Formal Shirts Guy

Most men aren’t even aware that there are different collar styles of formal shirts — and we can’t blame them, either. Most men’s clothing stores only carry one or two basic styles. However, there are a handful of collar styles that may work better for you, depending on your face shape and physique. Let the Formal Shirts Guy boil it down for you.Today’s formal shirts come in four basic collar styles — straight (or pointed), buttondown, spread, tab, and wing collar.

While most of your more casual shirts will likely be the common straight or buttondown style, adding one or two new collar styles can also help to spruce up an old suit and give it a new look. Plus, some of the more formal styles can give you a more distinguished appearance.

Straight (or Pointed) Collar

The Low Down: Safe choice, available in nearly all men’s stores, works with all face shapes.

The straight or pointed collar is your standard collar style for formal and dress shirts. It’s a safe, conservative look, and it complements nearly all facial structures (but is particularly flattering on fuller face shapes). You can find this style practically everywhere, as it’s the most common collar style. They’re available in a wide range of colors, in addition to the more formal white collar on color shirt.

Buttondown Collar

The Low Down: Slightly less formal than Straight Collar, versatile, but can look a bit dated.

The buttondown collar features (surprise, surprise) small buttons to hold the collar’s tips in place. This collar can look sharp with or without a tie, but please be sure to actually keep it buttoned — otherwise, it can end up looking sloppy. This collar style is available in many colors, but isn’t quite as common as the straight collar. This collar can look great with nearly all facial shapes.

Tab Collar

The Low Down: Tougher to find in some colors, but gives a very crisp look. Great for guys with round face shapes.

The tab collar features a tabbed button at the throat, which keeps the collar from splaying and shifting around. This gives a very crisp, formal appearance, but can be dressed down with the right colors and coats. Always a good choice for dressier events, and it also looks great on guys with round faces. The narrower look can make the face appear a bit more lean.

Spread Collar

The Low Down: Comes in a couple of different varieties, more formal look, better for lean face shapes.

The spread collar is one of the more formal collar styles. It looks particularly good in a two-tone shirt, such as a blue or gray shirt with white cuffs and collar. You’ll find the spread collar in both varsity and windsor styles — the windsor has a more linear edge, while the varsity has a slightly curved edge. If you have a square face, you’ll want to avoid the spread collar style. It can make your face appear wider and more angular. Lean face shapes look great in this collar style, as it tends to make your face look a bit wider.

Winged Collar

The Low Down: The most formal collar style, often worn with tuxedos and very formal shirts.

Winged Collars have a very sophisticated, formal look. They are often worn for very formal occasions, with tuxedos and other formal dress. You can purchase separate winged collars and attach them to collar-less shirts for a very traditional, classy look. They can flatter just about any facial shape, and have a more minimal appearance.

The next time you’re shopping for a formal shirt, try out a new collar style to round out your wardrobe and complement your facial shape. With the right collar, you can really distinguish yourself from the crowd.