Embrace or replace?

[Scot]

"That man has the most beautifully frayed collars in England". Said not of me but of some Duke or other (possibly), maybe even the same one that gave his new shirts to his footman to wear for a few months so that they didn't appear "new" on him. Well, I don't swear by the historical accuracy of any of this but whilst senior aristos may be able to get away with this, can we? Some of my bespoke shirt collars and cuffs are now definitely in the "charmingly worn" category. I haven't previously gone down the route of having collars and cuffs replaced but some of my patterned and coloured shirts would probably look ok with white collars etc. Is this worthwhile or ultimately a waste of time and money? Should I just embrace the frayed edges and wait until they fall apart entirely?

[Luca]

The circular answer is to do what makes you feel more psychologically comfortable.

If a well-worn but still presentable, well-loved, bespoke shirt could withstand another 15-20 washes post-replacement of cuffs, it certainly would make economic sense.

Personally, by the time a shirt is visibly fraying at the edges I've either grown tired of it (I don't tend to spend much money on shirts) or it's a favourite for super-casual wear (my Sundays are dedicated to rambunctious children).
In neither case is a collar/cuff replacement indicated.

[Mark Seitelman]

Although one can hide a frayed cuff, a frayed collar is very noticeable. People from all economic and social strata will notice a frayed collar. It is so close to the face.

I cannot see how a well-dressed man can wear a very frayed collar. It looks shabby. Some English nobility are known to do this, such as Prince Charles on occasion. I find it odd that a man of such great wealth and who likes clothes would allow himself to be seen in a frayed shirt.

Either re-collar or discard the shirt.

Check if the shirt is worth the expense. One well-known custom shirtmaker prices the repair so high so as to discourage it. E.g., $100 for recollaring and $100 for recuffing.

If the shirt has a tried look or is overall worn, toss it. Often an old shirt will wear through or tear in an unpredictable place, e.g., where the collar point touches the shirt or within the body of the shirt.

I have had some shirts recollared twice. A couple have been recollared due to shirkage. I have recollared my Turnbull & Asser shirts since its cottons are excellent and durable. On the other hand, some of my less expensive custom shirts do not merit recollaring and recuffing since the fabric has lost its "life."

See if the repair is worth the expense. Your money may be better spent on a new shirt.

[gegarrenton]

I tend to wear things until they aren't even suitable for rags anymore. I don't feel they have really gotten comfortable until then.

[hectorm]

Should I just embrace the frayed edges and wait until they fall apart entirely?

Embrace or replace?
A few years ago I discovered with great dismay that my beloved camel hair polo OC had started to fray at various points (cuffs, lapels, pocket flaps and bottom edges). After much brooding over it I decided to embrace the situation and wear the fraying coat with pride. I had commissioned it at G&H when that name still meant something and, having served me very well for 17 years, I was not ready to part with it. I still wear it 2 or 3 times per winter for informal day time occasions. At least in my mind, the fraying adds character to that special garment and reflects certain coherence with the way I approach those said occasions.
There is no shirt in the world that I could cherish the way I treasure that OC and that would make me “embrace” it with a fraying collar or cuff. Not even my formal shirts from Bud, which carry some sentimental value. Much less wait until they fall apart.
Pretty much I agree with the post by Mark Seitelman.
Once in a blue moon, when I detect the early signs of fraying on a shirt (usually coming from the laundry), I make the point of wearing it one more time and then discard it.
I own -and love- a few Bengal stripes from T&A in truly extraordinary cotton, also a few rare tattersall viyellas that have come alive after many years of gentle wear. Those shirts, if my body survives theirs, I plan to re-collar or re-cuff when the time comes using the similarly worn cloth from their tails.

[andreyb]

For some reason, my shirts start to tear at elbows first. When this happens, I cut sleeves and transform a long-sleeved shirt into short-sleeved one. I now have a small collection of nice short-sleeved shirts, including one from wool-cotton mix (which proved surprisingly useful! )

I know some of you guys despise shirt-sleeved shirts in all forms and guises, but this is just another idea how to "embrace" an old bespoke shirt. I put enough (money, care and thought) into choosing and getting my bespoke shirts to warrant some more efforts (first, to care for them properly and eventually to prolong their life in another form).

Andrey

[Mark Seitelman]

I like Andreyb's recommendation of cutting down a long sleeve shirt into a shirt sleeve shirt. It brought a smile to my face. It recalls my childhood when my mother and grandmother would do the same with my shirts. It was also a convenient way to fit a "hand-me-down" from a brother who had longer sleeves.

