oblong faces, or angular, less round and strong faces.
The Neapolitan Col
The Neapolitan collar resembles the most traditional Italian collar, except that it is higher. It is therefore a large shirt collar very elegant but polymorphous enough, which will be worn with or without a tie, under a suit or jeans. If you choose to wear the tie, you must take care to tie it generously (Windsor node or Pratt knot) so that the knot occupies all the embrasure of the neck. Because of its height, the Neapolitan collar is rather disadvised to those who have a short neck.
The collar with hidden buttons
It is a collar whose points are held near the collar by means of buttons, not visible as on the American collar, hidden behind the flaps. This rather sparse collar is not devoid of charm, but it offers a rather strict and rigid appearance. It will suit all types of physiognomy with the exception of strongly angular faces.
The little right collar
The little straight collar is very popular in recent years. It is often worn without tie, but we can still add a thin tie with a small knot. Both discreet and fashion this collar can be worn for any occasion, jeans, a chino or under a slim suit. Be careful, however, it will not be suitable for round faces or neck too slender.
Piccadilly Pass
The Piccadilly Pass is quite similar to the English collar, except that the buttoned leg that binds the two flaps of the neck is here replaced by a pin or bar attached to the neck and which takes place under the tie knot. The shirt with Piccadilly collar is a very dressy shirt that will not wear for any occasion, but rather at a wedding. Like the English collar, the Piccadilly collar will suit all face shapes excluding elongated faces.
The pie shovel
The pie shovel neck is hardly worn nowadays, except perhaps during disguised evenings. There was a time, the 1970s, when it was perfectly common to adopt it. Recognizable by its very large flaps, hence the name of "pie shovel", this collar was as well with a tie that wide open. In both cases, and whatever the appearance of the wearer, the effect was not the most elegant ... A collar to proscribe outside the costume balls!
Inverted collar
As the name suggests, the inverted collar sees its flaps enter the inside of the collar and not on the outside. It is an innocuous collar that does not lack charm. There can obviously be nothing to do with it. The inverted collar is worn near the neck and is better for long faces than round faces.
Round collar
The Claudine collar is an exclusively female collar. It is a small collar with button with short flaps, not angular but rounded. It is very popular among the fairer sex and overcomes many blouses and women's shirts.
Choosing the right shirt collar for the right occasion
To say that each type of shirt collar corresponds to a specific occasion would be exaggerated. There are, however, some important rules to follow.
In the first place, the shirt with American collar (or soft collar) will not be worn with a tie. Indeed, the wearing of the tie requires a hard collar, French or Italian collar type. The American collar shirt will be reserved for informal and casual occasions and will not be worn under a suit.
The shirt with collar does not lend itself either to the wearing of the tie but rather to that of the bow tie. It will be chosen black and sober to contrast with the shirt collar is traditionally white and worn on occasions rather exceptional and very dressy, not in a suit, but with a tuxedo.
Point no tie or even bow tie with a shirt collar mao or officer collar. These two necks being devoid of flaps, it would be ridiculous to add anything. This does not mean that Mao or officer passes are reserved for informal occasions. Worn under a suit, the shirt with mao collar can be worn during a wedding. It will give you the opportunity to stand out with elegance.
If your job requires you to wear a tie every day, we will advise you to opt for a shirt with French collar or Italian collar. Two types of collar perfectly adapted to the wearing of the tie. Just like the English pass. But let's say that the English collar is more dressed and that it will not necessarily wear the day the
