Stiffness gone from shirt collar - any easy fixes?

[orangehaggis]

Most of my shirts were purchased 4-5 years ago from a custom tailor who had them made up in Hong Kong. The interlining in the collars on my favourites have gone floppy from use and laundering. They're so soft that my collar stiffeners manage to work themselves out of the collar points when I wear ties, and they just look untidy. Is there any way to correct this that won't require major surgery?

I see that there are several devices on the web that claim to stiffen collars, but they're all intended for open collars worn without a the.

 

[Leiker]

Most of my shirts were purchased 4-5 years ago from a custom tailor who had them made up in Hong Kong. The interlining in the collars on my favourites have gone floppy from use and laundering. They're so soft that my collar stiffeners manage to work themselves out of the collar points when I wear ties, and they just look untidy. Is there any way to correct this that won't require major surgery?

I see that there are several devices on the web that claim to stiffen collars, but they're all intended for open collars worn without a the.

I assume collar stiffeners are collar stays? If so, could you double up on the stays and see if that keeps them from coming out? Or get thicker stays perhaps.

 

[rjc149]

I'm curious as to how collar stays can work themselves out of the points... maybe the stays are too short for the collar? Or too long and flexy, so they're not secured in the collar's fold?

In any case, at 5 years old, regularly worn and laundered dress shirts (especially white ones) are approaching the end of their service life. You can extend their life by having a larger rotation of shirts and/or washing them in cold water and air-drying, but ultimately, dress shirts are consumables and need periodic replacement. I had a fleet of custom dress shirts that have all since shrunk or torn through the elbows. This is why I'm hesitant to spend more than $60-70 on a daily office dress shirt.

 

[orangehaggis]

I assume collar stiffeners are collar stays? If so, could you double up on the stays and see if that keeps them from coming out? Or get thicker stays perhaps.

I use buffalo horn stays. I've tried some metal ones, too, but the stiffness has gone from the interlining itself.

 

[orangehaggis]

I'm curious as to how collar stays can work themselves out of the points... maybe the stays are too short for the collar? Or too long and flexy, so they're not secured in the collar's fold?

In any case, at 5 years old, regularly worn and laundered dress shirts (especially white ones) are approaching the end of their service life. You can extend their life by having a larger rotation of shirts and/or washing them in cold water and air-drying, but ultimately, dress shirts are consumables and need periodic replacement. I had a fleet of custom dress shirts that have all since shrunk or torn through the elbows. This is why I'm hesitant to spend more than $60-70 on a daily office dress shirt.

I use my own stays, ones made of buffalo horn, but they're the same length as the plastic ones that came with my shirts. The collar is so floppy that the stays back out as I move my head, and the points curl under. This has only happened with age and wear.

Finances are tight, very tight, so I'm looking for a remedial solution. I can't afford to replace any of them at the moment.

I neglected to mention that heavy spray starch doesn't quite cut it. Wish they would've used a more durable interlining.

 

[poppies77]

"Wurkin Stiffs" magnetic collar stays may work for this situation.

 

[rjc149]

I use my own stays, ones made of buffalo horn, but they're the same length as the plastic ones that came with my shirts. The collar is so floppy that the stays back out as I move my head, and the points curl under. This has only happened with age and wear.

Finances are tight, very tight, so I'm looking for a remedial solution. I can't afford to replace any of them at the moment.

I neglected to mention that heavy spray starch doesn't quite cut it. Wish they would've used a more durable interlining.

Okay, I think I can sort of envision the issue. Because there is zero structure to the collar fold, the crevice doesn't secure the blunt end of the stays. The stays just sort of get pushed past the soft fabric collar crevice as the points catch on your shoulder/chest during the day.

You could use single-use stays that stick under the collars, until you're able to replace the shirts. Which definitely sound like they need to be replaced.

 

[notdos]

Just my .02, but if a combination of spray starch/steam iron and stays won’t do it, I don’t think it can be done.