Collar Bars

[jjunner]

I had a few MTM shirts made with the holes for a collar bar. I love them! Kinda reminds of the guys from the godfather. If anyone wants some pics I can take some.

 

[Feraud]

I like them, but I have a hard time finding shirts with collars that I can wear them with.

Arrow and Van Heusen brand shirts will usually accept a collar stay.

 

[kiltie]

I scored a clip-on at an antique store a while back. I put it on that very night for no good reason ( the best reason...). The shirt was an Armani that I couldn't afford ( managed to get it at the BCF - never seen 'em since ). Anyway, that damned thing left a rust stain on my collar . I've been off them since that day. Obviously this was a quality issue, but it made me gun shy.
I also have hade the screw-on type twice in the past, but have recently found it difficult to turn them up without their being in one of those cheesy " matching shirt, tie, suspender, pocket square" get ups.
That's put me on to the little do-hickeys that button or snap under the tie, which are relatively easy to come by from reputable makers ( if there's such a thing, anymore....)

 

[Feraud]

a bump and a box o' collar bars/stays.

 

[Edward]

Does anyone ever ask you if you are wearing a clip on tie?

Never had that myself. Always surprises me how many folks have never seen one before, though. I mean, the first time I saw one worn was in (Australian low-budget soap opera) Neighbours back in the 80s. lol I believe it was the stick-with-screw-on-end type, worn with a shirt with corresponding holes in the collar, by the character of Paul Robinson.

I find them easy to pick up (in both gold and silver tones) on eBay for very little - usually in job lots of 5 or 6 at a time. I have one or two that I'm going to have to find some collars with a very narrow gap between the points to wear on, though - one of mine is maybe an inch and a quarter wide at most!

 

[Feraud]

I have one or two that I'm going to have to find some collars with a very narrow gap between the points to wear on, though - one of mine is maybe an inch and a quarter wide at most!

There are a few modern otr shirts that accept a collar bar.
Here is a JCrew shirt worn with a vintage painted tie and collar bar.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/feraud/Clothes/14-01-09_1105-1-1.jpg

 

[habberdasher]

Collar Pin Holes

I know most if not all collar pins require holes in one's dress shirt collar to be supported. Has anyone ever made holes in an existing non-holed collar for a pin because today's dress shirts have none, or they are hard to find and usually quite pricey?

 

[Dinerman]

I just use a collar bar.

 

[Feraud]

I know most if not all collar pins require holes in one's dress shirt collar to be supported. Has anyone ever made holes in an existing non-holed collar for a pin because today's dress shirts have none, or they are hard to find and usually quite pricey?

Try doing a search in this room. The subject of collar bars, pins, button downs, etc. have been discussed.
You can find examples of vintage collar bars and modern shirts that take collar pins.

 

[Dinerman]

Merged. Also look at
Shirts That Take A Collar Pin
and
Collar Pins

 

[Brian Sheridan]

I first noticed - and started wearing - collar bars in the early 80's because Remington Steele (Pierce Brosnan) usually wore one. All thought it was pretty swank for a high school senior.

 

[shindeco]

I first noticed - and started wearing - collar bars in the early 80's because Remington Steele (Pierce Brosnan) usually wore one. All thought it was pretty swank for a high school senior.

That was my introduction to them, too! I've been wearing them ever since!

 

[Maguire]

I love collar bars even though i only have one (and one of my white collar shirts came with one that pierces through tie) but i find most of my shirts do not allow me to wear it because they either have tabs or the collar isn't compatible (too stiff or bends oddly).

 

[Feraud]

Most shirts do not allow the wearing of a collar bar. I've learned it is not the length of the collar that matters but the shape.

It can take a while of seaching but you can find modern shirts that accept collar bars.

 

[Nick D]

I have a modern one, but it's too long to work with my vintage collars. I've been looking for an old collar bar, but they rarely come up on eBayUK, and the last couple times they did I missed them.

I did have an old one I found in a pile of old scrap jewelry (my grandpa was a lapidary and jeweler), but I don't know where it went to

 

[Edward_Lindey]

Well now I need to find one of these. They look cool, but how far out does the tie stick?

Edward

 

[Torpedo]

Well now I need to find one of these. They look cool, but how far out does the tie stick?

Edward

Hi,

Not much really, at least if you wear vintage ties (earlier than the 70's generally), because those ties are not so padded, hence the knot has a more moderate bulk. It works also with modern skinny ties, again because their knots are smaller because the tie has less material.

It depends on the angle of the bar, some push the tie more than others; there are even ones with reverse angle, which do not push out the tie, but "hold" it instead.

I am not sure if you can pull it off with modern ties that are more than 3'' or so, but I do not own any of these, so I can not in truth attest it.

NickD, my vintage collar bars I got from the US Ebay - post expenses are usually very affordable for small items.

Regards!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... there are even ones with reverse angle, which do not push out the tie, but "hold" it instead.

Yep. Here's one:

 

[MickR]

What Shirts?

What shirts are able to accommodate the collar bar? I have found them only able to work with my straight collar shirts from Brooks Brothers and J. Press yet I've seen some people with spread collar shirts wearing them.

 

[Torpedo]

Welcome to the Lounge, MickR.

You will not be able to use a collar bar with a spread collar shirt unless it is very long, and even then, I am not sure it will look well. I guess you will need a modern collar bar, too, because vintage specimens will not work properly - providing they have the necessary length and that they hold, the linked collar may look odd.

Regards!