Ask Angie: Suit jackets/blazers and shirt collars

christy

I was in the archives of Coporette and saw a comment about always wearing shirt collars inside your jacket and not outside or over the jacket collar. Is this a more formal business wear "rule" or is it just a style choice? Do you have an opinion as to which is better or does it depend on the outfit itself and/or the formality of the occasion? I've been wearing shirt collars on the outside for ages and I'm just curious if I've been breaking the "rules"?

12 years ago

Dressing

9 replies

Latest reply was from lynne

sarah

Veteran

Ah, Christy, I've been wondering this, too. I think that wearing your shirt collars outside gives the outfit a bit of a retro vibe (70s? 80s?) - sometimes I do and sometimes I don't, and I'm eagerly awaiting the answer.

12 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

So many times the only way I can get a shirt collar to behave is to wear it outside the jacket collar. I've feared it's not the most modern look, but otherwise, the shirt collar often slips down inside the jacket, which drives me nuts.

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I have wondered this, too. My personal solution is to do whatever seems to create the best looking and most comfortable fit with the jacket. So sometimes I will do the collar up all the way, sometimes I will wear it open inside (if it works) and sometimes I will wear it outside and feel like a 70s throwback.

12 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Oooohhhh...good question Christy!

12 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

As far as I know it's a style choice. And for me - it's a case by case thing with each outfit. I pop my collars so they are always out.

12 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

This is why I end up not wearing collared shirts with jackets that much - if you wear them in they get all wonky a lot, and I don't usually like the look of them out.

12 years ago

christy

Veteran

Well, good to know I haven't committed a major faux pas by wearing them out! Since I read that, I've started wearing my shirt collars inside my jackets a lot more frequently and I like the look. In practice though, it's a lot tougher to do with my blouses that are soft and silky so I might keep wearing those on the outside and leaving the crisper, more structured shirts on the inside.

Thanks Angie and everyone else for chiming in!

12 years ago

deb

Veteran

I always wear them in. It is what the men do so I just follow suit.

12 years ago

lynne

Veteran

What rhubarbgirl said. I just can't get them to behave. They get all wonky and make my neck look short and then my hair gets caught. Just a mess.

12 years ago

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