How To Make A Collar Stand-Up?

You have that perfect dress shirt that you want to wear for the upcoming meeting and you know that will give you the confidence to rock it! However, when you look at the state of the shirt, you see that the collars are drooping and not standing up at all. Such a situation can arise for many reasons but the real question is how to make a collar stand up?

There are many ways and many tips and tricks that you can apply to make your collar stand up and look crisp and proper. So I will be helping you figure out the ways you can make a collar stand up and ensure that easy methods so that you don’t have to run into the same problem again!

Key Takeaways

• The interfacing method is a sure way to make sure that your collar stands up and requires a bit of know-how of sewing to do so.
• If you are looking for a more easier solution to make your collar stand up, there are a few ways that you can do that without needing to sew
• Collars will eventually lose their shape over time that is why I have included some tips to make sure your collars don’t drop down while you have them stored.

How To Make A Shirt Collar Stand Up: Interfacing Method?

Since you want to make a collar stand up, the most effective method that you apply is to add an interface to the collar! Interfacing is the technique where you apply tools and materials you will need

Step 1: Choosing the interface

Interfacing can be anything from a very thin layer that will add a small amount of shape to a flowing fabric, to a thick layer that is barely bendable. When you are making a collar, you want to stand upright for more than 1-2 inches, so, I would recommend using one of the thicker interfacing options. You can also try sew-in or fusible options when you are purchasing interfacing. Fusible interfacing has one side that is covered in tiny little dots. These are glue dots that will fuse to the fabric when you iron the interfacing. I recommend using fusible interfacing. It is easier to work when you are dealing with thick interfacing.

Step 2: Cut out your collar and interfacing

To start, you can cut out your costume’s fabric and the interfacing:

• Cut 2 pieces of the collar out of your costume fabric: If you are following a sewing pattern or if you have created your collar design, make sure to cut out two of the collar pieces so that you can sandwich the interfacing between them.
• Cut 1 piece of the interfacing: It will be sewn or fused in between the two collar pieces, so you only need one.
• Trim ¼ inch off the interfacing: If you are using thick interfacing, cut about ¼ around the entire border of the piece, so that you can sew the collar together without having to sew through the thick interfacing

Step 3: Sew or iron your interfacing to the inside of your collar

You can use fusible interfacing when you are using something very thick. If you choose, you can sew your interfacing in place.

Ironing the interfacing:

• Iron your fabric collar pieces.
• Line up the interfacing with the inside (the wrong side) of one of the collar pieces. Make sure the little glue dots on the interfacing are facing down, toward the fabric.
• Get a damp cloth and put it over the top of the interfacing. Use a scrap piece of fabric that is large enough to cover the collar. You don’t need to be soaking wet, but the moisture will help to keep the cloth from burning in the next step.
• Press and hold the iron for 30 seconds. Start at one end of the collar and press the iron down. Lift it and move to the next spot as you have gone over the whole collar. Check the collar and repeat any parts where the fabric and interfacing have not fused fully.

Step 4: Sew your collar together

You can sew your collar together as usual:

• With the right sides together (so you are looking at the inside of your collar), sew your pieces together. Do not sew the bottom edge of your collar pieces.
• Leave a very small gap between the interfacing layer and your seam. It will give you a little space to insert the wire.
• Flip the collar right side out. Use a pin to pull the corners of your collar to sharpen the end edges.
• Iron your collar to flatten the seam. You are now left with your basic collar piece.

Step 5: Add wire and stitch it in place

It depends on the size and shape of your collar to determine if you need a wire. You can use wire along your seam when you are making a collar, or when you want a flared look to your collar. Or, you can skip this step.

• Measure out your wire. Lay it along the outer seam of your collar to cut the correct length, and add 1-2 inches on either end to use when attaching your collar to the shirt.
• Pin the wire in place on the inside of the collar. Make sure it is laying flat against the fabric.
• Add some stitches to hold the wire. Sew along the entire inside of the wire, I find adding a few stitches every couple of inches is sufficient.

Step 6: Attach your collar to the rest of your garment

As your collar is done, you just need to attach it to the rest of your shirt (or coat). When you are using a pattern, you can switch back to following the instructions that are provided with the pattern packaging. Tuck the extra wires down the front seam of the garment to add stability to the collar.

