Shirts: White Collars, Blue Collars, and Others…

by:- Luke Mayes

If you’re unsure about what color your collar should be – the short answer is to have options. Your choice of color is one of the most important considerations when choosing the style of your business shirt collar.

White Collars

For a white shirt, the collar should always be white and made from the same fabric as the rest of the shirt. The only exception to this rule is the tuxedo shirt which may incorporate another white (textured) fabric for the shirt front (bib) and the cuffs.

The white shirt was previously a uniform requirement at IMB and a plain white shirt still communicates efficiency, aptitude, and professionalism.

For stripes, checks and solid colors, Gordon Gecko’s contrast white collar is still a great look on Wall Street. A contrast white collar (with white cuffs) is all about the big city, big deals, and big money. If you’re visiting a big city from a smaller city, a contrast white collar can communicate that you’re a genuine player and not intimidated by the big smoke.

If, on the other hand, you’re visiting a smaller city from New York, the contrast white collar can be a big turn off to blue collar management. Gecko’s, “Greed is good,” mantra appeals to some, but not to all. You don’t want to come across as a slick, big city executive when you’re selling farming machinery in Arkansas.

Blue Collars

When dealing with manufacturing operations as well as businesses in smaller communities, a blue shirt (with a matching collar) is a staple ingredient in a businessman’s wardrobe.

Unlike the white shirt which often represents administrative efficiency, the blue collared shirt represents a connection with physical work, engineering, and problem solving. When visiting agricultural sites, a button down blue collar shirt (always worn with a single breasted jacket) conveys both respect and discretion – with or without a tie.

For those business situations that require your multi-faceted understanding of finance, administration, manufacturing, and sales, a light blue shirt will fit the bill.

Others…

There are a myriad plaids, stripes, checks, dots, weaves, and color combinations to choose from when you’re looking for a business shirt. If you don’t usually wear a tie, compliment a solid jacket (or suit) with a bright, colorful shirt. If you wear ties, ensure that your tie and shirt do not compete for attention. An easy rule of thumb is to wear plainer shirts with busy ties and plainer ties with busy shirts.

Unless you are latest recording has just gone platinum, be cautious of combining a busy suit, with a busy shirt, and a busy tie. That being said, if you are confident in your own good taste, mix it up and show the world who you are. The choice of your collar color is sure to speak volumes about your personal style.

Coming soon:

Collar width, length, and spread ,framing different faces

Wingtip (or Wing) collars and other black tie options

Visit our site : www.tailor.com

About the Author

Luke Mayes is a textile designer, an independent filmmaker (Red Shift director), and a freelance writer. His work has been published in Style, Apparel, Corporate Wardrobe, Cigar Aficionado, For The Groom, Playboy, and GQ.

Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Guys’ Favorite Jokes

Cuisinart SPB-600 SmartPower Deluxe Die Cast Blender Cuisinart introduces the blender you’ve been waiting for. The new SmartPower Deluxe has all the features-and all the blending power-serious cooks need. Our patented stainless steel blade, large borosilicate glass jar, and Pulse at High or Low speeds let you do it all-mince delicate herbs, whip up smoothies or chop ice for a crowd. With its sturdy die-cast base, this blender can handle anything you…

Dozen Paper Red & White Striped Cupcake Wrappers $4.49 Paper Circus Cupcake Collars. 8″ Simple assembly required….

Price and Kensington Paisley Mug The super fun paisley cat mug is made just for you and your love for animals. Made from highest quality ceramics, mug is long lasting and dishwasher safe. By price and kensington. Price and kensington is well known and much loved for teapots of all shapes and sizes, bright and novel accessories and collectables dating back to 1896. Over the years, the brand has developed to include charming pet mu…

Whirled Tour $8.17 Studio: Wea-des Moines Video Release Date: 03/13/2012 Run time: 88 minutes Rating: Nr…

Pieces of Eight $2.44 In some ways, Styx was America’s answer to Queen. The Chicago quintet never ascended to the ranks of rock-and-roll royalty, as did their English counterparts, nor are they held in as high a regard today. Nevertheless, Styx fulfilled a Midwestern American hunger for high-flown fantasy typified on Pieces of Eight with songs like Dennis DeYoung and James Young’s “I’m Okay” and “Lords of the Rings,” …

Sailing the Seas of Cheese $2.35 Opening with the creaky sounds of a ship at sea, Sailing charts the funk-punk waters the San Francisco Bay area band returns to again and again. It’s all here: the acerbic humor, Les Claypool’s gurgling fretless bass lines, Larry LaLonde’s seasick metal guitar, and Tim Alexander’s Bill Bruford-inspired syncopation. The narrator of “Sgt. Baker” aims to “rape your personality,” while the reapers of …

Blue Collar [VHS] $6.99 Paul Schrader had established his reputation as a screenwriter (The Yakuza and Taxi Driver, among others) before embarking on his directorial debut. Blue Collar is the story of three working-class guys at the Checker auto plant who run their local union office. Richard Pryor delivers a funny, passionate, seething performance in one of his rare dramatic roles as a rabble-rousing union man. Trapped…

Blue Collar Comedy Tour – The Movie [VHS] $0.01 It had to happen: A national tour of redneck comedians culminating in this frequently funny concert film, shot in Phoenix. Ron White’s scotch-and-tobacco-fueled, fatalistic world view gets things off to a good start. (“That last engine had just enough power to get us to our crash site.”) Larry the Cable Guy’s creepy-silly persona helps deliver a set long on gross-out humor. (“I’ve been seein’ a go…

Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again [VHS] $0.01 The redneck quartet from the original Blue Collar Comedy Tour re-groups for another night of laughs, with (mostly) fresh material performed for an upbeat audience. A funny, clubby preface on a tour bus establishes a tone of lowbrow camaraderie among Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, and Bill Engvall, but once on stage, the differences between each comic’s style is considerable. Amiab…

Dremel 4486 MultiPro Keyless Chuck $2.99 …