Modern Shirt collars...

[BellyTank]

Modern shirt collars, for the most part and with only afew exceptions are lacking in vintage appropriate detailing. When people wear a modern shirt with a vintage suit- it just doesn't quite work.

'30s/'40s collars had longer points, were less spread and had 'the back curve'- a stylish and functional detail, which allows the collar to conform to the shape of the wearer's chest- when the clooar is fastened, the outside edge folows the contour. This feature or detail is more apparent and necessary on collars with longer points.

This illustration is of a '30s shirt-

They just look better, especially with a vintage ensemble and particularly with a vintage tie- making the most of the whole-

See this thread for a modern assortment-
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=2228&highlight=collars

Attention to detail gets noticed!

B
T

 

[Veronica Parra]

If a modern shirt collar is straight pointed and soft (but accepts collar stays), you can easily give it a longer, '30s look. All you have to do is soak the collar in hot water for a minute or two. Then, take the collar and stretch the points out by slowly but forcefully pulling on them with your hands. Do this two or three times until the points look long enough. Then, let the collar dry by itself or put it in a dryer (low heat). Below is a photo of the result I achieved with a Banana Republic shirt:

 

[BellyTank]

That's a pretty good result- I've tried it- just need to use more strength huh?

B
T

 

[Daniel Riser]

About six hundred shirts tonight are going to meet an unknown fate. If I am successful I shall return

 

[DanielJones]

If a modern shirt collar is straight pointed and soft (but accepts collar stays), you can easily give it a longer, '30s look. All you have to do is soak the collar in hot water for a minute or two. Then, take the collar and stretch the points out by slowly but forcefully pulling on them with your hands. Do this two or three times until the points look long enough. Then, let the collar dry by itself or put it in a dryer (low heat). Below is a photo of the result I achieved with a Banana Republic shirt:

One question though. Once you wash & dry it again won't the materials memory bounce it back to it's original shape? Curious.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Sefton]

About how long would the collar have to be to be true to 30s style?

 

[Chad Sanborn]

Very interesting!
What materials have you found that work the best?

Chad

 

[Veronica Parra]

Once you wash & dry it again won't the materials memory bounce it back to it's original shape? Curious.

Yup. You have to stretch out the suckers after every wash.

-- Marc

 

[Veronica Parra]

Very interesting!
What materials have you found that work the best?

Stretchy cotton, i.e., woven (as is my Banana Republic shirt, above) or thin poplin. The key is that the shirt's collar shouldn't have an interlining that makes it "thick".

-- Marc

 

[BellyTank]

Precisely-

...the Floppy/Flappy collar!

B
T

 

[BellyTank]

This might as well go in this thread-

B
T

 

[Chad Sanborn]

What type of collar is that? I have never seen a rounded one before?

Chad

 

[Mr. 'H']

Is that the elusive

B

T

?

?

 

[Veronica Parra]

It is elusive. Round ("club") collars with tab closures are the stuff of custom shirtings. Good luck finding one off the rack.

 

[Veronica Parra]

I've seen 1930s photos of Fred Astaire wearing the weirdest combination: a button-down collar with a collar pin through it. Pretty redundant, if you ask me: like wearing pants with a belt and suspenders.

 

[BellyTank]

Not so...

Not so elusive at all-

*Tommy Hilfiger/eBay/$16*


...what were people saying about Tommy..?

B
T

 

[Matt Deckard]

If some companies would just take the button holes and the buttons off of their button downs, they would have shirts which would look straight out of the 30's.


With many modern shirt makers, many of the button down collars are longer in front and have a sharper point while their standard straight collars have evolved into short semi cuttaways.