A Man’s Guide to Shirts with Collars

Dress shirts with collars are among the most common pieces of clothing worn by men in their professional lives, and that’s no surprise—you can dress them up or down, depending on your work environment, and they help you look more polished than an untucked shirt ever could. But the different types of collars can be confusing to navigate, especially if you’re just starting out as an adult and trying to figure out how to shop for your own clothes. This guide will walk you through the various types of dress shirt collars available, from classic points to button-down squares and everything in between.

Pointed

The pointed collar shirt is typically associated with British and European men’s fashions. This type of collar was popular in Victorian England, and it experienced a resurgence in 1920s Britain. Both Teddy Boys and Mods favored them in decades past, as do some contemporary rockabilly fans. Pointed collars are seen most often on knit shirts, but they may also be found on button-up collared shirts; either way, they add a hint of dandyism that may work well for professionals who want an alternative look. Like all other club collars, though, pointed collared shirts should be worn unbuttoned.

Button Down

If you’re going for a business casual look, try wearing a button down shirt. This is a type of collar that can be worn without a tie as long as it has one or two buttons at the neck. A club collar has rounded edges and is typically large enough to cover your neck comfortably. It works well with both casual and dressy outfits. In fact, depending on how buttoned up you roll it up, it can even work well in professional settings as well. There are so many different varieties available that should suit most tastes: plain collared shirts; striped shirts; plaid shirts; self-tipped polo shirts; and more!

Spread

When it comes to collared shirts, you’ve got options. The most common is known as a spread collar. A spread collar shirt has extra room in front of your neck, which makes them ideal for business situations where you don’t want your shirt’s collar looking too stuffy. The typical spread collar shirt looks good under a suit jacket but can also go very casual and paired with jeans or shorts.

Cutaway

To begin, we’ll start by talking about collars. The first thing that comes to mind is a spread collar shirt, which is commonly referred to as a button-down collar. When worn closed, it has a rounded tip. It looks good on almost everyone, which makes it one of your best options when looking for a shirt collar type that works well in almost any situation. Club collar shirts are another common type you’ll come across and are much less formal than spread collars. The tips of club collards point downwards instead of pointing outwards like spread collars do, so they’re great if you want something more casual or laid back than normal dress shirts but aren’t looking for anything too extreme.

Wing Tip

The wing tip collar is one of the most popular shirt collar styles, thanks to its classic and preppy appeal. However, there are a few details you’ll want to keep in mind if you’re looking for a shirt with a wing tip collar. First, how wide are your shoulders? A wider shoulder demands a broader shirt collar, so that it doesn’t hang out on either side of your shoulder. Second, does your height work well with shorter sleeve lengths? If not, then you might be better off looking for dress shirts with an open back neck rather than an open front one. Otherwise, wear what fits well! As long as everything from top to bottom fits properly—in both length and width—you should look great no matter what type of collar is on it.

Turndown

In general, it is a good idea to stay away from specialty collars like turndowns. These collars are more prone to wrinkling and require special care so they remain crisp. This can become a hassle if you do not know how to properly fold your shirts or do not want to think about it as often. The other issue with these specialty collar types is that they generally don’t look as great as standard point collars and spread collars on all but very specific types of face shapes.