The 1920s war on women’s fashion was over the length of dresses, and for the men it was on the softness of shirts. Well, not shirts by themselves, but instead the collars on shirts. For the past few decades, dress shirts and collars were starched stiff so that no wrinkle would ever make a man look sloppy. They contributed to the regal or stuffy air of a proper gentlemen in the Victorian age. 1920s men’s shirts were a rebellion against both plain and rigid clothing.

1921 men’s soft collar with collar bar
1920s Shirt Collars
When men were in World War I, they were issued soft shirts with attached collars. For the most part, white collars had been sold separately since the 1830s. Detachable collars saved on laundering since they were the part that needed frequent cleaning and replacement. These new softer shirts and collars were a drastic change from pre-war life. Men became used to the comfort and ease of soft shirts and were reluctant to change back.

1920 Men’s Stiff Collars- club collars, wingtips, stand collars, fold down collars all were worn in the 1910s
The conservative men did not take the change well. They fought in the media, in club rooms, at social gatherings, in colleges, and court rooms to keep the stiff starched collar in a man’s wardrobe. The war over stiff and soft collars was strongest in Britain, where they thought Americans were the cause of the soft collar craze and everything else casual about menswear. Both countries were divided over this hot fashion issue.

1920 Tooke Detachable Soft Collars- pointed or slightly rounded edges
In the early ’20s, the stuffy detachable white collar was still the norm following fads in the 1900s-1910s. They were always white, always detached, and quite tall (up to 3 inches). Made on celluloid, linen, rubber they could be used several times before washing or replacing. Paper collars became “one use” throw away collars in the late teens and well into the 1920s. The semi-soft collar, a 3 ply woven collar, had the look of a stiff collar but the comfort of a soft collar.
The round edge club collar was the most fashionable from the preceding decade. Fans of Boardwalk Empire will recognize Enoch ‘Nucky’ Thompson, who is almost always wearing one. Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders, also wears them in the first few seasons. Hight’s ranged from 3 inches down to less than 2 inches. Some edges were cutaway and others close together, accommodating a variety of tie knots.
- Traditional high and stiff club collar, 1924
- Arthur Edward Waite wears a short club collar, 1921
The soft pointed collar gained favor after 1923 eventually replacing most other collar styles. The pointed collar was still tall and the points could be short or long. By 1928 the Barrymore Collar, later called the Spearpoint collar, with 3 inch very long narrow points was becoming the trendiest shirt collar.
Some soft point collars came in the button-down style which help keep them in place. Collar bars and pins also helped. More on those in a bit.
- 1921 F Scott Fitzgerald wears a long pointed soft collar
- 1922 button down point collar
- 1928 spearpoint collar white shirt with one pocket
- 1929 -1930 Spearpoint collar shirts with two pockets
The pointed collar shirt remained popular for the rest of the 1920s, although other versions such as the spread collar or fold down collar had their famous moments, too. The popularity of the wide Windsor knot tie required collars to have wide openings, hence the introduction of the spread collar in both round and point styles.
- 1921 spread collar
- Fold down collar with wide opening for a tie
- 1922 narrow spread collar (Rudolph Valentino )
- Short point collar
For evening wear, the collar of choice was still the wingtip collar with bent-over points opening up for the bow tie. These could also be worn during the day with formal morning suits, a very traditional outfit for upper class business men.

Informal use of a wingtip collar
By the mid 1920s, men’s collars were now mostly attached to the shirts and not all white. First, shirt cuffs started to be made of the same material as the shirt, and later the collars matched, too. The look of a striped shirt and white cuffs and collars was the most common throughout the twenties. The all one-color shirt was seen in casual day shirts, but was too informal for men’s dress shirts until the late ’20s.
- 1921 detachable white collars and striped shirts
- 1927 attached or detachable shirts and collars
The Dress Shirt

1928 Men’s Dress Shirt
Collar type controversies aside, men’s shirts experienced an explosion of color. Let’s start with dress shirts. In the 1910s, the striped shirt, such as blue, burgundy, or yellow and white vertical stripes, was what every man wore with suits or semi-casual dress. The solid color shirt was only worn by working classes. In the 1920s men could wear patterns or solid colors in bold or light tones.
The trend for stripes continued into the 1920s where various thickness of stripes were mixed with not just one color but multiple colors of stripes. Blue, green and yellow could be seen on one shirt. Pink, yellow and green on another. For dress shirts, the stripes were nearly always against a white background so as to complement whatever suit men chose to wear.

