Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Shirt collars over lapels?

Micawber

A-List Customer
Messages
395
Location
Great Britain.
Mr Vim said:
Micawber, those are fantastic pictures, where was the third one taken? It looks like some sort of boardwalk, I cna just barely make out a building in the background.

I will need to check but I have a feeling that it is somewhere like Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (UK).
 

Mr Vim

One Too Many
Messages
1,306
Location
Juneau, Alaska
I think the look hinges on the jacket and the shirt. Someone mentioned Jude Law in the Aviator making that look look good.

I'm also reminded of Kevin Spacey doing well in that style in LA Confidential.

It can be done and heck, I think it looks swell.
 

Miss sofia

One Too Many
Messages
1,675
Location
East sussex, England
Actually sorry to jump in on this thread but i find all aspects of vintage clothing interesting so it's all a learning curve for me. I have a friend who is a farmer in his late seventies, who i housekeep for as he is getting quite infirm now and sadly has no family to care for him. Anyway, coming from generations of gentlemen farmers his wardrobe is excellent and i actually asked him about the shirt over lapels question and he actually dug out some specific shirts and sports jackets he had kept from back in the early fifties for me too look at, which were bought solely with the intention to be worn without a tie with the collar over the lapels. Although even as a boy he said shirts were quite often worn without a tie for leisure activities with a more casual jacket. For 'mucking about' as he put it! One of the shirts was even still unworn in the cellophane, and was a nice cotton/linen blend, although the rest were a mix of synthetic and cotton. I have to thank you for this thread as i know he enjoys having someone to reminisce with about his life and i am always grateful for threads like this so that i can pique his interest (and mine), and get some of his memories to surface again so they are not lost forever, i also enjoyed hearing about him wearing these outfits when he would ride to the village on his first motorbike, go on family or church picnics, or taking trips to the nearby beach and local beauty spots with various ladies he was courting (ahem). Thanks again.
 

Micawber

A-List Customer
Messages
395
Location
Great Britain.
Miss sofia said:
Actually sorry to jump in on this thread but i find all aspects of vintage clothing interesting so it's all a learning curve for me. I have a friend who is a farmer in his late seventies, who i housekeep for as he is getting quite infirm now and sadly has no family to care for him. Anyway, coming from generations of gentlemen farmers his wardrobe is excellent and i actually asked him about the shirt over lapels question and he actually dug out some specific shirts and sports jackets he had kept from back in the early fifties for me too look at, which were bought solely with the intention to be worn without a tie with the collar over the lapels. Although even as a boy he said shirts were quite often worn without a tie for leisure activities with a more casual jacket. For 'mucking about' as he put it! One of the shirts was even still unworn in the cellophane, and was a nice cotton/linen blend, although the rest were a mix of synthetic and cotton. I have to thank you for this thread as i know he enjoys having someone to reminisce with about his life and i am always grateful for threads like this so that i can pique his interest (and mine), and get some of his memories to surface again so they are not lost forever, i also enjoyed hearing about him wearing these outfits when he would ride to the village on his first motorbike, go on family or church picnics, or taking trips to the nearby beach and local beauty spots with various ladies he was courting (ahem). Thanks again.

He sounds like my kind of chap. Take note and perhaps record his stories, his like are getting fewer every day.
 

Micawber

A-List Customer
Messages
395
Location
Great Britain.
Some more..

A couple of further illustrations from the family album of shirts being worn over jacket collars in England in the '20's.

Aboard the Emperor of India 1927

0010FPSPaboardEmperorofIndiasummercrowd4827.jpg


Bournemouth on the south coast of England. I think this may possibly have been taken while they were queing for a ride on the steamer above:

0008FPSPamongstcrowdBournemouthsummer.jpg
 

Torpedo

One Too Many
Messages
1,332
Location
Barcelona (Spain)
thunderw21 said:
It can be a good look.

Agreed. As demonstrated by Micawber's grandfather pics and yours, it can look great. All you need is a sense of style. ;)

(...and the right kind of shirt's collar, too. Not all of them spread properly over the jacket's collar.)
 

matei

One Too Many
Messages
1,022
Location
England
Tomasso said:
I like the look with the proviso that a one piece collar is used. Otherwise no.

Can said look be pulled off with generic OTR dress shirts?

Are there any shirts featuring one piece collars available today?

I've only tried it once or twice, with a bog-standard dress shirt w/collar stand, and it was OK - however the collar didn't want to lay flat.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,062
Location
London, UK
matei said:
Can said look be pulled off with generic OTR dress shirts?

Are there any shirts featuring one piece collars available today?

I've only tried it once or twice, with a bog-standard dress shirt w/collar stand, and it was OK - however the collar didn't want to lay flat.

In my experience, it is a look that really requires a shirt that has been cut with the specific intention of being worn open necked. It seems to me that it is the softer collar on a more casual shirt that makes the difference.

BanjoMerlin said:
Or wear a button-down shirt when you aren't going to be fastening the collar. The "No, I didn't just remove my tie. I didn't wear one today." look.

I've always loathed the look of a collar buttoned down when the neck is worn open - don't know what it is about it, but it really bugs me. [huh]
 

Tomasso

Incurably Addicted
Messages
13,719
Location
USA
matei said:
Are there any shirts featuring one piece collars available today?
They're out there. The 'Cooper' shirt by Paul Stuart and the 'Andre' shirt by Lora Piana spring to mind but the camp collar style is relatively common, though seen more often with short sleeves than long.



1124070.jpg



loropiana2iw9.jpg
 

Flat Foot Floey

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,220
Location
Germany
I think the german shirtbrand ETERNA has some of these collars too. I see them on Ebay often. But only with short sleeves (... would look silly under a jacket)
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
Flat Foot Floey said:
I think the german shirtbrand ETERNA has some of these collars too. I see them on Ebay often. But only with short sleeves (... would look silly under a jacket)
But no one would see it if the jacket is kept on. ;)
 

Forum statistics

Threads
108,956
Messages
3,071,530
Members
54,012
Latest member
Nikolaus23
Top