in my opinion one of the most seductive and feminine articles of clothing a woman can wear is not a low-plunging dress or any other frock or cut of top which exposes one’s decolleté, but the opposite rather, a collar, a cover-up of sorts highlighting her swan-like neck and or collar bones. there’s something so pretty and sensual about the hidden and closed up to me. it’s probably why i find the victorian age so wildly romantic, and the costumes of downton abbey so appealing. i’ve always been a less is more type of feline when it comes to apparel, and a ladylike collar gets me lick-my-lips giddy. 

collars come in all fancies, for all types of girls, no matter what your style is:

there’s the ultra-feminine, lacy number for the romantic girl in you: the quoter of austen and bronté, head in the clouds, nose in a worn, broken-in, used, library book, most likely classical literature. the girl who wears tights with mary janes, side buns in her hair, and listens to birdy longingly. 

there’s the modern, slightly preppy, polished collar wearer, who although needs to maintain decorum and professionalism still wants to add that glimmer of girl to her vestments. don’t let the dry cleaner starch and expensive cashmere fool you though; this is the type of lass, who, underneath all of that well-bred pomp, is a lady who cries at strangers’ weddings and can’t kill a spider to save her wall-street life. 

for the extra demure lady, there’s the up to her ears, high turtleneck. but don’t let that, half up-half down, tied back hair, zooey deschanel tortoise shell glasses and inability to make eye contact lead you to think this girl is a square. after hours that high-necked lass is swaying sensually in a thigh-high skirt, crooning to santigold with a breath heavy with bourbon. 

for the rocker in us, you know the girl who wore doc martens in high school and still has them stashed in the back of her closet, who had the step hair shave, and who occasionally still slips in that cigarette when no one is watching {or only when they are,} this collar is for you. with a tiny bit of edge, metal that catches the light and gets you to look her way. she’s the sweetest rebel you’ll ever meet, gets you to fall in love with her, the next thing you know, you two get matching piercings and read just kids together. 

for the girl who just needs to have sparkle in her life. and what girl doesn’t need some glint and sheen every once in a while? nothing like baubles and sequins ’round the neck to instantaneously elevate a duck into a swan. 

i imagine the girl who wears this as smelling like chanel no. 5 even when she wakes up, with a miss america, colgate toothpaste smile. her champagne flute is forever being replenished by the many adoring suitors; both men and women.

and my favorite of all the collars: the popped, masculine, white oxford. 

nothing says confident like this bright, powerful, here i am, so comfortable in my own skin, that i can dress slightly androgynous so that you notice me, and not my outfit. whenever i see a woman in a popped, white collar i always find myself staring compulsively. 

obviously i’m not the only one with collar obsession. these style icons were popping their’s decades ago too.

so tell me m’loves, are you a collar fanatic too? which of the six do you prefer?

happy ladylike tuesday to you.