Collar Bars

[Rigby Reardon]

Hmm...we're about 10-15 years late on this one - back when I wore formal business clothes on the east coast - early 90's - these were in vogue again. Had some myself. The problem was that most were colored shirts w/ white collars (bleah). I haven't seen much at ALL, lately.

Certainly if one just used a few single loops of thread to tack a button-down collar hole tight in the middle, you could get away w/ wearing collarbars with a button-down shirt. Would it be VERY noticeable, or just if someone looked closely? Say, putting the bar through the TOP of the button holes, so the shadow of the ends of the bars might hide the rest of the buttonhole.

Just another bad idea in a series,
J

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

OK, I've seen pictures of ties with collar bars. I have never actually seen one in person, and I don't really know how to wear one. I've seen places that sell them online, but most of them mention something about having a shirt collar with eyelet holes (?), but I've found others that work with regular shirt collars (I think).

So if I got a collar bar like this, does I just put the tips of the shirt collar into the little "clamp" part and put the bar through the knot in my tie? I don't want to do it wrong and look silly.

I would have done a search, as I'm sure collar bars have been discussed, but my search function hasn't worked all day.

Thanks!

 

[Matt Deckard]

Not my best of pictures...

 

[shindeco]

It's a great example of collar pin wearing, though, Mr. Deckard!

Yup, just slide the edge of the collar point between the "clamp" of the pin(decorative side out, of course). The pin should go behind the knot, about halfway down the knot. I tend to wear mine a little higher than halfway (see Mr. Deckard's exemplary photograph!).

I always felt that whoever did the costumes for A&E's "Nero Wolfe" Series put Archie Goodwin's collar bars too low. They should lift the knot a bit.

 

[jml90]

Here's a much better deal
http://www.jpressonline.com/accessories_collar_holders.php

 

[Matt Deckard]

I have a card of vintage ones, and I'll pull them out at the next QM meet.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Vintage 1930s and '40s collar bars and pins are on eBay all the time. They sell for very little money, if they sell at all.

.

 

[The Wingnut]

They've become a minor obsession with me, including finding shirt collars that don't pucker while wearing them. I've one decent dress shirt from Mervyn's (of all places) that works perfectly with the narrower-width '30s collar bars. Older collar bars won't have curled ends nor will they be flat across, instead, they'll be bowed. The right collar bar and collar really nails the period and screams class. For those of us that prefer '30s brocade ties with smaller knots, they're great.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Older collar bars won't have curled ends nor will they be flat across, instead, they'll be bowed.

Right you are. Like the ones in the photo below (except for the top bar). Generally, the small the collar bar/pin, the older it is.

 

[Hammelby]

collar bar problem

I just bought a vintage collar bar, but it doesnt have any "clip" on the back. Its just like a piercingbar, simple metal with two balls, wich can be screwed loose at one side:

O-----O

And i dont know how to apply it
Help?

 

[Art Fawcett]

What you received Muncken is most likely a collar bar from the 1960s, mean't to be placed into the holes in the collar that was popular at that time. I'm afraid that it is useless without that type of collar. Marc has posted some great pics above and this is what you should be looking for in a collar bar. Very versatile in design.
BTW..Welcome to the Lounge!!!

 

[Hammelby]

Problem solved

Oh thanks for the quick reply! And thanks for the welcomming.
Now Ill go and get the cash back! The lady obvious dint know
what she was selling, but i dint know what i was buying either
Its the 30´s i want so thanks again for the estimation.

But thats what this forum is for i guess.. wow!
10 minutes ago i didnt know what it was called, after 5
minutes i learned that its called a "collar bar", 5 minutes
later i get a neat estimation on the decade!
Thank you!

 

[Tomasso]

I just bought a vintage collar bar, but it doesnt have any "clip" on the back. Its just like a piercingbar, simple metal with two balls, wich can be screwed loose at one side:

O-----O

And i dont know how to apply it
Help?

Any shirt maker and possibly a competent tailor can place eyelets on the shirt collar to accommodate the tie pin. I think that it's different, cleaner look than a tie bar.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The only drawback is that you can never wear this particular shirt without a collar pin, since the collar's eyelet holes are big and permanent.

.

 

[jml90]

I just one a set of 7 vintage collar bars for $5.39

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Vintage collar bars could be surprisingly ornate. For instance, many collar bars of the '30s and '40s had an equestrian theme ...


A riding crop design:

A horseshoe design:

A horsebit design (like on Gucci loafers):

Golf was popular, too:

Vintage collar bars were sometimes set with semiprecious stones.


One with turquoise:

This one has opals:

.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And some collar bars had gimmicks to them:

This one is curved so that it doesn't push the tie's knot forward:

.

 

[Wild Root]

I have a few old ones... I bought a modern "Diaper pin" style when I first started vintage collecting... I have never worn it again since I got a few vintage ones... the older ones are way nicer and they're special because each one is unique. I have a golf club styled one and one with two baseball bats with baseballs at each end! I have a few nice streamlined and art deco styled ones... they're so great! I find these guys on ebay but, best luck I've had is at thrift shops and also antique shops! And they cost no more then $2-$10 bucks.

I'll post some photos of them soon,

=WR=

 

[shindeco]

best luck I've had is at thrift shops and also antique shops! And they cost no more then $2-$10 bucks.

=WR=

that's true! No one else seems to want them in the thrift stores/antique stores so they go for very low prices.

I've been wearing them for years. My collection is small but very well used!

 

[Sefton]

They've become a minor obsession with me, including finding shirt collars that don't pucker while wearing them. I've one decent dress shirt from Mervyn's (of all places) that works perfectly with the narrower-width '30s collar bars. Older collar bars won't have curled ends nor will they be flat across, instead, they'll be bowed. The right collar bar and collar really nails the period and screams class. For those of us that prefer '30s brocade ties with smaller knots, they're great.

Yes, those 30s ties really look great with a collar bar (and sometimes a tie clip).

I've found that the collar bar actually has the effect of opening the top portion of the shirt collar...just enough to add a bit of extra movement and make the shirt more comfy. Perhaps another lost secret of the golden era?

I'm not surprised that you found a good dress shirt at Mervyn's. I've found that they often have decent shirts. A lot cheaper too!