What are the Best Collar Stays?
Collar stays are synonymous with formal sophistication and they do the hard yards in priming your dress shirts to their tip top shape. When there's such a vast pool of collar stays to choose from, knowing the best ones can be sometimes be a conundrum. You want a pair of collar stays that will keep your shirt collar looking sharp and flat-lined throughout the day without drilling a hole in your wallet.
What are Collar Stays
Collar stays are a surprisingly recent innovation that sprouted in 1951 by a man named Andrew Doric Charles. Although collar stays have only acquired modern beginnings, the desire to have crisp collared shirts dates all the way back to the 1800's where society opted for detachable collars. These collars were incredibly stiff and could be taken on and off the dress shirt whenever a person saw fit. These collars maintained widespread popularity for over a century, but as fashions shift and evolve; they slowly phased out of the mainstream fashion sphere. Now, collar stays are the efficient and compact alternative for men who enjoy a strong look.
Not only favoured for their practical benefits, collar stays enjoy a myriad of symbolisations such as strength and confidence. A man wearing a shirt with a crisp collar is instantly perceived as more refined and stronger than a man without. For this reason, many man opt to wear collar stays in corporate settings.
Types of Collar Stays
Collar stays come in a vast array of materials so it's important to know the landscape of collar stays before deciding on the right pair.
Plastic Collar Stays
Plastic collar stays are widespread and accessible, but there's a tradeoff in terms of their quality. Although being welcomely wallet friendly, they're very light weight which means they're limited in anchoring down your collar and creating a sharp look. For this reason, we're ruling plastic collars stays out of the running.
Stainless Steel Collar Stays
These collars stays provide an enviable crossroads between affordable and high quality. Stainless steel is a weighty material that will provide a sharp look for your collar without breaking the bank. The great thing about stainless steel collar stays is that they often come with an engraved message whether it be branding or personalised.
Brass Collar Stays
Arguably in the same boat as the stainless steel variety; brass collar stays strike a perfect balance between function and cost effectiveness. These are a great option for the savvy bloke who wants to create crisp, flat-lined look without spending too much of the pretty penny. Brass has a superbly warm complexion which can add a welcome timeless look.
Gold Collar Stays
Yes, real gold collar stays exist and they will set you back a decent dime. You can't expect to get away without relinquishing at least $600 of your savings. These are great for the man who wants to invest in a timeless heirloom. Gold collar stays can be engraved with a custom message and can be gifted from friend to friend or from generation to generation.