Collar Stretcher: Is this going to work?

[Bounder]

Due to a certain amount of wholly involuntary exercise lately, my neck has gotten bigger and my shirt collars are starting to bind. I don't want to start getting bigger collars both because it would get expensive and because most of my shirts are RTW and fit badly enough now as it is. Does anyone know if this -- or something like it -- works? http://www.shoeandfootcare.com/p/901-002-00/ When I say "works" I suppose it is obvious enough that this will stretch the collar somewhat, but how much can you stretch a collar without wrecking it? The text says "1/2-2 inches" but this seems ridiculous. I'm sure you can stretch it less than 1/2 inch and I doubt seriously that you could stretch it by 2 inches. So has anyone tried this? What happened?

 

[NewYorkBuck]

I received this free w a shoe stretcher I bought a few years ago.

My thoughts on it -


1 - Yes, it does work. Collar can be a bit rumpled after your done bc you have to dampen it, so you may need to hit it with an iron quick.

2 - The counter top method shown to me by Carl from CEGO also works, and definitely faster. Just run the shirt collar briskly over a sharp sturdy countertop a few times. Doesnt get quite the stretch #1 does, but has saved me getting dressed in the morning more than once....

Edit -

My guess is you can get at least an inch from #1, and a half inch from #2.

 

[Ataturk]

It'll stretch the collar back (close) to its original size, which may be 3/8" bigger than the labeled size, but will probably be less. It won't make it any bigger than that.

 

[razl]

If you wear your collars buttoned and with a tie, I've seen little stretch loop-link thingies (think mini bungee cords) that you can hook your collar-button to collar-button-hole and get 1/4-1/2" out of. It sounds ridiculous, but I saw a salesperson wearing one and his tie hid it perfectly fine.

 

[Bounder]

Originally Posted by NewYorkBuck

2 - The counter top method shown to me by Carl from CEGO also works, and definitely faster. Just run the shirt collar briskly over a sharp sturdy countertop a few times. Doesnt get quite the stretch #1 does, but has saved me getting dressed in the morning more than once....
Could you elaborate? How exactly do you do this? How much tension do you have to apply? Doesn't it wreck the collar?

 

[southbound35]

Originally Posted by razl

If you wear your collars buttoned and with a tie, I've seen little stretch loop-link thingies (think mini bungee cords) that you can hook your collar-button to collar-button-hole and get 1/4-1/2" out of. It sounds ridiculous, but I saw a salesperson wearing one and his tie hid it perfectly fine.

True as long as the shirt doesn't have a wide tie opening to start with (meaning / \\ vs / \\ ). If the shirt has a wide opening, the extra 1/4- to 1/2-inch will be noticeable.

 

[tgt465]

Originally Posted by razl

If you wear your collars buttoned and with a tie, I've seen little stretch loop-link thingies (think mini bungee cords) that you can hook your collar-button to collar-button-hole and get 1/4-1/2" out of. It sounds ridiculous, but I saw a salesperson wearing one and his tie hid it perfectly fine.

No experience with these, but they usually go by the name "collar extender". Google will find many varieties of these. How did you tell that the salesperson was wearing one if it was hidden?

 

[TheTukker]

Originally Posted by razl

If you wear your collars buttoned and with a tie, I've seen little stretch loop-link thingies (think mini bungee cords) that you can hook your collar-button to collar-button-hole and get 1/4-1/2" out of. It sounds ridiculous, but I saw a salesperson wearing one and his tie hid it perfectly fine.

Sounds not just ridiculous; sounds like it's time to get a new shirt (or two).

 

[razl]

Originally Posted by tgt465

No experience with these, but they usually go by the name "collar extender". Google will find many varieties of these. How did you tell that the salesperson was wearing one if it was hidden?

I didn't; they had them at the counter but after looking at them, I just couldn't figure out what they were for (it wasn't immediately clear they were intended for the collar and I had thoughts they were for your shirt buttons!) I asked the salesperson and instead of explaining he just lifted his tie and, well, voila!

 

[Kurt N]

Originally Posted by Bounder

... The text says "1/2-2 inches" but this seems ridiculous...

The listing says the gadget can be used on collars and also on the waistband of children's trousers. 2 inches probably refers to the latter application.