The rich history of the collar shirt

Everyone has at least one collared shirt in their wardrobe. We normally grab our shirts out of the wardrobe for work or for an occasion where we need to dress up, but did you know that your classic collared shirt is actually one of the oldest and most historic garments?

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The Early Collar Shirts

The shirt has been a staple piece of fashion since the Middle Ages. Back then, it was used mainly as underwear or nightwear. These shirts usually didn’t sport a collar but could be tightened around the hem. By the 18th century, the shirt came out with huge and garish collars, often decorated in lace and embroidered patterns. Later, the collar went back to the smaller sizes we’re used to seeing today.

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Well-Tailored Shirts

If you wanted a shirt in these times, you wouldn’t be able to go to your local shop to buy a mass-produced garment. Men who wanted garments like Farah shirts had to go to a tailor. The more common shirt was usually made by wives and mothers in the home. The original collared shirt had a really simply design.

By the mid-19th century, men started to want a more tailored garment that fit the shape of their body. Eventually, the collar disappeared and more colours were introduced to make the t-shirts we know and love today. At the end of the 19th century, having a white collar shirt meant you were affluent and prosperous.

Today’s Modern Shirt

This is when we started to see the garments we know today, such as Farah shirts. Toward the end of the First World War, the collar shirt got a major makeover. This is when collar shirts started to have button fastenings all the way down the front. The fixed collar had a revival in the 1930s, and since then, it has been a staple piece for any man’s wardrobe. If you need a solid collar shirt for special occasions, check out Farah shirts.

These days, it’s not just men who wear collar shirts. Women have had their own styles and variations of the classic collared shirts, and the range of modern shirts for both sexes id endless. Through different fashion crazes, the shirt has always been something to wear with pride.