Also known as the straight-point collar, the point collar is one of the most popular types of collars employed in fashion. A point collar is considered a turndown collar, which means that the collar itself is turned down and the edges create a sort of point or triangle. The point collar is commonly worn with a man's suit, often with a tie. The two points of the turned down collar create a triangle opening, which best offsets the knot of a tie.
Point collars are meant to be worn in a well-pressed manner. To augment this look, the collar is often well starched and lined with interfacing, or a stay is inserted. A stay is a metal or hard plastic piece placed on the under side of the collar which can be permanently stitched into the collar or can be a removable; the stay is rounded on one ended and pointed so as to neatly slip into the farthest point of the collar. Often the collar will have buttonholes located at the points so that they remain riveted neatly in place on the shirt, and, in the event a tie is worn, it will be held properly in place.
The benefit to the point collar is that it is very versatile and will complement most cuts of suit jackets or blazers. While the point collar goes well with most jacket styles, it is suggested that collars with shorter points make the wearer's neck appear longer; for those who want to make their neck appear shorter, using a point collar with shorter points is advised. To compliment a rounder face, the wearer should choose longer points, and for a longer face, shorter points are a better choice. The closer set the points are, the more focus there will be on the wearer's tie, instead of on the face. Looser set point collars tend to draw focus toward the wearer's face.
The reason the choice of a collar is so important is that, regardless of whether a shirt is worn alone, underneath a sweater, or with a jacket and tie, a collar is the one part of an outfit that will nearly always be visible. For this reason, collars of all types play a major part in how the wearer will appear. Point collars, while still a quite traditional choice, are some of the most versatile of all collars, complimenting the face proportions of all its wearers.
