Attack of the spread collars

[Baron Kurtz]

I would like to see different styles of collar. Bearing in mind that Van Heusen styles go upto 99, and bespoke shirts in the 1930s seem to have a vast array of collars.

Kind Regards

Ben

That quote may have been from a different thread.

Well, just to be obliging, I photographed all my vintage shirts last night. (not many, 8 or so - i really need more, they form the bulk of my vintage buying these days.) I will start a new thread where everyone can post their pics of golden era shirt collar shapes. There is quite a variety in styles/shapes - from semi spread all the way to the long pointed arrow i posted earlier. (all american, though).

bk

 

[MikeBravo]

the White House is funny

There isn't one. Two different terms for the same thing.

French cuffs?


Shouldn't that be "Freedom cuffs"??

 

[Baron Kurtz]

More devil's advocacy. Though i understand and agree that ubiquity becomes boring, spread collars can never be described as vintage-incorrect. note top right:

Frankly, i imagine that people who thought about these things in the 30s were saying: 'God, not another pointed collar! I want something different". Ubiquity becomes boring.

bk

 

[herringbonekid]

Ubiquity becomes boring. bk

true. which is why i suppose the longer pointed collar looks fresh today.

 

[Feraud]

I want to see more choice in today's menswear. Let me choose between the spread, pointy, button down, or club style collars.
It should not be an adventure to get a particular style.

 

[Orgetorix]

I was in Macy's downtown here yesterday and saw a display shirt with a bar-and-eyelet collar. It was on a table of Polo Ralph Lauren shirts, but I looked high and low and didn't see them for sale anywhere. I didn't even see any collars points long enough to use a bar or pin. What's the use of displaying a style that isn't for sale? [huh]

 

[Fletch]

To associate class, elegance, and something a little out-of-the-ordinary with what they want to sell this season - which may may or may not possess any of those attributes. It's just like Brooks Bros using old stills of Cary Grant to flog sack suits with bowed-out lapels and stale pants.

 

[iammatt]

This is one of my great pet peeves as well. I prefer a high, moderately spread, very soft collar with long points like those often worn in Italian films from the 50s and 60s. Hs pic is not so clear, but the collar is a perfect example and very similar to what my shirtmaker makes for me. I find that a lot of people on th various furums dislike it which is probably a good sign.

Tommasso is probably the most knowledgeable I have read when it comes to shirt collars. I believe that his collar is pretty similar to mine.

 

[Orgetorix]

To associate class, elegance, and something a little out-of-the-ordinary with what they want to sell this season - which may may or may not possess any of those attributes. It's just like Brooks Bros using old stills of Cary Grant to flog sack suits with bowed-out lapels and stale pants.

A picture is one thing, but a real, live product is something else! I mean, except for the collar style, the shirt looked exactly like the spread-collar models arrayed on the table below. Same fabric, same pattern, same cuffs, same white contrast fabric on the collar. Just different collar style. And, FWIW, the bar collar on the display was wrinkled and not folded down properly in back, and the tie was knotted horribly. Not exactly class and elegance.

Surely the people who run the store realize that when customers come in, see something they like on display, and say, "I want that," they're going to be ticked off when told the store doesn't actually sell it!

 

[Indy Magnoli]

I want to see more choice in today's menswear. Let me choose between the spread, pointy, button down, or club style collars.
It should not be an adventure to get a particular style.

Enter Magnoli Clothiers.

I just finished this new shirt which I wanted to be somewhere between the long collar of my Gittes shirt and the standard collars of today. I based it on an Arrow collar posted by Baron Kurtz, I think.

This one has a 3.25" collar (as opposed to the 3.75" on the Gittes) and has a nice curve to it like Ben's handmade collar.

Kind regards,
Magnoli

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

I'm actually a big fan of spread collars. Most of my dress shirts are from Hawes & Curtis and are of the Windsor style. When I go to mens stores in the US, I find it hard to find shirts with collars that have such a good spread. I certainly haven't gotten the impression that these shirts are easy to find by any stretch.

 

[Feraud]

I'm actually a big fan of spread collars. Most of my dress shirts are from Hawes & Curtis and are of the Windsor style. When I go to mens stores in the US, I find it hard to find shirts with collars that have such a good spread. I certainly haven't gotten the impression that these shirts are easy to find by any stretch.

I was at a Marshall's recently and the majority were spread collars. The spread of the collars themselves were practically horizontal.

 

[Jovan]

The spread collar shirt I have is already a bit flamboyant, not pale pink at all. It was a nice experiment (online bespoke from Baron Boutique), but I believe I prefer the medium spread collar I have that's RTW.

Pics for comparison.

My narrowest collar.

Medium spread.

Widest spread.

 

[Feng_Li]

Nice vest in the second picture!

 

[The Wingnut]

Looks like Magnoli's Goldfinger suit.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Enter Magnoli Clothiers.

I

This one has a 3.25" collar (as opposed to the 3.75" on the Gittes) and has a nice curve to it like Ben's handmade collar.

Looks like a step in the right direction. What is the height of the collar at the back? The one i posted i think has this measurement . . .

As you all know the thing that the 70s did extraordinarily badly - and shirt collars have never really recovered - was the height of the collars (the 1.25" measurement above): just over the top. This is my one beef with shirts today. The collars are still on too large a scale for my tastes.

bk

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

I think the full windsor-spread collar is a classier & more refined look than the standard "straight" collar my friend is sporting to the right.

Now, I know what you're thinking, and yes, my knot was on the larger side that night. But, if I recall correctly, it had been messed with by this point in the evening anyway. You can probably tell from the facial expressions that this is near the end of the night.

But this pic is good for showing the contrast between the spread collar that I am sporting (which I see much more of in London) versus the straight collar my friend has (which is almost ALL I see here in the states).

I don't know anything about Marshalls being overrun with spread collars -- that sounds very strange to me but I guess I will take your word for it as Marshalls is not a place to which I go. I'm not trying to be snooty, I honestly am just not sure there even is one within 30 miles of me.

 

[Jay]

. I prefer a high, moderately spread, very soft collar with long points like those often worn in Italian films from the 50s and 60s.

I definitely agree. I'm always on the look out for a soft roll collar with long points. They seem to be rather out of fashion at the moment. Probably why I like them so.

 

[Feraud]

I don't know anything about Marshalls being overrun with spread collars -- that sounds very strange to me but I guess I will take your word for it as Marshalls is not a place to which I go. I'm not trying to be snooty, I honestly am just not sure there even is one within 30 miles of me.

It should not sound so strange. Marshalls and T.J. Maxx carry men's shirts by designers like Tommy Hilfiger, Sean Combs, Geoffrey Bean, Bill Blass, Van Heusen, etc. They carry what ever is being produced.
Based on an observation that was made very recently I am suggesting if one is having a "hard time" finding spread collars it might be worth the effort to find a Marshalls or Maxx. Unless bespoke is what floats the boat.
Today at a J.C. Penney I saw these

 

[Indy Magnoli]

Looks like a step in the right direction. What is the height of the collar at the back?

It's a little under 1.5"... though, like all of our clothes, this can be customized to any measurement you like.

Kind regards,
Indy