The collar is the part of a dress shirt that fastens around or frames the neck. Because of that, and because it is so close to the face – the part of the body that most people will pay most attention to – the style of the collar is an important element in one’s dress sense. There is also the vertical line of the necktie, which almost by design draws attention to the collar as the viewer’s eye moves up to the face.
The job of the collar is to properly frame the man’s face, accentuating the strengths of the face while down playing any abnormalities or imperfections. It makes sense to acquire some knowledge about different styles of dress shirt collars if you are a man who cares about his looks.
Collars are made of the same material as the rest of the shirt, but they may also be stiffened, traditionally with starch. In modern wash-and-wear shirts the collars are more likely to be stiffened with an extra internal lining called interfacing, or they may include metal or plastic collar stays that might be sewn in or inserted by the wearer.
Although the style of shirt collar that you choose is a matter of personal preference, the shape of your face should be a major consideration. Spread collars look great on men with a long face and a thin neck, for instance, for this type of collar creates the illusion of a shorter and more proportional neck.
The key factors in collar design are …
- Collar point length – the distance from the collar points (the tips of the collar) to where they meet the collar band (the piece of fabric that actually wraps around the neck).
- Collar height – the height of a folded collar as it sits on the neck
- Spread – the distance between the collar points
- Tie space – the distance between the top of the folded collar parts when the shirt is buttoned
There are three basic collar types that most men will consider:
The Point collar: this is the most common and most versatile collar style. The points are reasonably close together, sometimes to the extent that they almost hide the top part of the tie knot.
The normal cut of this collar will frame the tie and complete an arrow effect pointing up at the face. In more extreme versions of the collar, longer and more closely set points tend to draw the eye down towards the tie and away from the face
The point collar is most at home on a man with round facial features; the collar’s elongating effect help to even out the look of his face. Men with thin faces should avoid these collars, as that they will only accentuate this feature.
The Button-down collar: this variation of the point collar has small buttonholes on the tip of each point corresponding to a small button on each side of the shirtfront. When buttoned down, this keeps the collar lying flat. This collar style can be worn successfully with a tie, and while it has become an option for business suit wear it is the least formal of all the collar choices.
The Spread collar: the cutaway, or spread, collar has points that are “cut away” or spread – hence the name – to reveal more of the upper shirt area. The more extreme versions can be nearly horizontal, and a very wide spread can contribute to a better-proportioned look on the thinner man. The spread collar is most at home on a man with thin or long facial features, for the collar’s widening effect help to even out the look of the face. Men with rounder faces should probably avoid these collars.
The Medium Spread Collar is a close cousin to the point collar, separated only by the interpretation of the size of its spread. Although this collar point length may be a bit shorter as well, it’s primarily designed for the man whose face falls between the extremes.