Collar up

I love collars. I’m much more of a fan of a nice, collared neckline than anything plunging. I probably have more white shirts in my wardrobe than any other single item of clothing...my favourite of which is a very sharp, starchy Karl Lagerfeld for H&M shirt, which is now very old and at risk of dying on me, so I only dig it out about once a year for uber meetings.

I think the structure of a collar works amazingly with the softness of a dress, or the contrast of a shirt with a floaty skirt, or a loose, flowing blouse with a bit of unexpected severity in a collar.

The peter pan collar is a sort of middle ground, with the roundness of the collar softening it and making it a little more feminine.

My collar inspiration...and probably one of the reasons we now have so many of them on the high street...is Alexa Chung.

I think there can be a risk with a peter pan collar of looking like a girl-woman who puts daisies in her hair in the park and likes skipping because she’s so ‘quirky’! I think the peter pan collar on short, wispy floral dresses can be great up to a certain age...or if that really is your style and it reflects your character...but it definitely doesn’t reflect mine or look good on a slightly grumpy 34 year old!

But given the massive choice now on the high street, there really is a mountain of collars to choose from...including buying collars themselves, so you can collar-up your existing outfits.

These are some of my favourites...which I think work minus daisies and skipping!

Asos double layer lace collar - £12

Asos leather peter pan collar - £15

Asos parachute print peter pan collar shirt - £35

Topshop black clover print peter pan collar blouse - £38

Warehouse peter pan embellished collar top - £38

Pins & Needles spot collar top - £40

Monsoon Fusion Eris sleeveless top - £40

Max C peter pan collar tunic - £42

Sparkle & Fade faux leather trim shirt - £45

Oasis collar jacquard dress - £65

Whistles leopard collar lace shift dress - £175. This is way out of my price range...and probably not something that would get a lot of wear given my social outings at the moment tend to be at lunchtime and involve trying to get a breast out...but I adore everything about this dress. The navy tones down the lace and makes it chic with the leopard print. Definitely a lust item!