8 Collar Types for Dress Shirts

So you go to the department store for a button-up shirt, and you think I want a nice button-up shirt, and then you pick up three shirts, and all of the collars are different. Why? What does it matter? A dress shirt is just a shirt, right? Wrong. Listen up here. You beginner, those aren't just any collar shirts they have names! Kind of, look at it like you are going to the meat market and you the butcher says what do you want? And you say meat; the butch looks at you and says what kind of meat? Would you say meat is meat? I was hoping you wouldn't answer that. I will answer it for you. No, same with what goes around your neck. When it comes to dress shirts and details, the right collar is one of the principal assessments you will have to make.

The collar that you wear can categorize you. It will either make you look like you know what you are doing, and you pay attention to the most delicate details, or you are just running around wild embarrassing yourself and all those who may have to start distancing themselves from you.

If you are going for the dress shirt, there is usually a reason for a meeting, an outing, an interview, or to work. Regardless of what it is, you want to make an impression.

Your facial structure also plays a role in the different dress shirt collars; rather, you have a rounder face; narrow elongated the right collars can visually balance your facial structure.

The range from wide, too long, formal to slim and narrow, and some collars have no collar at all. Here we will talk about the more popular different collars and the fundamental guidelines in which to wear them.

Straight Point

This collar type is the go-to collar. It is the most traditional of collars and will go with every suit in your wardrobe. The narrow tips on the straight point give a slimming effect that makes this shirt for people with round faces and shorter necks.

Mini point collar

The mini point collar is a fun collar that you have seen on many fashion shows. Typically worn with a slim tie for the hip preppy look, the mini point gives off a more fashionable and sophisticated look from the traditional collar and shirt style. If you are looking for a fun, trendy shirt, this is the one.

Cutaway

Going for the power move? The cutaway collar, with its even wider distance between points, will let people know you are in charge and mean business. The sides of the cutaway collar slide under the suit jacket visually giving off a look that you know what you are doing. Many people with more oval and narrow faces tend to go for the Cutaway look because it will widen out your features. This shirt is paired with a thicker knot to put that exclamation point emphasizing your neck.

Spread

You have more of an elongated and narrower face. The spread collar type features a wide gap between collar points. Because of the wider spread, the bigger tie knots like the Windsor and half Windsor knots are used to fill out space.

The button- down

The button-down collar is just that, a collar that is buttoned down (whoever came up with the name must've been ready to go home from work). The button down look is a sportier and more laid down casual look. This dress shirt has two buttonholes at the collar point and meant to be fastened, but with new trends forming, many are wearing the shirt with the collar unbuttoned.

The club

The club collar shirt originated in the late 1900s when Eton College was the up and coming school to attend. The students from Eton College wanted to stand out from the crowd, so they rounded out the tips of the collared shirts created the Club collar. The club collar was meant to give a refined smoother look hence rounding out the collar. The club collar is suitable for those with longer facial structures and should always be worn with a tie.

Band

The collarless collared shirt. The band collar is also known as the mandarin collar, the guru collar, and is meant to be worn without a tie due to the lack of, well, a collar.

Typically worn with a blazer buttoned to the top, you will set yourself apart from all the "collared dress shirt types" with this more sophisticated and stylish look.

Wingtip

Going to a white-collar or black-tie event? Denzel Washington and has an extra ticket to the academy awards? Wingtip collar or tuxedo collar is the dress shirt that you go for. Characterized by its tiny pointed front collar, this shirt is worn with a bowtie. The wingtip collar is not an everyday shirt and mainly worn with a tuxedo or tailcoat. The wing tip is the fancier of the collars for the most ceremonial occasions.

Now off you go into the world of dress shirts with more knowledge of the different collars you will not look at that dress shirt the same, good, you shouldn't. We hope you now take a two look at your dress shirt needs when purchasing your next shirt.