Ask Spry… Men’s Shirt Collar?

Hey Spry,

I am doing a photo shoot and will be wearing a suit and a shirt with no tie. I would like for my collar to stay up during the shoot and hold its shape. What type of shirt should I be looking for or what do I do to make sure I have that “look” that Im going for?

- Luke

Hey Luke,

Although you want to purchase a shirt that is of high standard, the type of shirt that you buy is not as important as what you do to it to make the collar stand on it’s on.  When buying a shirt, look for good quality cotton blend shirts.  If you’re prepared to dish out some dollars, Brooks Brothers or Thomas Pink is the way to go.  However, you will find that stores like Nordstrom’s or Express (love thier colors) also offer shirts with good craftsmanship, at lower price points.

Whatever shirt you choose, what’s most important is that you properly prepare to allow your shirt to give its greatest performance.  Using a spray starch when ironing will increase the stiffness of the shirt.  Also, the type of collar stay you use is important.  Grown men do grown things!  Therefore, it’s time for an upgrade.  Throw away the plastic ones that come with the shirt!  Step your game up by purchasing brass collar stays.  I buy mine as a set, and get different sizes for different shirts.  Finally, we turn to one of my favorite “must have” items for assistance; double-sided tape! Take a small piece, and put it behind the collar.  This will allow you to manipulate the collar, and place it where you need it to be.

Hope this helps!

Spry Lee Scott