# Best collar style for open collar sport coat/blazer



## tskrovan (Dec 27, 2007)

What do you think the best collar style would be for wearing a blazer or sport coat sans tie?


----------



## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

I'm sure most will suggest a button down collar. While I wear a button down about 3/4 of the time for my business casual, I don't hesitate to wear a point collar also. I generally wear a point collar for social occasions at night when I'm wearing an open collared shirt with either a suit or jeans/blazer. I especially like a white point collar dress shirt at night with jeans and a navy or black blazer.

Cruiser


----------



## tskrovan (Dec 27, 2007)

I also prefer a white point collar with jeans and navy blazer. Am I correct in assuming that a spread collar should be reserved for a tie (most likely with a wider knot?) Personally, I have not been able to jump on the band wagon for button down collar shirts. I'm sure its just me, but I think a point collar just looks much sharper



Cruiser said:


> I'm sure most will suggest a button down collar. While I wear a button down about 3/4 of the time for my business casual, I don't hesitate to wear a point collar also. I generally wear a point collar for social occasions at night when I'm wearing an open collared shirt with either a suit or jeans/blazer. I especially like a white point collar dress shirt at night with jeans and a navy or black blazer.
> 
> Cruiser


----------



## jar2574 (Aug 30, 2007)

Button-down would be the best option, IMO.

But a moderate spread collar may look better than a forward point collar if you want to avoid button-down.

Which collar is best depends on your face and your build.


----------



## Scoundrel (Oct 30, 2007)

I thought it depended on what kind of face you have, rather than what type of sportcoat you are going to wear it with


----------



## El Cid (Mar 2, 2008)

Spread collar. It stands up nicely. The shape of your face doesn't matter because its an open collar.....


----------



## Scoundrel (Oct 30, 2007)

I misread the question. Good question.

In this case, I don't think it really matters if one's face won't affect the appearance of the the collar

It's up to you dude, have fun!


----------



## Scoundrel (Oct 30, 2007)

You might want to go with collars that normally wouldn't suit you, since you wouldn't otherwise have an opportunity to wear them


----------



## tskrovan (Dec 27, 2007)

Thanks. I've normally stuck with point collars when wearing a blazer with open collar. I suppose I will experiment with a few variations and see if anything else catches my eye.


----------



## Reddington (Nov 15, 2007)

tskrovan said:


> What do you think the best collar style would be for wearing a blazer or sport coat sans tie?


Button-down collars only.

Cheers.


----------



## Mr. Knightly (Sep 1, 2005)

I think a spread collar looks marvelous sans tie. That said, it's more of a fashion-forward look, and I opt for the BD on 99 out of 100 occasions.


----------



## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

Button-down collars work of course, but I prefer a spread collar myself.


----------



## ItalianGent (May 2, 2008)

I would go with a spread collar, personally speaking. One with longer collar points.


----------



## whistle_blower71 (May 26, 2006)

Full spread, bones removed and collar slightly curved to sit inside of lapels. This avoids the "just removed my tie" look.

*W_B*


----------



## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

I am generally of the button down collar ilk, whether the collar is worn open or even if a tie is worn. To my eye, it just looks more...organized(?)!


----------



## scubasteve (Aug 20, 2008)

spread collar


----------



## Holdfast (Oct 30, 2005)

Scoundrel said:


> You might want to go with collars that normally wouldn't suit you, since you wouldn't otherwise have an opportunity to wear them


I think there's some truth in this, though for me it's more along the lines of certain unbuttoned collars suiting me better than my preferred buttoned collar style.

I like a significantly higher collar when wearing a shirt unbuttoned, and if I know I'm going to wear a particular shirt unbuttoned 95% of the time, it can have a slightly snugger collar, which makes them look a bit neater.

I have two shirts, one a Loro Piana buttondown and one a cheap Debenhams spread collar, that I love wearing unbuttoned at the collar much more than my other shirts. The difference is that both these shirts have a significant higher collar, making them stand up a bit more and not just flattened/hiding under lapels.


