Wingtip collar/ plain-front shirt (on a budget)

[Espee]

Once I asked here, about finding shirts like those I was seeing in early 1930s movies, with wingtip collars but NOT having ruffles or fancy panels on the front.
Some loungers supplied helpful-but-beyond-my-budget leads...
Lately, in a minority of the Burlington Coat Factory stores in my area, I've seen just a few "Umo Lorenzo" boxed sets of "Tuxedo Shirt, Vest, and Bow Tie." (The boxes are silver-gray except for the clear top.)
The shirt is like I've described above, and the black fastening studs can be removed in order to use the clear buttons (which are not apparent until you poke into the box.) Before buying it I checked to be sure the cuffs are barrel, rather than French. By the way, it is pocketless, as you might expect of a "tux" shirt...
It looks good with the fairly short, fairly thin, red-on-black foulard tie I found in a thrift store. I can almost see Oliver Hardy wearing such a tie. But now I'll need to do some "actual vintage tie-shopping."
Of course, wearing a vest or jacket with it, makes a difference in the look of it.
(And yes, coming from a $29.95 shirt/vest/tie combo, it's cheaply made, but at least I can try out the concept.)

 

[Son_of_Atropos]

Thanks for the heads up. You may find some wing tip collar shirts for sale at a tuxedo rental shop.

 

[Undertow]

I've noticed this trend too, actually. The "tuxedo wear" industry has shifted to allow for shirts with plain fronts and wing collars. Of course, the collars are still too low, but they work if you're on a budget.

I would think a wing collar would like quite nice if you're wearing a 3 piece, but don't be surprised when people ask you where your wedding is.

 

[Espee]

Maybe they won't ask about a wedding when I'm wearing a four-in-hand instead of a bow tie... they'll just be confused.
I tried on a couple of bows which were handy, but they looked too chunky. Problem was, I was in the house and most of my bows are out in the car! They keep migrating... (but at least I always have an alternate available at the last minute.)
The thinner the band, the better, to perhaps camouflage the shorter height of the collar.
Notice in stills from "The Music Box" Stan Laurel has wing collar and bow tie; Oliver Hardy and Billy Gilbert have wing collar and four-in-hand. (Fortunately, I'm not trying to be taken very seriously... using those three as my style inspiration.)
Stan and Ollie and the other male characters usually wear wing collars in their early films.

 

[Tomasso]

The thinner the band, the better, to perhaps camouflage the shorter height of the collar.

Unfortunately, that will do little to mitigate the unsightly expanse of neck above the top of the collar band.

 

[Espee]

Oh well, I suppose from now through Halloween, I could go around in Ghostly White makeup, and then my neck would match the collar.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

I still prefer to stay with the traditional tunic shirt with the detachable starch collars. They can be a bit of a devil to get on at first, but are well worth the bother. They always look first class.

 

[boushi_mania]

I'm a little confused about what you're looking for the collar/shirt combination for. You mention Laurel and Hardy, but as far as I'm aware, they were the only people wearing wing collars with regular suits by the time they were popular. I'm not sure whether this was a deliberate comic affectation or a throwback of sorts. If that's what you're going for, then go ahead, but if it was ever in fashion to begin with during their career, it was certainly out by the '30s.

Also, you're going to want a self-tie bow tie if you want to mimic Stan Laurel's slightly messy neckwear. It'll be too "perfect" and fake-looking if you're wearing a clip-on.

 

[skyvue]

I see wing collars in non-L&H 1930s movies quite frequently.

 

[Undertow]

Maybe they won't ask about a wedding when I'm wearing a four-in-hand instead of a bow tie... they'll just be confused.

Don't be so sure of that...

 

[Tomasso]

traditional tunic shirt with the detachable starch collars....... They always look first class.

True, and the other option (for an attached collar with the proper height) would be the custom route which requires the skills of a competent shirtmaker; which won't come cheap.

 

[Espee]

Why does a tuxedo shirt have a shorter collar... other than to confound me?

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I see wing collars in non-L&H 1930s movies quite frequently.

Often they are worn by characters who should look outdated and old. I remember this Otto kringelein guy in grand hotel for example.

 

[Undertow]

Why does a tuxedo shirt have a shorter collar... other than to confound me?

Do you mean, "Why do tuxedo shirts have a shorter caller than other shirts?" or "Why do modern fused-collar shirts have shorter collars than attached-collar shirts?" I think your answer lies in the question.

 

[Paul Roerich]

Why does a tuxedo shirt have a shorter wing collar... other than to confound me?

"Why do modern fused-collar shirts have shorter collars than attached-collar shirts?"

If that's the question, then here's the answer:


Tuxedo shirts with attached wing collars came strongly back into fashion in the early 1980s. But by then, men had become unaccustomed to wearing collars that are high in front and back. (Let's face it, wearing a high wing collar takes some getting used to. It's not very comfortable, especially at first.)


In addition, men with short necks are not well-served by high wing collars. (In the golden era and before, detachable wing collars were made in a variety of heights to accommodate men with different neck lengths. This was an impractical option for attached collar shirt makers.)


So ... the practical thing to do in the '80s was to make all wing collars low on attached collar tuxedo shirts. Sort of a 'one-height-fits-all' solution, which is still applied today.

 

[Tomasso]

Sort of a 'one-height-fits-all' solution, which is still applied today.

Yep, most RTW patterns will try to accomodate as many physiques as possible. Then end result being a garment which delivers a good fit to a very few.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

True, and the other option (for an attached collar with the proper height) would be the custom route which requires the skills of a competent shirtmaker; which won't come cheap.

You are quite right as to the cost factor. One would have to engage the services of a fine haberdasher such as Brooks Brothers, Ben Silver, or some other competent firm. Then have the shirt starched nicely for a crisp appearance.