It seems that everything about men’s wear is getting trimmer and thinner these days. Slim fit shirts and skinny ties, once regarded as a trend, now seem to have found a permanent place in the realm of style. But the latest victim/benefactor of the charge towards sleeker cuts: the collar.
Obviously some collars are more formal than others. As a general rule, the thinner the collar and the shorter the points, the sportier/more casual it will look. So, what do you normally see heads of state and captains of industry wearing in the press? Right, probably a medium spread collar with 3” inch points and a 1.5” to 2” back height (the height of the collar in the back of the shirt) is pretty standard. Anything with dimensions small than this, we’ll say, can be classified as “thin”; anything larger and you may be charting a course into zoot suit waters.
So, as a casual shirt feature, thin collars are ideally worn open at the neck, without a tie. They can be the perfect complement to epaulettes, dual chest pockets, thin cuffs and look fine on shirts with bright fabrics or textured weaves.
If you absolutely must wear one for work though, just make sure you’ve got a correspondingly skinny tie. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the smaller tie tying methods as well to avoid a too bulbous knot in the center of your undersized collar. As yet another general rule, keep in mind that it’s better to show more collar than less when wearing a jacket, no matter how thin the collar happens to be.
Finally, another important factor to consider when slimming down your collar is the shape and appearance of your head and neck. Basically, unless you look into the mirror and feel self-conscious about the length of your neck or the size of your head you should be fine with a thin collar.
For men with large heads and shorter necks though, a high collar can make your head look like it’s on a pedestal and give you a more vertical appearance. By contrast, a thinner collar may just make your head look like it’s attached directly to your shoulders or serve to accentuate the size of upper body proportions in comparison. Men with more stork-like necks are also advised to steer clear from thin collars for the same reason.
With so many other things in men’s style, thin collars may not be right for everyone, in every situation. Ultimately you’re choice of collar will probably depend most on your personal tastes, lifestyle and features.
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