50+ types of COLLARS – choose the best one for you.

Do you know that earlier collars were mostly detachable from clothes. Today collars are integral parts of most of our clothing. It frames the face, keeps your neck warm, gives the whole garment an elegance. 

Collars started out as something of a dilemma to me as for many others when I started to sew. But they are such an unavoidable design feature that there is a need to know the types of collars and the way to sew them if you are seriously into sewing, or even if you simply like clothes.

Collars can be sewn to the garment or detachable. Other than that, basically, there are just 3 types of collars – the stand collar, flat collar and the roll collar. The names are self-explanatory enough. 

• Stand collar fits around the neck. It is basically a band which stands upright on the neck.
• Roll collar  is a stand collar which is then folded or rolled over.
• Flat collar is found flat on the shoulders.

All the other collars are variations of these basic styles.

• Shirt Collar with stand

This is the most common type of collar you see on shirts. You can learn more about the 15 different types of shirt collars here.

• Button down collar

A shirt collar with buttons on the points fastening it to the shirt. 

• Straight band collar

This collar consists of  band of fabric encircling the neck

• Buttoned Band collar

• Shawl collar

A turned down collar with a wide lapel

• Mandarin collar / Nehru collar / Mao collar / Cadet Collar

This is a band collar – the collar has a cut in the center front with rounded or square corners.

• Polo/ roll/ turtle collar

This is a high collar which is rolled down.

• Ruffle collar

This collar has a ruffle attached to it.

• Peter pan collar

This is a flat collar with rounded corners. Also called Claudine collar. Read more on drafting peter pan collar here.

• Bermuda Collar

This is a flat collar with sqaure edge at the center front instead of the rounded corners of the peterpan collar.

• Puritan collar / Pilgrim Collar

It is similar to a bermuda collar or peterpan collar but the pilgrim collar or puritan collar is wider.

• Funnel Collar

This is a wide standing collar which stands a little away from the neck and face.

• Shaped shawl collar

• Albany collar

Albany collar is a turned down cutaway collar.(Cutaway collar is a collar with a wide spread)

• Ring collar

• Bateau collar

• Wing collar /Wing tipped collar / Pointed wing collar

• Rounded wing tipped collar/ Butterfly collar

Instead of the pointed ends this collar has rounded ends. 

• Butterfly collar

A variation of the wing tipped collar with large lapels ; A style worn by John Travolta in the movie “Saturday night fever”.

• Dog ear Collar

• Cossack collar

This is a high standing collar opening to one side.

• Bishop collar

• Tab collar

Tab collar also refers to men’s shirt collars with a tab for fastening the tie knot between the collar button and points of the shirt

• Revers collar

A Revers collar is a notched collar with square corners on the collar as well as the lapel.There are many variations to this type of collar.

• Fish mouth revers

• Clover revers

• L  revers collar

• Tuxedo collar

• Giraffe collar

• Danton collar

• Napoleon high coat collar

• Sailor collar

• Collar with Modesty panel

Also called Modesty collar, this is a vintage style detached collar. It looks like a bib which is attached to a band collar.

• Bertha collar

This is usually a wide lace collar with a low neckline. It can be available as a detachable collar.

• Dutch collar

• Chelsea collar

• Poerrot collar

• Ruff collar

• Frilled Stand collar

• Stand Collar with a knot

• Van dyke collar

• Bertha collar Square

• Falling band collar

• Partlet collar

• Cape collar

• Cascade collar/ jabot collar

Jabot is a decorative piece of fabric attached to the base of the neck by means of a collar. A cascade collar can be a similar collar with a fabric cut in a flounce shape arranged as a cascade attached to it.

• Bib with frill collar

• Eton collar

• Ascot collar

• Cowl Collar

• Carcaille collar

• Convertible open collar

This is a one piece collar that lies flat.

• Convertible closed collar

• Gorget collar

• Fichu collar

This is a vintage style wide collar made of embroidered fabric or lace. It can be removable as well as fixed. Fichu originally is a triangular shaped cotton fabric that is worn as a shawl across the neck and shoulder over low cut gowns – the fichu collar looks like this. Refer this page to know more about Fichu

• Pussy Bow collar / Tie neck collar

• Turned up collar

• Barrymore Collar

This is a shirt collar with long tapered points. 

• Johnny collar

This is a high stand collar combined with a V neck. It is usually a small high stand collar.

• Portrait collar

• Tulip Collar

This is  a roll collar that overlaps along the button giving a tulip /petal effect.

• Clerical Collar

• Nehru collar

This is the collar found on the vests and jackets worn by the of first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru – a close-fitting, stand up collar. Another name is Mandarin collar. 

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