How to Remove Collar Stays

Collar stays keep the collars of dress shirts smooth and flat.

The pointed collars on cotton dress shirts tend to curve up. Some collars have a button hole and button to hold the collar down. Most other men's cotton dress shirts have collar stays under the collar to keep it pointing in the right direction. Collars stays are thin strips with a pointed end which slip into little pockets on the underside of the collar. They must be removed before the collar is ironed.

Instructions

1. Fold the shirt collar up.

2. Turn the shirt over so that the underside of the collar is up.

3. Locate the collar stays in the points at the front of the collar and pull them straight out.

4. Place the stays in a small container so they do not become lost while the shirt is being washed and ironed.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove collar stays before you launder a shirt, so they do not become lost in the wash.

• Replace the plastic stays which come with the shirt with metal stays. The heavier metal stays will keep the collar down better than plastic stays.

References

• Youtube: Removing Collar Stays for Ironing
• Youtube: How to Wear Shirt Stays