If you don’t have a pattern to follow, you can follow the following:

• Sew the outer layer of the collar to the garment. If your shirt or coat has a lining, you are only sewing the outer layer of that garment to the outer layer of the collar.
• Tuck the wire down the front seam and stitch it in place. It will make the collar more stable along the front of the collar neckline.
• Fold the inner layer of the collar. It is best practice to fold and iron this layer before pinning it down.
• Sew the last seam. You can use a hidden stitch if you want to, but I tend to sew through all layers of the collar even though it will be visible on the outside of the garment.

4 Other Ways to Make a Collar Stand Up

While interfacing is the surefire way of making sure that your collar stands up, there are other methods that you can apply to keep your collar up as well that are less of a hassle! Here are some of the ways discussed below:

Shirts with built-in collar stays

A standard feature for custom shirts is the opening at the back of the collar called collar stays. It will allow the insertion of plastic or metal strips to maintain the shape of the collar and to make it fit snugly against the fabric on the front of the shirt. The collar will add weight to the lightweight stretch fabric around the collar and hold it in place. The necklines of some shirts that have been sewn will be not removed. Make sure your shirt has a collar pocket that has been sewn on the back of the collar. When your shirt has a soft button collar that does not require a collar will make an exception.

Spray starch

Starch will increase the hardness of the shirt fabric and it will help to maintain a refreshing appearance throughout the day. When you are spraying starch when ironing shirts, is a way to increase the stiffness of the placket and collar.  But be careful because the starch can irritate sensitive skin and might cause discoloration of the fabric.

Choose the right collar style

The crisp collar will add a clean and exquisite appearance to your outfit, while an improper collar will make an outfit look dull. An open-necked shirt requires a strong collar. When you prefer a shirt without a tie, make sure your collar does not collapse. One of the factors that affect the position of the shirt on the collarbone is the size and weight of the neckline. The neckline refers to the distance between the collar points. You should remember the length of the collar tip. Try to consider a pointed collar or a narrow pointed collar. These types of collars are the heaviest. Buttoned collars tend to pull the weight of the collar to the sides, which will result in excessive softness. The collar tends to modify the shape of the face. There are different types of collars to suit different face shapes.

Choose the right placket

The dress shirt placket can strengthen the shape of the front of the shirt and it will help to keep the collar up. French placket means that there is no common front placket. The plain front has a clean appearance which is neither casual nor formal. When you unbutton the top button, the front of the shirt may collapse because the front of the shirt cannot bear the weight of the collar. The standard placket has a vertically visible seam beside the button. It is folded up with an inch or two of the fabric and sewn on the front as a separate piece, with stitches on both sides. The gap between the folded fabrics is sometimes fused for extra strength.

8 Tips For Having The Perfect Shirt Collar Look

We will discuss below some tips for having a perfect shirt collar look:

1. After washing your shirt, iron your shirt collar.
2. When you are ironing your shirt, fold the shirt collar into its proper position which will give the best collar look.
3. Before you hang your shirt onto the rack, leave 1 or 2 buttons open.
4. If you have dress shirts, make sure to use quality collar stays. They can be metal collar stays or plastic, but they should be strong enough to keep the tips of your collar pointing straight.
5. By identifying the collar size and style, you use either the slick collar or slick collar slim, and adjust it, so that when you are wearing it, the bottom legs of the slick collar sit on your shoulders.\
6. Flip your shirt collar up and then place the adjusted slick collar around the back of your neck. Take the slick collar tips and adjust the position, so that it sits perfectly around the collar. It depends on your shirt collar style, and the tips of the slick collar, so, you do not have to be all the way forward to the edge of the shirt collar. You can leave about ¼ to ½ inch gap.
7. You can flip your shirt collar down and over the slick collar, then you have the perfect shirt collar look. 
8. Do not worry too much about your shirt collar, because when you follow these steps, your shirt collar will stand up.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

When you are looking for a way to make your collar stand up, there are several ways you can stand up your collar. First, try using a metal collar stay. If you are not comfortable using it, you can try using double–sided tape or bobby pins. When you will be using the methods and tips from above, your collar will not fall, so they will not look limp and disheveled and you will be able to comfortably wear your shirt.