Apparel Disfunction? A Question About Shirt Collars to the Experts

[evanrose]

Gentlemen,

Over at the Manolo for Men blog, there is a post that includes an image, originally from yahoo.com, that shows Brad Pitt with an erect collar and George Clooney with a flaccid one. Please note:

I hadn't thought much about it before, but I was walking around in a MTM shirt under a jacket without a tie and I was noticing that one side, the reenforced button-hole side (which I'm sure has a name) was standing firm like Mr. Pitt's and the other side, the button side, was pulling a Clooney. Now that I've noticed it, it can't be unnoticed.

I understand that in my case, the shirt was being held up on one side by a sturdy button-hole container and that the other side is being pulled down by gravity, but how exactly is Mr. Pitt achieving his look and what exactly is wrong with Mr. Clooney's? (And is there in fact something wrong with Mr. Clooney's?) Is it the fabric? The cut? The spread of the collar? Some sort of extra support in the collar itself? It's almost time to put in an order for more shirts and I'm curious. Can the shirt makers and connoisseurs amongst you speak on this?

 

[Mr. Potato]

It's the collar stiffs. A higher, stiffer and pointed collar will also help achieve the look.

 

[Metlin]

He could simply be wearing a button down shirt, which is holding his collar down. And I think Mr. Pitt is wearing a regular straight collar with some sturdy stays. There are several types of collars, and it is simply a question of the type of look that you are trying to achieve. I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with the look that either of them is sporting. For instance, a button down collar tends to make you look a little compact, while a spread collar would be appropriate if you're planning on having a Windsor.

 

[calvinloke]

My collar used to stand erected that way when I used to wear high pointed collars. Smaller collars tend to submerge into the collar of my jacket. Ocassionally, I would have to pull it back up in the washroom. These days I just make sure I wear a tie with smaller collars.

 

[rjmaiorano]

not a fan of the clooney look at all, nor the pitt look actually. Prefer the tie with coat thingy.

But in addition to the collar size and stiffness of the stays, the button placement on the shirt will also be a factor.

 

[evanrose]

Thanks for your thoughts so far.

Regarding my own shirt, what can I do about on side staying straight and the other falling? And what should I tell my tailor to do with subsequent shirts?