How to Pop Your Collar and Keep It Up - A Well Styled Life® (2024)

I’m a big fan of popping the back of my collar up. I love the sassy attitude it gives and the way an upturned collar frames the face. In fact, I have a hard time not popping my collar on any shirt designed with a structured collar.

A popped collar is just sassy and looks chic. Today I’m sharing exactly what I do to pop my collar and keep it up. I’m updating this post from 2018 with some fresh links to fabulous shirts.

Long hair is a real challenge with a popped collar so you’ll have more success if you wear your hair up.

The softer the fabric, the tougher your challenge. As you see, I do fold the collar down but not where the manufacturerintended it to be.

Here are a few things to try:

Spray Starch

Good old-fashioned spray starch like this works wonders at stiffening your collar, which it needs to be to stay up. Lay the collar flat on your ironing board. Spray the top of the yoke and collar with spray starch and press. Flip and repeat. Here’s the important part, leave it laying flat until it cools completely! If you’re planning to hang it up before wearing it, hang it with the collar popped up! Be careful you don’t crush it when hanging on the rod.

Fold Collar and Finger press

Pop collar up and fold back down 1/2″ in the back. “Press” itlightlywith your fingers for a moment to help set that small fold. This alone can oftenprevent the entire collar from coming down.

Iron collar to the inside

Most shirt collars are meant to crease along the neckline. If you’re not a fan of spray starch or it’s still not working,iron it the opposite way. Fold the collar to the inside and iron. Let it let cool completely before moving or wearing.

The trick is to pop just the back of your collar and have it angled down toward the front. Are popped collars still in style? Of course, it’s always fun to add a little attitude to your look and a popped collar does just that.

Any and all crisp or semi crisp button-down shirt is a candidate to pop. I love also adding a brooch at the throat which really keeps a woman’s collar up!

The underside of a popped collar is also the perfect place to showcase a beautiful scarf.

SOME SHIRTS WITH GREAT COLORS TO POP

Thanks for reading and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.