Types of Collars

Although there are many shapes and sizes of collars, they are typically one of three types – flat, standing or rolled.  Regardless of how different they may be, there are common elements to each one.  Each has a top and bottom portion, usually called the upper and under collar.  The outside shape does not affect the basic construction, but the inner curve is important, as it must align with the neckline curve of the garment in order for the collar to be attached to the garment properly.  The following illustrations show the three basic collar types: 

FLAT COLLAR

  

          A flat collar is attached to the neck seam line and intended to lie flat against the garment, rising only slightly above the garment’s neck edge.  A typical example is the Peter Pan collar.  This collar occurs most often on untailored garments such as dresses and children’s clothing.  The collar may consist of two separate units as shown above or one continuous unit.  If it has two units, one is intended for the right hand portion of the neck, the other for the left hand portion.

 ROLLED COLLAR

 

           A rolled collar first stands up from the neck edge, then falls down to rest on the garment.  The line at which the collar begins to fall is called the roll line.  Rolled collars are usually constructed from separate upper and under collars; however some are constructed from one piece, that when folded back onto itself, forms the entire collar.

 STANDING COLLAR

 

           A standing collar extends above the neck seamline of the garment either as a narrow, single width band or as a wider, double width band that will fold back down onto itself.  A standing collar may be either rectangular or slightly curved in shape.  Some have a separate upper and under collar, others are formed from one piece that folds back on itself to form the entire collar.

 In future posts we will give tutorials on how to attach and sew the three types of collars, so stay tuned……

The above information is an excerpt from the Basic Clothing Construction book.