Collars are one of the parts of a garment that separate an amateur finish from a professional one, small in area, but very visible, and unforgiving of uneven stitching or bulky seam allowances. Here’s a quick guide to the main types you’ll come across.
Peter Pan collar: the rounded, flat collar common on children’s wear and softer blouses. Because it lies flat rather than standing up, the main risk is the outer curve puckering. Clip small notches into the seam allowance around the curve before turning it right-side out, and press it flat before you understitch.
Shirt collar (with stand): the classic two-piece collar found on men’s and women’s button shirts: a collar band (the stand) plus the collar itself. This is the most technical of the common collar types because of the layers meeting at the collar points. Trim the seam allowance at the points before turning them out, and use a point turner rather than scissors to push the corners out crisply without poking through the fabric.
Mandarin/band collar: a simple standing band with no separate collar piece, common on some shirts and many traditional garment styles. This is the easiest collar to start with if you’re building confidence, since there’s only one curved or straight strip to construct rather than two pieces meeting at points.
Notched/lapel collar: found on jackets and blazers, where the collar and the front lapel are cut as one continuous shape with a notch where they meet. This is the most advanced of the four and usually involves interfacing and under-stitching to keep the roll line sitting correctly. This is genuinely one worth practising on scrap fabric before cutting into your good fabric, or bringing to our tailoring counter if it’s for a formal piece.
Whichever collar you’re working on, the fabric weight matters as much as the pattern. A collar cut from fabric that’s too soft will never hold its shape, no matter how carefully it’s sewn, so ask us about interfacing options suited to your fabric if you’re not sure.
