A collar is a shaped band attached at the neckline that can lie flat, stand up, or roll over, and that single variable, how much the collar rises before it falls, sorts the whole family. The height of the stand determines whether a collar hugs the neck, frames it, or lies against the shoulders.
This reference groups collars by their stand, from none to full, and explains the drafting consequence of each. Read it as a way to recognize a collar and understand why its pattern looks the way it does on the flat.
Flat collars with little or no stand
A flat collar lies against the garment with almost no rise at the back neck. The Peter Pan collar, with its soft rounded ends, is the archetype; the Bertha and sailor collars are wider flat variants. Because they lie flat, these collars are drafted directly against the neckline shape of the bodice, front and back joined at the shoulder.
The closer the collar's neckline curve matches the garment neckline, the flatter it lies. Introducing a slight difference in that curve is what creates a small, comfortable roll rather than a collar that sits dead flat.
Standing collars
- Mandarin: a short, straight band that stands upright without folding over, meeting or nearly meeting at the front.
- Band collar: a plain strip finishing the neckline, common on collarless shirts.
- Funnel: a taller stand that rises smoothly from the shoulders toward the jaw.
- Ruffled stand: a gathered or pleated band that stands and flares for decorative effect.
- Wing: a stand collar with small folded points, worn with formal dress.
Pro tip
A standing collar must be drafted with the right curve for the neck; a straight band feels tight at the throat, while a slightly curved band follows the neck comfortably.
Rolled and shirt collars
The classic shirt collar combines a stand and a fall: a band rises from the neckline and a separate collar rolls back over it. The stand height controls how high the collar sits and how much of the fall shows. A convertible collar simplifies this into one piece that can be worn open or closed.
The relationship between stand and fall is the heart of shirt collar drafting. Too little stand and the collar collapses; too much and it strangles. Getting the two in proportion is what makes a shirt collar sit crisply.
Tailored collars for jackets and coats
Tailored collars work with a lapel as a single system. The notch collar, with its stepped notch where collar meets lapel, is the standard suit collar. The shawl collar rolls in one continuous curved line with no notch, and the ulster and other coat collars widen the whole system for outerwear.
These collars involve a roll line, a break point where the lapel folds back, and careful shaping so the collar sits smoothly around the neck while the lapel lies flat on the chest. They are the most technical collars to draft.
How the stand shapes the pattern
The amount of stand explains why collar patterns of the same size look so different flat. A flat collar's neckline edge is strongly curved to match the garment; a standing collar's edge is nearly straight; a rolled collar sits between the two. Reading the curvature of a collar pattern tells you how it will behave before you sew it.
For shirt and tailored collars especially, a made-to-measure neckline changes the collar geometry. Minerva Patterns supplies collars drafted to the individual neckline in DXF AAMA, PLT and PDF, so the stand and fall are matched to the actual neck curve.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a stand and a fall on a collar?
The stand is the part that rises up from the neckline, and the fall is the part that folds back down over it. Their proportion controls how high and how crisp a collar sits.
Why does a Peter Pan collar lie flat while a mandarin stands up?
The Peter Pan collar's neckline edge is curved to match the garment neckline so it has no stand, while a mandarin collar's edge is nearly straight, which forces it to rise upright.
What makes a shawl collar different from a notch collar?
A shawl collar rolls in one continuous curved line with no break, while a notch collar has a stepped notch where the collar meets a separate lapel, the standard suit configuration.
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