The London Lounge

I've read a lot of different definitions online for how to dress for white tie. There's one little element that I'm struggling to exactly pin down, and that is the material the collar is made from.

As I understand it, the collar should be detachable. And you can wear this detachable collar with a marcella shirt (if you so choose). Should you then get a shirt collar also made of marcella or are they only available in plain cotton? If the latter, then by choosing a marcella shirt, the only white elements that don't match the marcella shirt, waistcoat and bow tie are the collar (possibly the cuffs as well) and the pocket square.

Whilst the contrast between plain cotton and marcella is not as great as that between the grosgrain and barathea of the dresscoat, it is still there, and surely having the collar contrast with the rest would be wrong (I am aware that some prefer an off-white silk waistcoat and bow tie, which contrasts very subtly and in, what is to me, a harmonious set of locations).

In which case I would think it always better to go with a plain shirt, not marcella, with plain collar and cuffs, to provide the best contrast.

This is perhaps beginning to ramble. So, yes, if anyone who frequents white tie occasions could give some illumination that would be appreciated.

The collars are plain fabric.
Pique (marcella) collars could be made but the fabric is thicker and thus less suitable. I think it is better to have the contrast between the pique front and the plain collar. It also provides a neutral background for the tie fabric.

Years ago, I had a shirt made which had the collar also made in piqué white cotton. It worked fine but I would agree with 61tailor that plain fabric washes and irons better, on a high-stress point like the collar.

So a plain collar with a marcella shirt is considered perfectly acceptable and standard. That intrigues me, because as I see it, that means that you can have either the collar alone as contrasting, or the shirt and collar as contrasting, which I did not expect to really be viable. You live and learn!

I recently commissioned a bespoke evening dress shirt with an attached winged collar, pique (not marcella) bib/cuffs/collar, with cotton poplin for the body & sleeves...extra matching pique cloth will be used for the waistcoat and bow tie

On the inside portion of the back of the attached collar, my shirt maker Freddy Vandecasteele added a layer of the smooth cotton poplin as it was mentioned that some folks might find the back of a starch stiffened pique collar to be irritating when one perspires

I recently commissioned a bespoke evening dress shirt with an attached winged collar, pique (not marcella) bib/cuffs/collar, with cotton poplin for the body & sleeves...extra matching pique cloth will be used for the waistcoat and bow tie

On the inside portion of the back of the attached collar, my shirt maker Freddy Vandecasteele added a layer of the smooth cotton poplin as it was mentioned that some folks might find the back of a starch stiffened pique collar to be irritating when one perspires

http://www.bownsbespoke.com/Harviehudso ... hirts.html
http://www.bownsbespoke.com/BWTHenryPoole.html