Shirt is the most utilized dress in the wardrobe of a man. So, it is very essential to wear shirts that fit the person the best. Collar is the part of the shirt which is fastened around neck and is most visible. In fact, most part of the shirt stays covered beneath the jacket or coat. It is only the collar which can be seen and so it influences the entire outfits view.

Shirt collar stiffeners play a great role in maintaining the stiffness of the collar. Collar stiffeners are the most important shirt accessories that maintain the feel and appearance of the shirts collar. They are the accessories responsible for giving the shirt collar a different and unique look.

Shirt collar stiffeners are also known as collar bones, collar tabs, collar sticks, collar stays or collar knuckles. Nowadays the collars of the shirts are quite soft. So, what happens is that ends of shirt collars at most time doesn’t remain crisp. In fact, most men at some time or the other might have faced a great problem in keeping the collar crisp and neat. This problem can very easily be solved by the use of the collar stays.

Plastic collar stays or metal collar stays can keep the collars of the shirt crisp and rigid.  
They are also very smooth and rigid. The collar stays can be made up of many materials like stainless steel, brass, sterling silver, plastic, mother of pearl or horn rounded at an end and pointed at another, inserted in pockets that are made especially on underside of the shirt collar of a man to stabilize collar’s points. The collar stiffeners make sure that collar lies flat against the collar bones.

Collar stiffeners have a sleek look. The collars look firm and hard when these collar stays are put in the collars. They can change the entire look of the shirt and make the shirt give a neat and clean appearance. Plastic collar stiffeners are not so costly. They can be used by people who have a stringent budget. These plastic collar stays are less costly in comparison to the collar stiffeners made up of sterling silver or brass.

It is best to use removable collar stiffeners. They can be inserted quite easily in the collar so that the collar points become much more stabilized. They can also be removed from the shirts as and when desired. In fact it is important to remove the collar stays from the shirts before dry cleaning or pressing. However, some shirts which are not that costly have stays that are sewn to the collar and are not removable.

Metal collar stiffeners or plastic collar stays are available in sewing and fabric supply stores, haberdashers and clothing stores of men. It is always important to buy collar stiffeners that are of good quality. In fact, superior quality collar stays can keep the collar points sharp, stiff and smart.