Vintage dress shirt collar styles.

[John in Covina]

I have seen a little bit about different style dress shirt collars listed in this section but was wondering: is there was a general listing or chart for when specific style of collars were in fashion for mens dress shirts?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... is there was a general listing or chart for when specific style of collars were in fashion for mens dress shirts?

Don't think so, but the next best thing is Esquire's Encyclopedia of 20th Century Men's Fashions (1973: McGraw Hill). It has a whole chapter on dress shirts and collars. You can usually find it at a city or university library.

 

[flat-top]

I have noticed that on Boardwalk Empire, some of the men are wearing button down collars, Richard Harrow for example:

I was taught years ago to never wear a button down collar with a suit.
I have no reason to doubt the BE wardobe dept, but this seems out place for 1921. Are they taking liberties?

 

[sproily]

Nothing special. Especially with informal sports suits.

 

[Tomasso]

I was taught years ago to never wear a button down collar with a suit.

Never heard that one before. It was after all a key component of the Ivy League look.

Though there was the rule of no button down collars with a double breasted jacket.

 

[flat-top]

I guess it makes the whole thing more casual (?). So sportcoats yes, suits no.

 

[filfoster]

Never heard that one before. It was after all a key component of the Ivy League look.

Though there was the rule of no button down collars with a double breasted jacket.

The folks on AskAndyAboutClothes trad forum would agree with this.

Doesn't every work place have a sort of custom about this?

I stopped wearing button downs to work because I noticed no senior executives at our bank wore them, favoring white, point collar shirts instead. I no longer aspire to promotion but I also like the 'cleaner' simpler look better with a suit.

 

[Feraud]

If you browse our suit room sticky you will see a lot of variety noted in shirt collars.
Suit Room Sticky

And here-
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...weaters-pajamas-etc.&highlight=1930s+menswear

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I have noticed that on Boardwalk Empire, some of the men are wearing button down collars, Richard Harrow for example.

I was taught years ago to never wear a button down collar with a suit.
I have no reason to doubt the BE wardobe dept, but this seems out place for 1921. Are they taking liberties?

No, they are not taking liberties (for once!)


On campus, Ivy League students had been wearing Brooks Brothers buttondown collared shirts with their tweed suits since around 1915. By the early '20s, some of the more 'bohemian' among them were seen wearing buttondowns with suits after graduation. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edmund Wilson did, as can be seen in numerous photos of the time. (See below.)


Which begs the question: is the "Boardwalk Empire" costumer actually sophisticated enough to be implying that the Richard Harrow character was a Princetonian?



.........

........

 

[mrgatsby]

And with a tux!

[/IMG]

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Though there was the rule of no button down collars with a double breasted jacket.

No such hard-and-fast rule existed. In the 1930s, plenty of men wore double-breasted suits with buttondown collared shirts, as can be seen in movies of the time.


James Oviatt in 1939:

 

[Espee]

I have noticed that on Boardwalk Empire, some of the men are wearing button down collars, Richard Harrow for example:

I was taught years ago to never wear a button down collar with a suit.
I have no reason to doubt the BE wardobe dept, but this seems out place for 1921. Are they taking liberties?

You have tremendous powers of concentration, to notice shirt buttons on Richard Harrow!

 

[Guttersnipe]

Doesn't every work place have a sort of custom about this?

That is so true. Button down collars are frowned upon at my work. It's just one of those unspoken rules.

Watching old movies, though, it seems like men used to wear button down collars in combination with any suit type the liked though.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I have noticed that on Boardwalk Empire, some of the men are wearing button down collars, Richard Harrow for example:

I was taught years ago to never wear a button down collar with a suit.
I have no reason to doubt the BE wardobe dept, but this seems out place for 1921. Are they taking liberties?

1920s buttondown collar in this short.

http://www.filmpreservation.org/preserved-films/screening-room/hollywood-snapshots-1922

 

[GHT]

In the early 1960's button down collars made a come back, replacing the much copied tab collars. Whilst tab collars of that era were more of a plain material look, button down were made, or seem to be made, (old grey cells not functioning on all cylinders) more elaborate material, especially paisley. To that extent, ties were redundant. I think! Please refer to to the quote in brackets. Perhaps the O/P is confusing the pre war fashions with those of the 1960's.
I do remember a time, late 60's early 70's perhaps, when ties & shirts were made of matching material. Did I wear such a faux pas? Probably. How glad I am that internet, texts and phones with cameras were well into the future?

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I know some time has passed since the thread has been active. I still stumble upon button down collars on vintage pictures from time to time and they always strike me as "modern looking".

Here is F.Scott Fitzgerald in the 1930s

I would like to know if Fritz Lang wears a collar pin or a button down here:

 

[Feraud]

I do remember a time, late 60's early 70's perhaps, when ties & shirts were made of matching material. Did I wear such a faux pas? Probably. How glad I am that internet, texts and phones with cameras were well into the future?

Yes I've seen a few photos of matching shirt and tie combos. I have to say I've seen it look both good and bad and wonder if I could pull off the look..