I love button down shirts. And I really love button down shirts that are versatile enough to wear in a business setting and for a night out out with my wife or friends. For a shirt to be versatile enough to wear in a business setting, it usually needs to have a collar that doesn’t button down. When you wear those shirts with a tie, they look great, as the tie keeps your collar in place. Here’s the problem: when you wear the shirt without a tie, the collar is all over the place. It gets floppy, wants to lay down, or becomes uneven pretty quickly; see the pic above for a case in point (that’s Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah, by the way). It sucked that my favorite shirts looked great when worn with a tie, then looked awful in more casual settings because the collar wouldn’t stay in place. I’d tried collar stays, but they simply didn’t work.
Eventually, I had the good sense to reach out to men’s style guru Tanner Guzy for some guidance on the issue. Tanner runs the website masculine-style.com, and I first connected with him last February at StyleCon 2017 (now rebranded as Menfluential 2018). Because we share similar values about masculinity, Tanner has become a guy that I pay a lot of attention to when it comes to appearance and style. He’ll be the first to tell you that style has little to do with fashion, so don’t expect him to guide you towards the latest trends out of New York and Paris (thank God!). But he will help you understand that your appearance is going to tell a story and help you to figure out how to tell the story you want told. So check out Tanner’s site and follow him on Twitter @tannerguzy.
Enough with the props, back to the issue: floppy collars. Tanner directed me to a cool product called Fashion Anchors. Fashion Anchors are made by a company partly-owned by Aaron Marino. Aaron is a well-known style guru and one of the founders of the Menfluential Conference, so he knows his stuff when it comes to what men need to look good. For a description of how Fashion Anchors work and to view them in action, check out Aaron’s video here (warning, Aaron has a large personality).
Fashion Anchors are clear, circular tabs with double-stick sides. You apply them to the underside of your collar, then place the collar into position. The Fashion Anchors will hold it there through thick and thin and keep it looking great.
As you can see, they work with polo shirts as well. Another pretty cool function is that they can serve as an extra button if you have too much space at the top of your shirt and want to minimize the opening. They’re definitely a versatile little product. They cost $15.00 for a pack of 36 anchors. I ordered two packs and have been thoroughly satisfied.
Without Fashion Anchors
With Fashion Anchors
As you can tell, these little rascals make a huge difference in how you look. So, grab a pack of Fashion Anchors and make floppy collars a thing of the past. Also, be sure to check out Tanner’s site. His archetype quiz alone is pretty cool and very helpful. Finally, I’ll be at Menfluential 2018, so grab a ticket, head to Atlanta, and be sure to say hi. Enjoy.
p.s. - I don’t get a dime for these recommendations. You’re hearing about these people and products because they have added value to my life as a man and I think they’ll do the same for you.
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I’m an attorney, a husband for over 25 years, and a father of four. And I’m restless. I’m convinced that there’s more in life for men than we’re getting. I’m ready for more, ready to lead my family on a tremendous journey. Join me.
