High collars

I read somewhere that Daniel Craig's dress shirts have high collars because his neck is shorter than average (whatever that means). I have a similar situation, and am considering trying shirts with higher collars. However, I do not know much about them.

I found a a custom clothes website that has been mentioned before on this forum, which offers the option to add a high collar, but the collar has two buttons instead of the standard one, which looks strange to me. This could be standard practice, but I have no knowledge of the subject,

Does anybody have any information about them? Can they only be purchased from custom clothes shop or a tailor?

Comments

  • Monza860Monza860 USPosts: 501MI6 Agent
    edited February 2011
    A short neck with a high collar and a high neck with a short collar? That doesn't make any sense to me, I would think a short neck and a short collar but whatever.
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  • Thunderbird 2Thunderbird 2 East of Cardiff, Wales.Posts: 2,817MI6 Agent
    edited February 2011
    Traditional high collars - worn by men and sometimes women were part of Edwardian dress. It was used to convey formality and to give the illusion of height, and good posture. (You can't slouch if you feel like you are going to gag if you do!)

    The modern high collar shirt is a fashion fad - like the skinny tie or drainpipe trousers. It does indeed have two, sometimes three buttons due to its scale.
    In film I suppose it could be used to create the illusion a man is taller than he actually is, if a large enough tie knot hid the buttons. However he would also have to have enough of a neckline to make that trick work. - Like heights added to shoes, the effect would be wrecked in anything other than close ups? I am guessing here. I suspect in Mr Craig's case its a reflection of the fact he is the acting version of David Beckham - a successful clothes horse, who can carry these trends and look great.

    I am a man of 5 ft 7, with a short neck. My advice if you are built in a similar way? - Avoid high collars like the plague, as even the hint of a double chin will be exaggerated, and you will look like you are trying not to gag. - Unless of course its too high or tight and you actually are gagging.
    Instead, go for standard, cutaways, or short collar styles. Fashion is one thing, but your clothes (Especially tailoring) has to be balanced for your body scale, and be a good fit.
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  • BuckMcNakedBuckMcNaked Missouri, USAPosts: 152MI6 Agent
    I'm going back and forth on this issue.

    Looking at QOS screen caps, Bond only has one button on his collar, though it still looks higher than normal. So are they high collars with one button as oppose to two? Or are they just a little higher than normal?

    Thanks for the help thus far. I'm actually about 6'3", I just don't have a very long neck. I read about high collars being used with tuxedos in order to frame the face more.
  • toutbruntoutbrun Washington, USAPosts: 1,501MI6 Agent
    His collars are not that high. BTW I am looking for a shirt like the ones in QoS. They are perfect! The collars are wonderful.

    The two buttons are usually just a fad. It's like the shirt where you have two collars one on another (of different colors). That's real ugly.

    This is a really high collar : http://www.google.ca/images?hl=fr&source=imghp&biw=1073&bih=873&q=karl+lagerfeld&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=
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