1922 all white shirt for suits or weekend sports
As the decade progressed colors lightened up into pastels or a white body with fine subtle striping. The all white shirt as a staple in most men’s wardrobes who had servants or a laundering service to clean them.
The design of men’s suits vest and jacket came up high on the chest, so no matter what shirt he chose the color was not very visible. But when the suit jacket came off his personality came through in his choice of bold or neutral shirt as well as his tie.
- 1923 light stripes and solid colors
- 1925 men’s shirts, pastels and neutral colors
Besides stripes, Chevoit checks, basket weave, light plaids, and even polka dots had their trendy moments. Solid color dress shirts were acceptable towards the mid and late ’20s. Greens and blues were the favorites, although pastel colors like peach, pink, purple, and orange were seen on trendy dressers and as weekend fashions.
The shirt cuffs were almost always French cuffs, also called double cuffs. The cuff folded back onto itself and attached together with a snazzy cuff link.

1920 rounded edge club collar with a wide notch opening for a tie, round cuff links
Very fashionable gentlemen also wore a collar bar or collar pin that coordinated with their cuff links. Collar bars held soft white collars in place by clipping to the collar on each side. Collar pins, common in the late ’20s, pinned the collar in place through the eyelet holes in the shirt collar. The tab collar, also common, did the same trick but without the need for bars and pins. The necktie was worn over the collar bar/pin/tab. Read this good article on collar pins for more information.
- Roger Calbreath wears a stand collar with collar pin
- See the gold collar bar under the tie?
Fabrics were mostly cottons or linen in summer. Silk was very popular in the 1910s, until the cost of silk import drove the prices too high for the common man in 1920. Thicker, coarser weaves such as cotton broadcloth or madras were favored in the early years with the softer Oxfords and mercerized cotton leading the later years. Soft material that was primarily used for men’s underwear and night shirts became a welcome fabric in men’s dress and casual shirts, too.
- 1925 men’s shirts, very colorful
- 1927 mens shirts, more small patterns
The Great Gatsby had a vast collection of soft colorful shirts:
“He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one, before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel, which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray. While we admired he brought more and the soft rich heap mounted higher — shirts with stripes and scrolls and plaids in coral and apple-green and lavender and faint orange, and monograms of Indian blue. Suddenly, with a strained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily “They’re such beautiful shirts,” she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such — such beautiful shirts before.”
1923 bold patterns and colors for shirts that Jay Gatsby may have worn
Casual Shirts

1920’s Men’s Casual Sport Shirt
While most men wore dress shirts for 90% of their life, the working class, the young men, and the weekend sportsmen wore casual shirts which were long sleeved and collared just like dress shirts. The sport shirt was usually a single color, in a heavier durable fabric such as twill, wool, or flannel for manual work and rugged sports (hunting, hiking, fishing, etc).

1928 Plaid Work and Sport Shirt
The plaid flannel shirt was exceedingly common in winter. Women loved these comfortable shirts, too, and they quickly became part of their sporty wardrobe as well.
Most sport shirts also had one or two patch pockets on the chest. Dress shirts didn’t need them since they were covered up by vests, suspenders, and suit jackets. The casual shirt pockets, worn uncovered, were perfect for holding reading glasses, some spare change, and cigarettes.
In warm weather, the Byron collar unbuttoned shirt also meant unbuttoning and rolling up sleeves, too. Oh, the horrors of the casual male! It was the only way men could cool off in those hot long sleeves.

1921 Mens Wool Work Shirt
The short sleeve shirt was just starting to make an appearance in men’s sportswear. The polo shirt, a short sleeve knit shirt with longer shirt flaps in the back and three buttons up to the collar, was about as casual as you could get. The polo shirt was new to market, and not yet ready for the masses to bare arms.
The casualness of soft, colorful, day shirts contributed to a popular working class look- the unbuttoned collar! A summer time style, shirts and collars were unbuttoned and worn without ties. The points flapped over the suit lapels, vest or the shirt alone. These widest collar shirts were called Danton or Byrons. The Americans loved this style. Collage kids copied it, too — even the rich preppy kids, whose fathers strongly disproved.

