Dress cotton shirt without stays?

[cretaceous_cretin]

The consensus seems to be that cotton oxford button-down collar shirts are ok for work, but are not for evening or dressy occasions. I prefer them myself, because I absolutely detest the collar stays in cotton dress shirts. I don't wear them - ever.

So the question is: is there a quality cotton dress shirt, not button-down, that exists?

If so, I haven't found it. Please advise if there is.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Grenadier]

Just take the collar stay out...

 

[bjornb17]

Originally Posted by cretaceous_cretin

The consensus seems to be that cotton oxford button-down collar shirts are ok for work, but are not for evening or dressy occasions. I prefer them myself, because I absolutely detest the collar stays in cotton dress shirts. I don't wear them - ever.

So the question is: is there a quality cotton dress shirt, not button-down, that exists?

If so, I haven't found it. Please advise if there is.

Thanks in advance.

Sounds like you're trying to separate the water from the wet.

 

[Sanguis Mortuum]

Originally Posted by azlawstudent

Just take the collar stay out...

Yeah, get shirts with removable stays then...remove them...

Nobody should be buying shirts with non-removable stays anyway, they should really be removed for washing. Removable stays also means you can replace the crappy plastic ones that they inevitably come with.

 

[Gibonius]

Why don't you like collar stays?

 

[Eustace Tilley]

Originally Posted by Sanguis Mortuum

Yeah, get shirts with removable stays then...remove them...

Intriguing - please explain this in greater detail.

 

[Matt S]

Some collars in the past were designed to be worn without any stiffeners, like Cary Grant's shirt in North By Northwest:

I know there is an online store that sells such a shirt, but I can't remember what it is. The collar interlining needs to be constructed a certain way, and removing the collar stays from your standard fused collar won't look right. It is, however, a more relaxed, less formal look that works only with point collars, not spread collars. And the points need to be fairly long. With such a collar it is customary to wear it with a collar pin or collar bar.

 

[cretaceous_cretin]

Originally Posted by azlawstudent

Just take the collar stay out...

I do take them out, and then throw them away. I don't want to fool with them. Collars should be stiff as needed without them. Just my $0.02.

 

[cretaceous_cretin]

Don't want to replace them, don't want them to begin with.

 

[bjornb17]

Originally Posted by cretaceous_cretin

I do take them out, and then throw them away. I don't want to fool with them. Collars should be stiff as needed without them. Just my $0.02.

Maybe starch them heavily? Sounds like you're making a big deal out of a really small thing.

 

[Sanguis Mortuum]

Originally Posted by cretaceous_cretin

I do take them out, and then throw them away. I don't want to fool with them. Collars should be stiff as needed without them. Just my $0.02.

Unless you make the collar absolutely rock-hard then the points will still curl without stays. Honestly I don't see wtf the problem is here.

 

[cretaceous_cretin]

TF that I don't like them.

 

[Sanguis Mortuum]

Originally Posted by cretaceous_cretin

TF that I don't like them.

But why don't you like them? I can't think of any reason why one would 'not like' collar stays. If you want a softer looking collar you take them out, if you want the points to stay straight you put them in, what is not to like? Is it just too much effort to put them in before wearing? If you want your collars to stay straight and sharp without stays then you're gonna have to starch them, which is going to be more effort than just using the stays. To completely prevent a collar from curling through stiffness of interfacing alone you would probably have to interface it with concrete.

 

[cretaceous_cretin]

Originally Posted by Sanguis Mortuum

But why don't you like them? I can't think of any reason why one would 'not like' collar stays. If you want a softer looking collar you take them out, if you want the points to stay straight you put them in, what is not to like? Is it just too much effort to put them in before wearing? If you want your collars to stay straight and sharp without stays then you're gonna have to starch them, which is going to be more effort than just using the stays. To completely prevent a collar from curling through stiffness of interfacing alone you would probably have to interface it with concrete.
Too much effort. Don't want to deal with them. A nuisance. I hate the d@mned things. Button-down is fine with me, just exploring alternatives that _don't_ use collar stays.

 

[Gibonius]

Originally Posted by cretaceous_cretin

Too much effort. Don't want to deal with them. A nuisance. I hate the d@mned things. Button-down is fine with me, just exploring alternatives that _don't_ use collar stays.

It takes perhaps two seconds to insert them after ironing, and they're unnoticeable once you have the shirt on. This is a strange fixation you have.