At Todd Shelton, we debated whether or not we should use stays at all in our point-collar shirts (button-down collars do not have stays). So, in our quest for the perfect collar, we made up shirts both with and without stays and began wear testing. Our findings? Stays improved the lay of the collar and the overall appearance of the shirt. The only question that remained was: “what type of stay should we use?”

There are two types of collar stays. The kind you remove and the internal kind you never see (see below).

Both the removable and internal stays serve the purpose of adding structure to your collar. But they approach the fix differently.

The problem with the removable stays is, well–they’re removable. You take them out and forget them, you wash and dry them and you lose them. It’s too much maintenance to keep your collar looking consistent.

We decided that the internal stay was the more practical and user-friendly solution. They’re less rigid than the removable stays, allowing the collar to move more naturally. And you never have to worry about removing or losing them.

See how our internal collar stays perform when worn with a tie. The stays keep the collar edge straight.

Internal collar stays are one of several design differences making the Todd Shelton shirt unique.

(Todd Shelton men’s shirts are Made in America)