Collar stays are also known as bones, collar sticks, or collar tabs and they are designed to fit into the collars of shirts. These thin strips of metal, plastic, horn, or even silver have a point at one end and are rounded off at the other. The collar stays are pushed into the underside of the shirt collar at the front, to keep it stiff and stable looking.
These collar stays may not be very easy to find in stores but they are likely to be stocked by haberdashery stores and men’s outfitters. The collar stays need to be slipped out of the collar before it is ironed so that they do not get damaged. Not all shirts have collar stays that can be removed and many are sewn into the shirt itself.
Formal shirts are fashion items used to make a real statement socially, or even in the business world. Collar stays are an important part of keeping a formal shirt looking crisp and smart. They stop the collar from dropping down.
There are many different collar stays out there and it is possible to buy them for casual wear as well as formal purposes. They come in different sizes and materials and it is important to get the correct size for the particular shirt. The width of the collar stay needs to be considered because it will not fit into the slot under the collar if it is too wide. However, if it is too narrow, it may in fact be inclined to slip out and spoil the look. The other thing is length because the length of collar stay must be exactly right for the particular shirt and collar.
Removable collar stays are found in more expensive shirts and the kind that are fixed tend to be plastic and fitted into the collars of cheaper shirts. Removable collar stays made of metal are by far the most popular when it comes to buying them for use in expensive shirts. Of course, these metal collar stays are rustproof and must be taken out of the collar before washing and ironing the shirt. Wearing an expensive shirt with silver collar stays is certainly one way of making a statement. For some years collar stays, other those sewn into the shirt collar were not popular but in recent years silver, enamelled and specially patterned collar stays have become an important item in men’s fashion jewellery once again. They once had a purely practical purpose, but are now decorative too.
Magnetic collar stays are a fairly recent trend. These consist of two separate parts and one of them is stitched to the shirt to look like a magnetic button, while the other is slotted inside the collar. The strong magnetic attraction means the collar can be positioned wherever required simply by adjusting the magnet. These hold the collar in place quite firmly once they are positioned. There are lots of options available and the choice is very much a personal one.