• 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.

Point vs. Spread Collar

itsstillmatt

The Liberator
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
13,969
Reaction score
2,086
I was browsing through the WAYWN thread and noticed that nearly 100% of the pictures show a spread collar. Is the preference here really that close to unanimous? If so, why do you prefer one or the other?

I personally wear a very medium collar in terms of spread, but with a high collar stand and relatively long points. I would imagine that the spread of it is just around 90 degrees.

Any thoughts?
 

GQgeek

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Mar 4, 2002
Messages
16,568
Reaction score
84
They never look good, even on people with long necks which they're supposed to flatter. Personally, I hate seeing the points of my collars. Having them hidden under the lapels of your jacket seems more elegant. On top of that, the spread accomodates a bigger knot with a better dimple than the tiny knots mandated by point collars.
 

zjpj83

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2004
Messages
9,425
Reaction score
28
I like medium spread. Point remind me of shirts without character; they remind me of shirts worn without collar stays and not fitting very well.

The only downside about a spread collar is that you cannot talk on the phone and rest it on your shoulder. I've snapped many a plastic collar stay in half by forgetting and leaning a phone or cell phone on my shoulder.
 

aportnoy

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
6,791
Reaction score
787
I've got many of both but seem to gravitate toward spread collars. All the bespoke shirts I'm currently having made are spread collar, French cuff.
 

tiger02

Militarist
Joined
Nov 16, 2004
Messages
3,733
Reaction score
3
Originally Posted by zjpj83
I like medium spread. Point remind me of shirts without character; they remind me of shirts worn without collar stays and not fitting very well.
Ditto.
 

Manton

RINO
Joined
Apr 20, 2002
Messages
41,314
Reaction score
2,879
I have a long neck, and the long points would have to be reaaaalllly long to reach the shirt front. I suspect it would look odd. A spread collar seems more flattering to a long neck and a longish rectangular face. Maybe one day I will try a point for the hell of it and discover that it looks great. I saw an interview with Scorcese on TV a few weeks ago, and he had on a dramatic point collar that looked stupendous on him. Tiny little tie knot, too.
 

GQgeek

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Mar 4, 2002
Messages
16,568
Reaction score
84
Originally Posted by zjpj83
Point remind me of shirts without character; they remind me of shirts worn without collar stays and not fitting very well.

That too.
 

gdl203

Purveyor of the Secret Sauce
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
45,595
Reaction score
54,357
Aesthetically, I have a strong preference for an extreme cutaway collar but they IMO only look good with a tie. So for a more versatile shirt that I can wear without a tie, I go for a wide spread but not extreme
 

dapperdude

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
323
Reaction score
1
I prefer button-down collars for everyday wear, and I have a few point collar shirts for wear with a jacket and tie.

The problem I have with most point collars is that they are too big in relation to my head & body, but that problem has been solved with custom made shirts.

Do any of you wear spread collars without a jacket/tie? It seems to me that spread collar shirts aren't meant to be worn open-collar.
 

Manton

RINO
Joined
Apr 20, 2002
Messages
41,314
Reaction score
2,879
I recently got my first extreme cutaway in a long time. I like it. I will be getting more. Probably won't ever be the mainstay of my closet, but I definitely want a few more.
 

gdl203

Purveyor of the Secret Sauce
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
45,595
Reaction score
54,357
Originally Posted by Manton
I recently got my first extreme cutaway in a long time. I like it. I will be getting more. Probably won't ever be the mainstay of my closet, but I definitely want a few more.

They're quite dramatic with a tie. Oscar Udeshi makes a really nice one - although the one I have from him does not look as extreme as the pic

shirts.jpg
 

visionology

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
1,655
Reaction score
2
Spread collars don't look flattering on my face. Neither do extreme points, so I often struggle to find an in between area.
 

gdl203

Purveyor of the Secret Sauce
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
45,595
Reaction score
54,357
Originally Posted by dapperdude
Do any of you wear spread collars without a jacket/tie? It seems to me that spread collar shirts aren't meant to be worn open-collar.

Yes. At least 50% of the time. I'm not a big fan of button-down collars (ed don't shoot me)
 

Featured Sponsor

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

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.2%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 38.8%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.2%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.1%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,158
Messages
10,578,878
Members
223,880
Latest member
nor77man
Top