Should I Use Shirt Collar Stays or are They Useless?

Collar Stays help well-dressed gentlemen maintain a neat and classy look in their dress shirt and suits, collar stays are a must. It is a very useful item for people who want to look sharp at all times.

Fancy belts and shoes, oh don’t forget cuffs, are standard accessories for well-defined men to include in their wardrobes. But a collar stay is a must-have accessory if you want to complete your outfit. With their strong character as well as spirit, they leave one’s shirt collar in check.

Even though you can’t see them from the outside of the outfit, collar stays are an essential part of keeping your neckline looking sharp the whole day long. You can go a long way with just a few simple touches like this.

Related to: 18 Different types of Shirt Collars

FYI, thanks to AI imagery software, we’re able to create very specific fashion examples to illustrate the points being made.

Collar Stays Come in Various Forms.

Make sure you know what you’re looking for before you buy collar stays because they come in a variety of materials and quality levels. There is a wide range of weights and sizes of materials available. What matters most is how much weight you put on your collar stays.

Brass

Brass collar stays are remarkably similar to stainless steel in terms of performance. The only variance is that if they have a lustrous finish, they can look a little more upscale. However, since you’re probably the only person who’ll view the collar stays anyhow, it’s normally not worth the extra money to go with brass instead of stainless steel collar stays.

Plastic

Collar stays are most commonly made of plastic due to the low cost of production. But you do receive value for your money when you buy something. 

However, while plastic collar stays may initially preserve your collar appearing crisper, they are extremely brittle when washed or ironed and will deteriorate rapidly if you put them through the washing machine, dryer, or ironing board. As a result, metal collar stays are preferred over plastic collar stays.

Stainless Steel

To keep your collar pristine all day, you’ll want to choose collar stays made of stainless steel, which is the most frequent metal used. Collar stays can cost more or less depending on whether or not you want to personalize them with engraving, for example. 

As a result, you would have to pay a little more for the service. It’s still a good idea to invest in stainless steel collar stays, which are long-lasting and will keep your collar in good condition.

Collar Stays: A Brief History

The removable collar has evolved into a more innovative and advanced collar stay. Removable collars became popular in the late 1700s since they made informal shirts appear more official. The supposed rigidity of removable collars led to a decline in prominence during the ensuing years.

Collar stays, which are both more streamlined and more adaptable, replaced them. These days, collar stays are in use, and they play a key role in how well-dressed a shirt collar can appear.

Is Collar Stays Necessary?

You might think of collar stays as a heaviness to your collar. They’ll give your neckline definition, rigidity, and a refined appearance by securing your collar. They’ll also make sure there’s no wrinkling or sagging as the day goes on. 

When you’re trying to establish a powerful impact in the workplace, this can be extremely useful. They also lend a touch of elegance to formal attire. Firm collars, rather than fragile ones, are typically associated with strength and masculinity in a more metaphorical sense. 

In place of spending money on a stiff collared button-down shirt, collar stays can be a more affordable alternative that can be tucked into the shirt’s collar borders. This indicates you can wear a stiff collar with just about any shirt you like if you so choose.

How to Fit Your Collar Stay

A small slit on the bottom of the collar is where you ought to insert it, according to the instructions on how to put on a collar. Lift your shirt’s collar and look for the opening on the bottom of the collar to find the right location for your collar insertion. 

Carefully put the thin tip of the collar stay into the slit and press it around the collar’s front seam with your thumb and forefinger. To prevent the collar stay from falling out, make sure that it is put inside the collar and fully encased by the cloth. 

Removable Collar Stays Are An Option

Collar stays are usually removable, although some shirts have them sewn into the collar permanently. 

The collar stays in these shirts are nearly always made of thin plastic, and while they aren’t immediately noticeable, the more you wash and iron the shirt, the more the plastic inside the collar becomes obvious and unattractive.

The Bottom Line

Men that take pride in their appearance will never go without collar stays. Collar stays aren’t just there to keep your collar in place; they’re also a powerful sign of strength and confidence. 

Be the man who understands how to get the best deals on little products like neckties and jackets these days when everyone else is splurging on big-ticket items like suits. 

As simple as collar stays, they can have a big impact on how you’re perceived in a professional setting. In other words, it’s the defining characteristic that sets good apart from exceptional.