Collar Bars

[Chamorro]

I picked this one up on ebay a few weeks ago.

It's a little less than 2 inches wide, and I think it's just a bit too narrow. I can't really get it to fit behind my tie knot, because either the knot's too big, or the bar is too small. I also need to find a decent shirt with the proper collar for it.

What do y'all think?

Copy of post by: Zohar

 

[fedoralover]

collar bar

since you brought it up I'm going to show my ignorance here and ask what was the purpose of a collar bar anyway? I'm not familiar with this piece of attire at all. Could someone give me the time period these were worn in and their purpose. Any other info about them would be appreciated as well.

thanks fedoralover

 

[Sergei]

Well the collar bar serves the purpose of keeping the collars neatly tucked into the body of the shirt. My recollection is that button down collars were not popular during this period. In fact it was Brooks Bros. that came up with the Polo look, that was actually button down collars. It was more sporty, than dressy.

Without the collar bar, you collars could flare up like little "butterfly" wings. So it's a neat, elegant solution that provides that extra, crisp look to a gentlemen wearing a suit. In addition, the collar bar serves to perk up the knot of the tie. It elegantly props up the knot in a prone position, that also gives it that neat, crisp look.

Hope that makes sense.

-S

 

[Matt Deckard]

Fedoralover--

since you brought it up I'm going to show my ignorance here and ask what was the purpose of a collar bar anyway? I'm not familiar with this piece of attire at all. Could someone give me the time period these were worn in and their purpose. Any other info about them would be appreciated as well.

picture of me wearing my collar bar.

back in the 20's 30's, collar stays (collar stay tutorial to come) were not as prominant in soft collar shirts. The soft collars were also made a bit different (they did not have slots for collar stays). the soft collars used to curl forward away from you after some wear.
the collar bar held the collar down.

newer shirts don't do this because they have collar stay pockets (more expensive shirts usually) and with the extra fabric on the inside of the collar for the pockets, the collars tends to curl into you over time.

 

[fedoralover]

collar bar

Hey thanks guys, that's one piece that I never had heard anything about. Much appreciated.

fedoralover

 

[Pyroxene]

I used to wear collar bars but my personal need ran out when I found Collar stays. Collar Bars are a neat accessory and look, I think, really nice.

The tips of a well-cut collar touch the breast of the shirt and will not lift up when you move your head. Right now, the custom NH copy is the only shirt in my wardrobe that does that.

Pyro.

BTW - Nice hat, Matt.

 

[Oscar Tong]

I don't know about the bar itself, but this collar type is known as a pin collar. According to Clothes and the Man by Alan Flusser, the pin collar was popular during the late 1920s. You can read more about collar types here.

 

[Zach R.]

This type of collar was a favorite of Remington Steele.

 

[Johnnysan]

I used to wear collar bars quite often and still do from time to time. They are necessarily coupled with shirts that have a narrow spread collar and ties that are knotted small and tight. As I have a rather beefy neck & multiple chins, I do not find them entirely comfortable. The bar/pin needs to be removed before the tie can be loosened.

Collar bars are still commonly available and slip over the collar, much like a paperclip would. Here is a photo of a modern collar bar:

I believe that collar pins pre-date collar bars and are not commonly seen in the U.S. as they require shirts made specially to accomodate them. The shirts employ eyelet collars that are pre-punched with holes through wich the collar pin is inserted. Here is a photo of a eyelet collar/collar pin combination:

Collar bars and collar pins have largely been replaced in the wardrobe by tab collar shirts - the tab achieving the same effect as the collar bar/pin:

Finally, for a nice overview of collar styles in general, click here.

 

[Phil_in_CS]

They don't have to do much with comfort, as long as your collar size is correct. I wear tab collars more often than bars, for the same effect.

You can't loosen your tie. That's part of the image it projects: "I'm not going to loosen up". I very much like the way it projects the tie knot and holds everything just so.

Its somewhat uncommon to see ties these days, much less the dandier variants.

 

[BellyTank]

There ar also 'hidden button-down' shirts available, the button hole is in the bottom layer of collar fabric and invisible-

B
T

 

[Old Fogey UK]

Shirts That Take A Collar Pin

Does anyone know if it's possible still to buy shirts with a metal pin that goes thru' the collar ?
I've got plenty of "Donald Rumsfeld" tab collar shirts but haven't seen pin collar ones in any of the on-line catalogs.

 

[BellyTank]

Good question-

One of the American catalogue menswear companies(web site) had an 'eyelet collar shirt'- as you would imagine- it had eyelets in the collar to put a collar pin through. But- I can't find it anymore. Since you're English... and may know-
what was the arrangement with WW1 British Army Officers'collars? They had a pin- did it just go straight through the fabric? Was it like a safety pin arrangement?
Please- do tell...

B
T

 

[Old Fogey UK]

Pin collar shirts were sometimes worn by WW2 British Army officers too. Somewhere I have a photo of my dad about 1940 in his uniform with such a shirt.
The pin was a bit like a safety pin. The modern type has a rod with threaded end pieces. I've got a few of them, all I need are the shirts to go with them.
Another type of collar I've seen over here was a detachable collar with 2 tabs that hooked onto the front stud to produce the same pulled in look - now that was really unusual !

 

[Big Man]

Collar Pin Shirt

I recently (past 3 or 4 months) saw and ordered a dress shirt with a pin collar. The company was "King Size", but I don't recall the maker of the shirt. I really like the shirt, and when I looked to order another, found it had been discontinued.

Anyone good with sewing should be able to alter any point collar to a pin collar.

 

[Lionheart]

I found a few links for pin collar shirts:

http://www.shirt-press.co.uk/products/dc_tab_pin.html

http://www.blair.com/webapp/wcs/sto...10001&storeId=10001&productId=15781&langId=-1

There's also the "custom made" shirt option:

http://www.listerouge-paris.com/styles/styles.php

 

[shindeco]

The "eyelet" is just a round buttonhole so if you want to convert a shirt you just need a sewing machine with a button holer. (And possibly someone to work it, if you don't know how). I believe that often the safety pin type was just stuck through a regular collar. If the pin is sharp enough it will not tear the fibres of the shirt. I love vintage collar pins and have a bit of a collection but most of the ones you find are not actual pins; they clip on the collar points. I usually wear those as you don't need the eyelets.

 

[Marty M.]

But are they allowed on planes?

Does anyone know if it's possible still to buy shirts with a metal pin that goes thru' the collar ?
I've got plenty of "Donald Rumsfeld" tab collar shirts but haven't seen pin collar ones in any of the on-line catalogs.

Old Fogey UK,
I do think that you're just a little ahead of your time (at least in the USA). We've been making a lot more button tab collar shirts lately. So hopefully pin collar shirts are right around the corner. I haven't seen any shirt makers makeing or stocking them. I like them when made with a rounded collar.

Marty

 

[geo]

Right now, the spread collar is in fashion, and most of the shirts are made that way. I've been looking for a shirtmaker where I can get long point collar shirts to wear with a collar bar, round collar shirts and tab collar shirts. The only place so far seems to be a custom made shirt, like this one:

http://www.mytailor.com/picknorder/pickstylenfabric.asp?SessID=. See collars 0, 1, 5, 12 and 1E.

Has anyone tried them?

 

[BellyTank]

Tommy Hilfiger, of all people, made a line of round collar shirts with tabs...
I have one in a blue end-on-end cloth, with white collar and cuffs.
I bought it on eBay a while back- it's pretty OK.

Whenever you're in a dept. store, keep your eyes open- I've found nice long-pointed collar shirts among the deluge of spread collars...

B
T