• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Can you stretch a shirt collar?

k4lnamja

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Messages
1,528
Reaction score
55
I searched and some said yes and most said
no.

Couldn't I get the shirt wet and pull? One of my nicest dress shirt collars is really tight on my neck or maybe my neck got fatter. I don't know.

Thoughts please?

Cheers
 

Archivist

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2010
Messages
688
Reaction score
34
Not really.

See about shifting the button over a bit, and shanking it out when it's sewn on.
 

pebblegrain

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2010
Messages
2,201
Reaction score
55
there's a reason why collars are made to 1/2 inch increments
 

ALFAMALE

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
1,121
Reaction score
9
facepalm.gif
 

bsarosi

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2009
Messages
960
Reaction score
735
You can always try one of those collar extenders. I think it gives you an extra half inch. The button may not match your shirt buttons, but with a tie no one will see it.
 

johnvw

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
875
Reaction score
58
I am currently having this same issue, so I am interested in thoughts on this, as well. Probably the collar cannot be stretched. As mentioned, moving the collar button closer to the outside edge of the collar and using a collar extender looped onto the collar button are possible solutions for existing shirts. If having shirts made is feasible for the OP, the collar measurement should be increased.
 

Archivist

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2010
Messages
688
Reaction score
34
Collar extenders are pretty hideous. Instead of a tiespace you have a gap.

If the collar is not too small, you can simply not button the top button, and snug up your tie. If the collar is too small, there is going to be too much tiespace no matter what you do. At that point, charity shop, polishing rag, or store it until your neck gets smaller again.
 

Freddy Vandecasteele

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
109
Reaction score
13
Originally Posted by k4lnamja
I searched and some said yes and most said
no.

Couldn't I get the shirt wet and pull? One of my nicest dress shirt collars is really tight on my neck or maybe my neck got fatter. I don't know.

Thoughts please?

Cheers


It is hard to give you an answer that will cover every situation.
Fused collar are not that easy
but usually humidifing and stretching while pressing you can strech max 1/4 inch.
But next time it come back from the cleaner you will have then same problem.
Next shirts go for a bigger size.
Freddy Vandecasteele
 

Mr. Lee

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2010
Messages
408
Reaction score
3
Originally Posted by k4lnamja
I searched and some said yes and most said
no.

Couldn't I get the shirt wet and pull? One of my nicest dress shirt collars is really tight on my neck or maybe my neck got fatter. I don't know.

Thoughts please?

Cheers


No, but you can buy those corny button extenders, with a button and a loop that will give you about
3/8". You will have a time covering it with a wide enough knot and it still will look like your collar is unbuttoned, however.
 

k4lnamja

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Messages
1,528
Reaction score
55
Originally Posted by Archivist
Not really.

See about shifting the button over a bit, and shanking it out when it's sewn on.


I thought about this but if I moved the button over wouldn't this make the top of the shirt uneven when buttoned?

Originally Posted by Archivist
Collar extenders are pretty hideous. Instead of a tiespace you have a gap.

If the collar is not too small, you can simply not button the top button, and snug up your tie. If the collar is too small, there is going to be too much tiespace no matter what you do. At that point, charity shop, polishing rag, or store it until your neck gets smaller again.


Yes, extenders do look funky. I've never thought about not buttoning the top button. I think it's a great idea but I wonder if I would have to constantly re-adjust my knot.

Originally Posted by Freddy Vandecasteele
It is hard to give you an answer that will cover every situation.
Fused collar are not that easy
but usually humidifing and stretching while pressing you can strech max 1/4 inch.
But next time it come back from the cleaner you will have then same problem.
Next shirts go for a bigger size.
Freddy Vandecasteele


I might try this. Thanks for the advice. I can button the top button and it doesn't suffocate me or anything like that. However, it creates enough pressure that it leaves red marks on my neck. Maybe I'm gaining weight?
ffffuuuu.gif


Originally Posted by SilvioDante
Might have to pony up and buy a new shirt.

Yes, I could but I'm going to B-school next year so I'm trying to save as much as possible
smile.gif


Thank you everyone. I greatly appreciate the feedback.

Cheers
 

Matt S

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
937
Reaction score
22
Originally Posted by Archivist
Collar extenders are pretty hideous. Instead of a tiespace you have a gap.

If the collar is not too small, you can simply not button the top button, and snug up your tie. If the collar is too small, there is going to be too much tiespace no matter what you do. At that point, charity shop, polishing rag, or store it until your neck gets smaller again.


Collar extenders are still better than just leaving the top open. At least the collar extender will keep the collar in place throughout the day.

I find that when I put on a tight collar in the morning, it feels loser by the end of the day. I don't know if the collar actually gets looser or I just get more used to it.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,191
Messages
10,579,236
Members
223,902
Latest member
LucyKaven
Top