The mandarin collar shirt guys are tripping for

You have probably seen a mandarin collar shirt before, but maybe you didn’t know what it is called. This style collar is a simple stand-up band which is about four centimeters high and goes round your neck, and doesn’t require the use of a tie.

You probably remember seeing this collar in kung fu movies on the necks of early Chinese fighting masters, as this is a very old Chinese collar style. Now that you have visualised how a mandarin collar shirt looks like, let’s go straight to the point.

The mandarin collar looks great paired with double-breasted jackets, as seen on Richard Akuson or with a waistcoat and pant as seen on Mr Bentley. It can also be paired with a jacket thrown around the shoulder as seen on Noble Igwe, on this page. You can wear them tucked in or left out but you can also choose from a never-ending variety of styles and fabrics according to the occasion.

Why stylish Nigerian guys are tripping for this trend

• It is unique: While the traditional collars; such as the point, spread, cutaway and club collar carry a lot of formality, the Mandarin style doesn’t. They are perfect for casual events.
• It is casual-cool: It makes a good work attire for a relaxed office environment. For example, a white Mandarin collar shirt with a formal pair of dark trousers and a jacket would fit this atmosphere perfectly.

You can also impress with this style shirt by wearing it to a date with your woman by pairing it with a jacket, jeans and hat, as seen on basket baller, Dwayne Wade.

Note that when you’re dealing with a collarless option like mandarin\banded collar, you will need to take into account the measurement of your neck so that the collar doesn’t hide behind your neck.  This is because a normal shirt with a classic collar gives a little bit leeway at the button fastening, but mandarin collar is a little bit tighter around the neck. So, let your designer bear that in mind when measuring you.