IN DA CLUB?

OR MORE LIKE "CLUBBED" LIKE A SEAL?

The February issue of GQ boldly boasts the return of the Club-Collar shirt - the really old school dress shirt option that the editors say "packs a whole lot of cool". The look is a softer, less rigid look almost reminiscent of those flimsy collars found at the neckline of French School girl dresses. Yeah - not so manly. Traditional examples of this trend show flimsy rounded collars meant to be paired with a thin tie or worn buttoned alone - all the way to the top. A few stand out designers are turning out a slightly more structured version that I wouldn't be afraid to wear with a suit - while keeping a straight face. Check out the picture at top by Patrik Ervell.  Pair this with a muted knit tie or even a collegiate stripe and you may be on to something. Unless you are a 18th century furniture maker - I would personally avoid attempting the no-tie, buttoned all the way up look. Just a thought. In all seriousness, I am never one to turn away a new option, but I can't say that I'm going to run out and buy a bunch of club collars either. What I know for sure is that if the trend has made it to the manual page of GQ then you can be certain that this little floppy neck embellishment is certain to be in the pipeline from at least a dozen designers this season. Features like this don't happen by accident. What do you think?

- brother

A cool look with grey suit. Club collar screams spring to me and a bit less formal.