subject: How To Mix Patterns [print this page] How your collar interacts with your face is one of the most important aspects of your wardrobe. When properly coordinated, the collar can either accentuate or counter-act long or short necks, as well as square or round faces. A smartly dressed man can strategically use his collar to frame his face to achieve whatever results he chooses. Below we review some of the more common types of shirt collars. When making dressing decisions use the guide to better dress your bodys natural attributes.
The Straight Point Collar
The straight point collar is a great option for those with an oval shaped face. These range from 2 to 3 3/8 inches. Because the opening between the collars is relatively narrow, this type of collar suits a rounded face better than a slimmer one. The straight point collar is very versatile and goes with just about any type of sport jacket or suit.
The Spread Collar
The spread collar is arguably the most important collar type for the modern mans wardrobe. Height, point length, and openness vary greatly, therefore there is a version for almost any face shape. A properly fitted spread collar goes great with a full Windsor tie knot.
Button Down
The oxford button down is Americas contribution to this list. This type of collar was brought to fashion by Brooks Brothers in around 1896. The button down has stood the test of time and is reasonably flexible. As such, it can be used to dress either up or down. The collar can be paired with other fabrics but tends to go best with similar ones such as flannel or tweed. Both round and square faced men often look good in a button down. Narrow face types may look elsewhere as a button down may make your jaw look weak.
The collars mentioned above should give you a great start on figuring out one or more options that suit you best. However, keep in mind this is not an exhaustive list. For instance, the rounded collar will occasionally surface in some custom tailored situations. Same goes for the pinned collar which was extremely popular in the 1930s but now is rarely seen.
As you can see, theres much more to a collar than many people realize. Making the right choice can either add or take away inches from the length and width of both your face and neck. As such, its surprisingly one of the most important dressing decisions youll make.
