Heard of suiting up? What if we told you, ‘collaring-up’ adds a dimension to your styling? Yes, if done right, it could make the difference between well dressed and stylish. The next time you dress up, jazz up the mandarin way! You may not have heard of Chinese collars (also known as Mandarin or Nehru collars), but you surely must have seen them before.

Mandarin collars date back to the times when the Qing Empire defeated the Han Empire. A downfall of an empire led to the rising popularity of the winner’s style of dressing. Hence was born the mandarin collar.

Technically, a mandarin collar is a stand-up collar style without a flap on a shirt or jacket. Mandarin collars start at the neckline and typically rise up to two to five centimeters vertically. Don’t get intimidated by the fashion jargon. We, at Vitruvien, simplify styling. So let’s take you through the ultimate guide for Chinese collars –

• It is quite the contemporary one amongst its peers. Nehru collars define simplicity and elegance.

• It lies between the formal and informal zone allowing numerous permutations and combinations. While it may not be worn to work, with the right choice fabrics, a Chinese collar can look elegant on an evening out.

• Chinese collars blend in seamlessly with the casual look. Team it up with a nice pair of denims and an optional jacket for a casual Sunday brunch. Move beyond the basics and liven up your wardrobe with some Chinese collar shirts in casual checks or narrow stripes. Linen with its characteristic casual appearance is naturally suited to this look. So go ahead and experiment.

• One of the best outcomes of the mandarin collar is no ties! We bet, adjusting that collar time and again due to the sweltering atmosphere is irksome.

• We are all traditional at heart. Go mandarin on your kurta and team it up with jeans.

• If you are planning to wear it under a suit, wear a grey or white shirt to give it a casual yet elegant flavor.

• Planning to go full formal, with a touch of class? Go for mandarin collar shirt in a dressy plain or self fabric. Avoid being too gaudy. A strict no to fluorescent shades.

• For an evening out, experiment with a Nehru collar in small prints or jacquard fabrics.

In a nutshell, Chinese Collars equals elegance + simplicity + smartness. Break away from the routine, go mandarin.