DIY collar bars

[Mitchell]

I've heard that some men punch holes through their collars for collar bars rather than buying shirts with eyelet collars . Seeing as it's nearly impossible to find a shirt with pre-made holes these days I was wondering how men put holes through the cloth and if there are any techniques I should know about before I ruin a perfectly good shirt.

 

[Papperskatt]

I've done this on a few collars. First I evaluated where I wanted the collar bar to sit, and then I basically just cut a pair of round holes with a small scissor. I then finished the holes by hand-sewing buttonhole stitches.

The hardest part was figuring out where I wanted the holes, but even that wasn't that difficult. If you're not sure, though, I recommend that you start with a shirt that you don't mind ruining.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

I think you can get kits online somewhere that come with a punching tool, and then little metal rings to clip in the hole. Try Amazon? I've never tried them myself - I mostly just use collar clips, or indeed just push the pin through the shirt collar if its sharp enough.

 

[Edward]

I've considered having a seamstress do this for me on some shirts. Clips are a good way to avoid marking shirt collars, though pins are fine if you either don't care about it marking the shirt, or have one with a soft, cotton collar of a type that won't mark. I've also worn a pin instead of a bar with a shirt that has eyelets; I just prefer the look of the pin.

 

[Shangas]

I've always used clip-on collar-bars. Provided the spring is strong, they're not goin' anywhere.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Yes indeed to both of you gents! I've got quite a few vintage slide-on ones too. They work just as well.

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[Feraud]

I've always used clip-on collar-bars. Provided the spring is strong, they're not goin' anywhere.

Ditto on that! Last time I checked clip on collar bars were cheap on EBay and no fussing with collar modifications.

 

[volvomeister13]

I have a couple of the slide-on ones that I wear virtually anytime I have a tie on. From my experience, different ties produce differently sized knots and the collar bar can be situated in very different spots on the collar depending on which tie I wear or how I tie it, so I've always been disinclined to use the ones that go through eyelet holes. Besides, the holes must look weird when you don't use a collar bar. There are also the safety pin style ones, which people say do not leave permanent holes, but I just use the slide-on ones because, for all intents and purposes, they look the same once you have them on and are indeed very strong.

 

[Papperskatt]

I prefer collar bars that attach through the collar (either via holes or safety pin style) as I like to have my bars put on very high and tight. There's no way that a slide/clip-on is strong enough as to not slip and slide during the day.

 

[volvomeister13]

I prefer collar bars that attach through the collar (either via holes or safety pin style) as I like to have my bars put on very high and tight. There's no way that a slide/clip-on is strong enough as to not slip and slide during the day.

Papperskatt, do you ever have trouble with the safety pin collar bars leaving holes in your shirts?

 

[Papperskatt]

Papperskatt, do you ever have trouble with the safety pin collar bars leaving holes in your shirts?

The only time that it has ever made a permanent mark was when I stupidly put it on a starched collar. :eusa_doh: Apart from that, no holes.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Yeh, all you need to do is just gradually work the pin through rather than just pushing it in hard.

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[Shanghailander]

I wear a collar bar every day - with club, point, and spread collars.

I used to have a lot of difficulty with the slide or clip on bar falling off on one side, or sliding down.

Some fabrics are "slippery" enough that this will happen no matter how hard you try to set the collar bar.

The strength of the spring is also variable - some bar clips are relatively weak, others very strong

And I have found that the longer length bars are more apt to move around.

The spread collar, when used with a collar bar, gives a nice appearance of a high standing collar.

 

[Shanghailander]

longer collar bar with a point collar

 

[Shanghailander]

short collar bar with point collar

 

[Papperskatt]

The spread collar, when used with a collar bar, gives a nice appearance of a high standing collar.

Indeed. A quick and easy way to get a 20s-30s look. I actually got asked a while ago if the (modern) shirt that I was wearing was vintage as the collar pin gave it that nice shape.