Matthew S.
New in Town
- Messages
- 15
I'm an advocate of detachable collars and would like to show a very serviceable vintage example: an "IdeLuxe" (Wilshire) by George P. Ide Co.
Dating to the late 1920s (patented in 1926), the "IdeLuxe" brand was marked as a compromise between stiff and soft collars by Geo. P. Ide Co. of Troy, N. Y., "woven of tightly twisted yarns by a special process."
I own and wear the Wilshire and can say that, in my experience, does indeed live up to its advertising!
The quality is high, and I'm impressed that it holds up well in the laundry: I bought a bunch of old collars last year (including this one), sent them to Barker's in England, and I was disappointed to find most of the turn-downs deteriorated and cracked (they sent replacements). The IdeLuxe Wilshire, however, came back as good as new. I've since laundered and starched it myself and it's come out well. Fully starched, it is indeed light and soft to the touch.
In light of laundering success and the fact that it has almost certainly outlived any buyers from when first marketed, the collar's buy-for-life advertising has merit.
I'd say that I like a stiff-starched collar (and I do like Darcy collars) but this semi-stiff IdeLuxe is a fine collar that I'm glad I found.
Dating to the late 1920s (patented in 1926), the "IdeLuxe" brand was marked as a compromise between stiff and soft collars by Geo. P. Ide Co. of Troy, N. Y., "woven of tightly twisted yarns by a special process."
I own and wear the Wilshire and can say that, in my experience, does indeed live up to its advertising!
The quality is high, and I'm impressed that it holds up well in the laundry: I bought a bunch of old collars last year (including this one), sent them to Barker's in England, and I was disappointed to find most of the turn-downs deteriorated and cracked (they sent replacements). The IdeLuxe Wilshire, however, came back as good as new. I've since laundered and starched it myself and it's come out well. Fully starched, it is indeed light and soft to the touch.
In light of laundering success and the fact that it has almost certainly outlived any buyers from when first marketed, the collar's buy-for-life advertising has merit.
I'd say that I like a stiff-starched collar (and I do like Darcy collars) but this semi-stiff IdeLuxe is a fine collar that I'm glad I found.
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