Dress Shirt Collar Types: Which Works Best With a Bow Tie

Your collar is the frame around your bow tie. Get it right and the bow sits neatly with the points lying flat on either side. Get it wrong and the bow gets swallowed, crowded or lost. Here are the dress shirt collar types you will come across, and how well each one works with a bow tie.

The Quick Answer

If you only remember one thing: a spread or semi-spread collar is the most reliable choice for a bow tie. For black tie, it is a wing collar or a classic turndown collar. Everything else depends on the occasion.

Spread Collar

The points angle outward, leaving a wide gap between them. This is the best everyday collar for a bow tie, because the bow sits in the open space and the points frame it on both sides without crowding it. A spread collar also balances a slightly larger bow, which makes it a good match for bolder patterns. Bow tie rating: excellent.

Semi-Spread Collar

A moderate version of the spread, and the most common collar on modern dress shirts. It works with almost any bow tie and almost any face shape, which makes it the safest shirt to buy if you want one that goes with everything. Bow tie rating: excellent.

Point Collar (Straight Collar)

The points are long and close together, angled down rather than out. It was designed for a necktie knot to fill the narrow gap. With a bow tie the long points can look a little droopy, so if you wear one, choose shorter points and a slimmer bow. Bow tie rating: fair.

Cutaway Collar

An extreme spread, with points swept back almost horizontally. It shows off the whole bow tie, which suits a confident, fashion-forward look and larger or batwing bows. It can look severe on a narrow face, so it is a style choice rather than a default. Bow tie rating: good.

Button-Down Collar

The points are buttoned to the shirt front. It is more casual, but a button-down with a bow tie is a classic Ivy League look: think oxford cloth, a knit or madras bow tie, and a navy blazer. Great for daytime and smart-casual, wrong for anything formal. Bow tie rating: good for casual.

Wing Collar

A short standing collar with small tips folded out like wings. It exists for formalwear: it is the standard for white tie and a widely accepted option for black tie. The tips sit behind the bow tie. Never wear one with a long necktie or for business dress. Our wing collar shirt guide covers it in detail. Bow tie rating: excellent, formal only.

Club Collar and Band Collar

The club collar has rounded points and a vintage feel. It pairs nicely with a small bow tie for a period or preppy look. The band collar (mandarin) has no points at all and is designed to be worn without a tie. Skip the bow tie with it.

How to Match Your Bow Tie to Your Collar

1. Scale the bow to the spread. A wide spread or cutaway collar can take a fuller bow. A narrow point collar calls for a slimmer one.
2. Keep the points visible. The bow should sit in front of the collar gap, with the points showing on either side, not buried under the bow.
3. Check the width. A classic guideline is that the bow should not be wider than the widest part of your neck, or roughly the outer corners of your eyes.
4. Use collar stays. A bow tie does not hold your collar points down the way a necktie does. Metal stays do. More in our collar stays guide.
5. Match the formality. Button-down for casual, spread for business and weddings, wing or turndown for black tie.

Ready to pick the bow tie? Browse our bow ties, or see our wedding and groomsmen collection if you are dressing a whole party.

The Bottom Line

For a bow tie, the spread and semi-spread collars are your everyday workhorses, the button-down is your casual option, and the wing collar is for black tie. Keep the points stiff with collar stays, scale the bow to the collar, and your bow tie will always look like it belongs there.

More Bow Tie Guides

• Bow Ties With Shirts
• Best Collar Stays
• Wing Collar Shirts: The Black-Tie Guide
• Bow Ties With Suits
• Bow Tie Outfit Ideas