All about the collar

A collar refers to the part of a dress which is fastened around the neck. In the course of time, various types of collars have been developed with the changes in fashion that have taken place. This article aims to explain in brief about the different types of collars.

Understanding the parts of the collar

There are certain terms commonly used in the apparel world in relation to collars. One of these terms is Collar stiffeners, which refers to strips of metal or plastic which are used in the collar to keep it stiff. They are also called stays or bones. A band refers to a piece of fabric which is used to attach the actual collar to the garment. Points refer to the corners of the collar in case of a flat collar. The distance between the two points of a collar is referred to as spread.

Categories of collars

Collars can be broadly classified into 3 categories:

1)Flat collars, which are collars that lie flat against the garment.
2)Standing collars, which are collars that do not lie flat, but stand up against the neck.
3)Turnover collars, which are collars that can be used both as stand-up collars and as flat ones.

Collars are usually stiffened by using interfacing, which means attaching folds of fabric to the other side of the collar that is not seen. When a collar is not stiff, it is referred to as a soft collar.

Main types of collars

The following are some of the major types of collars popular all over the world. Some of them were in vogue in the fashion world in the past, while some are commonly accepted styles now.

Chinese collar: A Chinese collar is a standing collar, which is open in the front. It is generally short. A Chinese collar is also called a Mandarin collar or Cadet collar.

Nehru collar: A Nehru collar is similar to a Chinese collar. It is a standing collar which can be fastened together in the front. This style of collar was popularized by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the 1960s.

Chelsea collar: A Chelsea collar is a flat collar, which has long, pointed ends. It is usually used along with a V-neck. This type of collar was very much in fashion in the 1960s. Later on, it again became popular in the 1980s.

Cape collar: A cape collar refers to a collar that is designed like a cape. It falls over the shoulders in a frill.

Detachable collar : A detachable collar means a collar which is designed separately from the garment. It can be easily attached to the garment and removed. It is attached to the garment by way of buttons. It is also called a false collar.

Poet collar: A poet collar refers to a soft collar that has long, pointed ends. This collar is called the poet collar because it was generally worn by poets in the 1970s.

Button-down collar: A button-down collar refers to a collar in which the points have buttons attached to them. The collar ends can be buttoned to the garment.

Turtleneck: A turtleneck refers to a type of neck that extends up to the chin of the wearer. It is also called a Polo neck.

Mockneck: A mockneck is a collar that is similar to a turtleneck. However, it does not have a turnover.

Windsor collar: The Windsor collar refers to a collar with a large distance between the points. This type of collar was originally designed to accommodate the Windsor tie knot, which is rather bulky. This style was very popular in the 1930s.

Fichu collar: A Fichu collar is one that is designed like a Fichu. A Fichu is a large handkerchief that was worn around the neck in the 18th century.

Peter Pan collar: A Peter Pan collar is a flat collar that has rounded ends. This type of collar was popular in the middle of the 20th century.

Mao collar: A Mao collar is a short collar, whose points usually extend only till the band.

Lacoste collar: A Lacoste collar is a short, flat collar that is normally used in a T-shirt. It is generally unstarched. This type of collar was invented by Rene Lacoste.

Ruff collar: A Ruff collar refers to a standing, high collar that extends to the chin. It is stiff and pleated. This style was popular towards the end of the 17th century and then came into fashion again at the end of the 19th century.

Rolled collar: Usually, a collar is stiff at the place where it is folded down from the stand. A rolled collar is a collar where this fold is soft instead of stiff.

Sailor collar: A Sailor collar is one which has no stand. It has a square back and a V-neck.

Bertha collar: A Bertha collar refers to a flat, round collar that is wide. It is usually made of lace or transparent fabric and is accompanied by a deep neckline.

Prince of Wales collar: The Prince of Wales collar is similar to a Windsor collar, but it is comparatively narrower and less stiff. It has longer points as compared to a Windsor collar. This collar was developed by Edward VIII when he was the Prince of Wales.

Cossack collar: A Cossack collar is a high, standing collar, which opens at one side. Sometimes, embroidery is done on it.

Conclusion

The collar is a very important part of the garment. It contributes significantly to the overall look of the garment. The type of collar should be selected depending upon the neckline of the garment, the wearer and the occasion for which the garment is to be worn.