Lately, I have been a little obsessed with men’s tailored shirts. Part of it is because I have been studying the best way to construct one and the other part is because of Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy). Since binge-watching a few seasons of Peaky Blinders on Netflix, I have become fascinated with men’s dress post World War I.

The Peaky Blinders costume designer, Stephanie Collie, did a fantastic job showcasing clothes from this time period and even made the style translatable to the modern man. Of course, I love the flat cap that is Shelby’s signature, but for me, it is the shirt that really elevates the character’s style. It is a no-collared shirt with a separate detachable collar. The collar is attached to the shirt with metal studs. I love this look!

The detachable collar is said to have been invented in 1827, when a woman cut off her husband’s collar to wash just the collar and then sewed it back to the shirt. Now that’s a woman who hates washing and ironing. I can relate to that! However, detachable collars have actually been around longer than that. Collars have been an important fashion feature for men since the 1300’s, and it got really interesting in the 1500’s with the detachable “ruff”. I don’t much care to see this style return.

Christopher Laverty describes the Peaky Blinders style in his Clothes on Film blog.

“In 1919 Tommy wears a detachable stiff collar shirt. Soon the attached soft collar would become popular, though for now the Roaring Twenties are a long way off. This is a look you’ll want to emulate not copy. To begin with detachable collar shirts are not that easy to come by, especially on the high street. Moreover they were never that comfortable. The intention was to keep your neck and posture as straight as possible, the detachable element only came in to play for washing; this way a gentleman could keep his shirt going all week if he changed his collar every day. Thankfully the basic style is straightforward enough to imitate now.”

My fascination with this look didn’t end with just reading about it. I wanted something more tangible. I purchased an antique tuxedo shirt without a collar (circa 1910s) on Etsy. It is in great condition! There are antique detachable collars for sale but most have yellowed with age.

I found someone who sells new detachable collars and studs – Curtis Bright of Starch and Stripes. The collar is stiff (as it should be) but it is not uncomfortable. The studs not only hold the collar in place but look so sophisticated alone that a tie is optional. 

I think I could pass for a Peaky Blinder. What do you think?

If you would like to read more about dressing like a Peaky Blinder, I recommend Christopher Laverty’s blog. He also has a really interesting book, Fashion in Film.

And be sure to check out Starch and Stripes on Instagram and Etsy! This style is so cool!