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Formal Shirt

ArrowCollarMan

A-List Customer
Messages
471
Location
Los Angeles, Cal-i-forn-i-a
I'm looking for a formal shirt (detachable collar enabled) with a stiff front like this one:
edwardian_shirt_1.jpg

Does anyone know where I might find one?
 

vonwotan

Practically Family
Messages
696
Location
East Boston, MA
I assume you both have already seen the selection at The Vintage Shirt Company?

http://www.vintageshirt.co.uk/

They have a few with bib front (more square that your picture) and detachable collars. I am still looking because the do not carry my size.

There used to be a shop in the building behing Brooks Brothers (44th St., NYC) that had shirts and detachable collars. I assume they must have closed as I can no longer find anyone in NYC who carries detachable collars, much less shirts and collars that fit.
 

The Wingnut

One Too Many
Messages
1,711
Location
.
...and at something (considerably ) more economic than $98 + VAT and shipping? I've paid far less than that for two vintage suits!
 

Orgetorix

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,241
Location
Louisville, KY...and I'm a 42R, 7 1/2
Fletch said:
What's the deal with this Amazon Dry Goods outfit offering "Linene" collars? They're supposedly made to a 19th century process involving cotton laminated to paperboard. They cost about $3 each. Are these throwaways or can they be laundered?

Their high wing collar looks very 1930s from the picture.

They're disposable. I wore one in my wedding last month. You can wear them a couple of times before they fall apart. The stand-up collars and wing collars are a bit sturdier than the turndown collars because they have cotton on both sides of the paper, while the turndown collars are cotton on one side only.

I don't know of any US companies still selling the real cotton/linen detachable collar. Paper and plastic seeem to be the only domestic options, and you have to order from the UK (Luke Eyres, New & Lingwood, Hackett, etc.) to get the real deal.
 

Orgetorix

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,241
Location
Louisville, KY...and I'm a 42R, 7 1/2
Fletch said:
You remind me of a grocery clerk.

Wonder if anybody could make me a collar off that High Wing pattern.

Thank you sir, come again! ;)

Luke Eyres has a collar that's 1/4" higher, the Grafton, though the wings aren't as large.

I've heard Budd shirtmakers in London will do bespoke collars. They don't have a website, to my knowledge. Last I heard, though, they charge £25 per, minimum order of 6. Not exactly economical.
 

ArrowCollarMan

A-List Customer
Messages
471
Location
Los Angeles, Cal-i-forn-i-a
You remind me of a grocery clerk.

Wonder if anybody could make me a collar off that High Wing pattern.

Wow, thats exactly what is happening in my life. I'm a grocery clerk and I'm getting my friend to make me a cloth based collar off of a paper collar I got from Amazon. That's odd. Cool, but odd.

I wasn't at all impressed with the paper collars. They only last a few wears and they start to hurt after a while. I actually wore one to work. One of my managers got a really big kick out of it.

Thank you sir, come again!
I just say: "Have a good day!"
 

Vladimir Berkov

One Too Many
Messages
1,291
Location
Austin, TX
My dad bought one of those Brooks bib shirts and collars years ago and ended up giving to me. I haven't seen anything like it in any Brooks store today, even at 346 Madison Avenue.
 

chanteuseCarey

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,962
Location
Northern California
*bump*

I know this thread was originally asking for the detachable collar kind of formal shirt.

But I did want to throw out some new info, for those looking for a good new formal (tuxedo) shirt with an attached collar. It can certainly work for any vintage theme formal events.

I found an excellent quality wing collar tuxedo shirt with an unpleated pique fabric bib front and pique french cuffs at Jos. A. Bank online -they have stores too, however this shirt was only available online. The price is not inexpensive, however they have good sales online, and at the holidays I was able to get the studs and cuff link set and a self tie bow for free with the order of the shirt.
 
Last edited:

fluteplayer07

One Too Many
Messages
1,844
Location
Michigan
Where can a formal stiff fronted shirt be laundered? Do I request a regular dry cleaning and then a starch, or is there a special procedure involved that requires a specialist like Barker's in England?
 

Qirrel

Practically Family
Messages
590
Location
The suburbs of Oslo, Norway
No magic happens at Barker's that you can't replicate at home. Their real advantage is that they, as opposed to pretty much any other cleaner, know how to prepare the correct starch solutions, and have special pressing devices for the collars which makes the process a lot quicker than if you were to do it at home. To get the proper stiffness, the starch solution should be mixed with a solution of gum arabic.
 

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