On a side note, as child of children of the depression, clothes were often "handed-down" from an older brother to a younger brother. This is no longer done. Also leather shoes were resoled (often half-soled to save money) and reheeled often. NYC neighborhoods in the 1960's and 1970's had as many cobblers as it did dry cleaners. It was a less disposable and more thrifty way of life. Perhaps that is why I recollar and recuff expensive shirts?

I have never tried Hectorm's method of using shirt tail material for the collar and cuffs. I shall ask my shirtmaker about it.

I cannot wear a frayed collar since I believe that I am judged as a professional and business owner from the first meeting. I have "first meetings" each day even in my "off" time.

[hectorm]

I have never tried Hectorm's method of using shirt tail material for the collar and cuffs. I shall ask my shirtmaker about it.

Besides the fact that sometimes the original cloth is no longer available, cloth from the tail makes sense particularly for colored/patterned shirts which have sustained perhaps 30-40 washes already. A collar made of new cloth -or from those leftovers many shirtmakers deliver along with the finished shirt- might be too apparent (and even lack that nice feeling that you have “earned” around your neck). The shirtmaker will have to substitute some new cloth for the cloth taken from the tail. And yes, that´s more work. I have found several shirtmakers who discourage re-collaring, either through pricing or plain attitude. A good sign is whether the shirtmaker has given you some leftovers of the material with that purpose in mind in the first place.

[Mark Seitelman]

On using the shirt tail material, the fancy, commercial shirtmaker said "no", and the local, "can do" shirtmaker said "yes".

It's worth a try. But, it is not a perfect solution in that the collar is cut in two pieces rather than one, and another fabric may have to be used inside the collar.

Hectorm, thanks for the suggestion.

[Scot]

I cannot wear a frayed collar since I believe that I am judged as a professional and business owner from the first meeting. I have "first meetings" each day even in my "off" time

Fair point.

I suppose if you are introduced as His Grace the Duke of Devonshire you don't really need to try that much after that point.

If you are the Prince of Wales you probably need to demonstrate to the great British public that you are not being profligate, some would say with their money!

And if you are Prince Michael of Kent you probably just don't have any money -

http://milstil.tumblr.com/post/31132967 ... s-likes-to

[gegarrenton]

I cannot wear a frayed collar since I believe that I am judged as a professional and business owner from the first meeting. I have "first meetings" each day even in my "off" time

Fair point.

I suppose if you are introduced as His Grace the Duke of Devonshire you don't really need to try that much after that point.

If you are the Prince of Wales you probably need to demonstrate to the great British public that you are not being profligate, some would say with their money!

And if you are Prince Michael of Kent you probably just don't have any money -

http://milstil.tumblr.com/post/31132967 ... s-likes-to

Generally, as a business owner myself, I think the ideal is somewhere in the middle. You need to present yourself as professional and conscientious, but also mindful of finances and not profligate. Nobody is going to deal with a business owner they think is making too much money, and it compromises you in negotiation. Unless you are trying to be an agent to a rapper or NBA player I guess.

[Mark Seitelman]

* * *
Check if the shirt is worth the expense. One well-known custom shirtmaker prices the repair so high so as to discourage it. E.g., $100 for recollaring and $100 for recuffing.

* * *

See if the repair is worth the expense. Your money may be better spent on a new shirt.

That well-known shirtmaker now charges $120. It discourages repairs since its shirt business is very healthy, and a repair carries a certain amount of risk and hassle to the shirtmaker. E.g., international shipping, possibility of loss or damage, etc.

For collar and cuff replacement I use a local shirtmaker.

[hectorm]

, it is not a perfect solution in that the collar is cut in two pieces rather than one, and another fabric may have to be used inside the collar.

It´s true and I could live with that.
But what I fear the most is that -in the case of my Bengal striped shirts- the size and shape of the piece of cloth that can be extracted from the tail might leave the shirtmaker with no option but change the orientation of the stripes on the shirt collar or cuffs. On the collar, it´s not necessarily a deal breaker, but it´s not acceptable on the cuffs.

[Concordia]

If you're really worried about that happening, buy three copies of a shirt in each pattern. When the time comes, pillage the third to make the other two whole.

[hectorm]

When the time comes, pillage the third to make the other two whole.

My mother had that sort of "system" going on for my school uniform shirts back in the day.