Casual Unbuttoned Shirts
Buying 1920s Shirts and Collars
Finding good 1920s style shirts can sometimes be challenging. The classic vintage striped shirt with white collar comes in and out of fashion quickly. Last year they were in, this year they are out again. I encourage men to wear colors or stripes, not plain white, shirts. It is not only more fun but will make your outfit look more vintage.
Alise says
I agree. I’m in love with a smartly dressed man in the era you speak of. Especially French cuffs, cuff links, tie bars and crisp style. Even for women, I prefer vintage 1940/50 fashion, when women wore fully lined skirts and dresses and slips under their garments! Many people today don’t appreciate the modesty and classic, feminine style…It’s actually art! I have a grown son that, since a young boy, I introduced him to classic style; he’s dressed like it ever since and gains many compliments. It’s a pleasure to see true, classic style!
Muhammad Jamilu Saidu says
Thanks for your guide,i am a Nigerian and a shirt expuert i have learned more about my profession through this side or your contributiony.Thanks once again
Mister says
Please send me show larger pictures if these shirt collards!
Rebecca says
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I am trying to costume men for a production of Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” and have had such a hard time finding inexpensive collars/collared shirts for our men! This has been a HUGE help! Thank you!
VintageDancer says
I know your pain well. So glad I could help!
Jennifer says
What is the history on short sleeve shirts? I didn’t see them in the history of men’s shirts dress or business shirts.
VintageDancer says
Only the polo shirt was short sleeve (mentioned above under casual shirts.) All other shirts were long sleeve. The short sleeve dress shirt didn’t come about until the 1950s.
Robert Tidwell says
why, thank you! Seems I asked the right person.
Robert Tidwell says
I am curious about a work shirt style that I see in the 1920s and 1930s…the collar has a flap that extends about two inches beyond the front placket. I see these on working men in construction photos of depression era photos. And Gen MacArthur had his uniform shirts made this way in WW2…what is this collar style called and are they still available.
VintageDancer says
That extra bit is called a collar extension tab. Instead of a button joining the two collar sides the tab slipped under the collar and a button was sewn in place. It was an easier way for manufactures to sell one shirt for many size necks. I am sure the military found the style practical hence why Glen MacArthur is wearing one too. I don’t see these types of collar tabs much. You may try contacting darcyclothing.com who specializes in historical styles. Perhaps they can make one for you.
Clayton says
As an aficionado of the 1900-30 period, including culture and men’s clothing, I appreciated the detail to this greatly. As a swing dancer, I more than slightly lament that the 1920’s are only represented by the Charleston, and cheap gangster and flapper costumes at dances, and that the focus is on the WWII fashion era, which for men, is really quite dull, and doesn’t have that great transitional aspect that the 1920’s do. I love detachable collars, white shirts, striped tunic shirts, three-piece suits, knickers pocket watches, the high wing collars for a vintage tuxedo: all of it, formal to casual. Sadly, I am alone in this endeavor, or it is not appreciated where I live. I also, unfortunately, think that people would rather see the clothing on actors who get paid to wear it, rather than an everyday person who dons this apparel for the sheer love of it, but I’m grateful to see that there are others out there sharing their love and knowledge in an in-depth manner, and more so than the toe-dipping that usually occurs by people just posting pictures of “pretty things” on Tumblr. Your dedication is appreciated.
Debbie Sessions says
Thank you Clayton for your kind words. My husband has the same thoughts as you and gripes over the lack of men wearing good vintage fashion both locally and online. I am gathering some online resources for men which I will post soon. I do hope you wear your clothing whenever possible. That is the best way to spread the good news of men’s clothing history.
Vicky Loebel says
Can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying this style guide – especially the menswear which is a lot harder to find information on (Less glamor, I guess). I was having a tough time figuring the Byron collar, but found this link which has some great examples. Thanks again for posting! http://clothesonfilm.com/the-fortune-costume-guide-dressing-soft-for-murder/7925/