----------



## dfloyd (May 7, 2006)

*While I am probably in the minority ....*

I never wear a dress shirt sans tie. When I am without a tie, I wear a sport shirt (stripes, polka dots, checks etc). I have some sport shirts which are button down, but I prefer a point collar. Dress shirts are dress shirts and sports shirts are sport shirts and never the twain shall meet.


----------



## Frank aka The Minotaur (Nov 12, 2004)

With a tweed jacket, chinos or something of that type, I wear a bd collar. For a smoother weave jacket and slacks, I'll wear a point collar. Just something about the textures going together.


----------



## tskrovan (Dec 27, 2007)

Thanks everybody for the feedback. I think I've got some great choices to experiment with.


----------



## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

Here's what I wore yesterday when I was traveling from Amsterdam back to the US:

https://imageshack.us
https://g.imageshack.us/img412/14252106kq5.jpg/1/

This was taken in the Amsterdam airport.


----------



## encyclopedia (Jan 3, 2008)

To me the biggest issue is keeping the collar from getting tucked under the lapels while I'm moving around.

Bd is pretty flexible in this area, but in my experience unless ur wearing mainly bespoke shirts and jackets the chances a point collar will stay up all evening r pretty low. The points need to rest just inside the lapels, the lining in the collar needs to be just stiff enuf to keep the shirt up, both jacket and shirt need to fit "snugly" around the shoulders, etc.
That's too much to ask from rtw unless u r going to make a huge effort and buy in bulk when u find a match (if u can).

Pre-bespoke I used to have a few shirt-jacket combos that worked this way on point collars, but it was fairly random and that meant my choices were slim.

Bottom line: for flexibility without bespoke I think stick with bd.


----------



## interestedinclothing (Feb 8, 2007)

I have never heard of somebody's wearing blue jeans with a sports coat; but I suppose if he does, then any advice that I offer would be useless, since we are speaking on an uncommon ground. I do advise that nobody wear a collar whose points are buttoned down, or could be buttoned down, unless the points are in a danger of being blown upwards by the wind. All of my shirts' collars are forward points, but the spread collar is acceptable as well; the advice seems to be the spread collar for the narrow face, the forward point collar for the wide face.


----------



## Pangster00 (Sep 15, 2008)

The spread collar is awesome with a big knot, but I think it looks too spread when there's no tie. I'd suggest a point collar. And I think jeans + sports coat is a good look.


----------



## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

interestedinclothing said:


> I have never heard of somebody's wearing blue jeans with a sports coat


Gosh, I see people doing this all the time. For that matter I do it all the time.

Even if you don't see it in person, if you watch CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, ESPN, or ESPN2 you should be seeing guys do it all the time. I was watching a show on MSNBC the other day and two of the three guys on the set had on navy blazers with jeans. While being interviewed during one of the political conventions, even the very fashionable Harold Ford Jr. was wearing a blazer with jeans.

And before everyone starts jumping on me telling me that you don't take your styling cues from television or sports figures, I'm not saying that you should. I'm only saying that given the many times I see guys doing this every day I'm surprised that anyone could honestly say that they never heard of anyone doing it. That's all.

Cruiser


----------



## Blueboy1938 (Aug 17, 2008)

interestedinclothing said:


> I do advise that nobody wear a collar whose points are buttoned down, or could be buttoned down, unless the points are in a danger of being blown upwards by the wind.


Almost every oxford shirt is made with buttoned down collars. It's just a style, after all. That device may have been originally invented to keep collars out of polo players' faces, but how many of us play polo?

BD is, in my opinion, the best-looking choice for open collar. Dress shirts are just that, dress shirts, and the open collar sport attire is "undress." Sport shirts might be OK, but are not usually sized by neck measure, and the fabrics are mostly intended to stand up as outer garments. BD gives you a soft, flexible, flattering look, but in a very practical way keeps the collar "organized," as someone else put it, preventing it from overlapping the coat collar or sliding down under it.


----------



## tantive4 (Oct 2, 2007)

Button down, but then again, I only own two point collar shirts, both T&A. And I wouldn't wear them with a blazer or sport coat anyway.


----------

