Eyelet collars/ Collar Bars: Can they be worn today?

[Mitchell]

Does anyone wear a shirt with a collar bar anymore? I think it looks elegant. Be it on an eyelet collar or on a club collar. I was watching Mad Men and Roger Sterling's collars inspired me to ask this question. It's a shame because they are among the many style accessories I wish would be in style.

So what do you guys think?

 

[F. J.]

Daily . . .

Does anyone wear a shirt with a collar bar anymore? I think it looks elegant. Be it on an eyelet collar or on a club collar. I was watching Mad Men and Roger Sterling's collars inspired me to ask this question. It's a shame because they are among the many style accessories I wish would be in style.

So what do you guys think?

I wear one almost every day, unless the collar is spread too far apart. I have two that are the clip-on sort; I figure they’re less wearing on the collars than the pins.


About the only shirts you can generally find off-the-rack with a 1930’s-styled collar are the white button-down collared ones. I wear them casually (with an odd jacket, waistcoat, and trousers) but always with a collar bar if I’m wearing a four-in-hand.


I even wear one sometimes with some bows as it can help accentuate the wings.

 

[Papperskatt]

I've noticed that collar bars are getting fashionable in Sweden. I don't know about other countries, though.

 

[Two Types]

Eyelet collars/ Collar Bars: Can they be worn today?

Yes, they can be worn today, yesterday and tomorrow!!

Tabs, bars, pins ... all good stuff.

 

[Edward]

I'd wear mine daily if I had more shirts for 'em.

 

[esteban68]

I wear mine as often as possible, always get a comment and just looks 'right'....I bought one of those kits off Ebay with 10 brass eyelets and a collar bar and punch/setting tool........however the punch didn't cut too well and I had trouble setting the eyelets correctly, it could have been me however the hole was too big for the eyelet in my opinion, maybe a 'star' leather eyelet punch tool may work better?
When I'd finally done them I sewed over the top in white cotton and it looks and works fine and have washed well with no rusting or going green....I may try just sewing round eyelets in by hand in future.

 

[The Good]

I'd wear mine daily if I had more shirts for 'em.

I would wear one if I had a shirt suitable for one at all, in which case, I must consider.

If you like the style, yes, wear one!

 

[Fading Fast]

I wear one most of the time - I have several shirts with the holes in the collar for the bar to go through which makes it very neat looking. I also own several tab collar shirts and a few collar bars (but I don't love just hooking a collar bar onto the collar as it tends to slip and, occasionally, come off on one side - which is why I like the tab collars or collars with the eyelets and a collar bar that screws thru better). Also, a collar pin is nice as it can go on almost any collars, but being a pin, doesn't come undone or get pulled off. That said, it will put a tiny hole in your collar, but if you use the collar all the time with a a collar pin - it doesn't matter and, if you don't, the hole seems to get smaller after a few wash cycles.

As to your real question (which isn't if I wear one), I think they are fine to wear today (and don't look costume like) as (1) Brooks Brothers and other similar stores carry a few every year (sometimes it's tab collars, sometimes it's shirts with collar bars and sometimes it is the collars with the eyelets), (2) while noticeable, it isn't like wearing a patchwork sport coat - they are a quiet detail and (3) as you noted, they are on "Mad Men" all the time which has helped to bring them back (I've worn them for over 30 years, and while they have always been in stores, the selections have increased in the years since "Mad Men" has been on the air).

So wear and enjoy them - completely acceptable today.

 

[Edward]

My favourite options are those with a collar with sewn-holes; I most like to wear a pin through these. Sadly, over here very few stores carry the right type of eyelet-collar if you don't have them made to order. When they do have them, there's usually little variation other than white. TM Lewin and Charles Tyrwhitt have had them sometimes in the last few seasons, but they only seem intersted in doing anything interesting on a shirt body that is cut for someone who is an under-fed eighteen year old who may also have a serious eating disorder.

 

[GHT]

I wear one almost every day, unless the collar is spread too far apart. I have two that are the clip-on sort; I figure they’re less wearing on the collars than the pins.
View attachment 27089 View attachment 27090

About the only shirts you can generally find off-the-rack with a 1930’s-styled collar are the white button-down collared ones. I wear them casually (with an odd jacket, waistcoat, and trousers) but always with a collar bar if I’m wearing a four-in-hand.
View attachment 27091

I even wear one sometimes with some bows as it can help accentuate the wings.

Now those photos prove that fashion is fickle whilst style is forever.

I wear mine as often as possible, always get a comment and just looks 'right'....I bought one of those kits off Ebay with 10 brass eyelets and a collar bar and punch/setting tool........however the punch didn't cut too well and I had trouble setting the eyelets correctly, it could have been me however the hole was too big for the eyelet in my opinion, maybe a 'star' leather eyelet punch tool may work better?

Now there's a good idea.

I would wear one if I had a shirt suitable for one at all, in which case, I must consider.

I find the spearpoint collar the most suitable.

My favourite options are those with a collar with sewn-holes; I most like to wear a pin through these.

Me too, I can never get the collar bar looking perfectly straight. Now if I could get hold of an original strong collar bar, I might be able to achieve the same effect as F.J.

TM Lewin and Charles Tyrwhitt have had them sometimes in the last few seasons, but they only seem intersted in doing anything interesting on a shirt body that is cut for someone who is an under-fed eighteen year old who may also have a serious eating disorder.

:roll:

 

[Mitchell]

Wait, so how do they work? I thought you just buy a shirt with holes.

 

[Two Types]

I was in Hawes & Curtis and they have a range of pin collar shirts. But of course, it appears they only do them in slim fit. I asked the woman working there whether they did them in a regular fit and she said 'yes', then directed me to the racks where my size was. There I discovered that she had taken me to where all the standard cutaway collar shirts were. It was dismal customer service. If she hadn't have been in such a hurry to get me to the racks she could have listened to what I was actually asking for!
I still can't understand why, when making interesting collars, these companies seem to limit them to slim fit shirts.

 

[esteban68]

It's an easy one just remove the collar and use detachable collars, I've done it to a few shirts I've found that I like but didn't like the collar failing that there are a few 'grandad' shirts that are even easier to convert.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Interesting. I've always toyed with idea of swapping good collars to good tunics from their respective poor hosts. Gone as far as separating them but not got around to it. Does it/would it work?

Regards to the main discussion - it is very rare for myself to not wear a pin or clip. I think they look great and they make me feel fully 'together' in my outfit