The collar can make or break an outfit and is an indication of the shirt’s formality. Collar styles include the tab, the contrast and the club, but the most common examples are outlined below.
The Point Collar
This is perhaps the most common style of collar. The forward point offers a small spread compared to many other styles and has a straight-line cut. It is usually associated with the traditional men’s formal shirts but is versatile enough to be used for both dress and casual attire. The point collar provides a very balanced look. The adaptable nature of the point collar style enables it to be used for both the office and more formal situations. It can be worn with or without a tie and will also be a good match for the majority of shapes and sizes of suit lapel. Dress up with a traditional suit and tie, or down with a casual blazer and a pair of chinos.
Cutaway Collar
Sometimes referred to as the spread or Windsor collar, the cutaway collar can have a range of angles and widths. It effectively reveals a larger section of the tie or upper shirt compared to the point collar. Given the distance between the collar points, the cutaway collar is not usually appropriate to wear without a tie and as such is typically reserved for use on men’s formal shirts only. In recent years the cutaway collar has increased in popularity, especially for those with a slimmer build, as it works to nicely balance the vertical lines of the body. A square-cut collar can be teamed with a modern suit, a textured single-colour tie and Oxford shoes for a cool city look.
Button-Down Collar
Attached directly to the body of the shirt, as suggested by the name, the button-down collar is suitable for wearing with or without a tie. A slightly more casual design, the button-down was originally based on the shirts that were worn by polo players, with the style first introduced by the Brooks Brothers back in 1896. Of all the collar types, this is the least formal, and the 2016 trend is to wear it with the shirt buttoned all the way up to the top with no tie and combined with chinos to achieve a laid back look.
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