I’m sure you have all been through this. A situation when you are speaking to someone but actually looking at what they are wearing and thinking ‘I would love to have what they are wearing!’. I’ve been wanting an Oxford shirt for a very long time and when I saw someone wearing one with a mandarin collar, I told myself that I’m going to make one for myself. The only problem I had was the price of the Oxford shirting fabric. At £20 per meter, it was cheaper to buy the shirt than to get one made.
In case if you are not sure what an Oxford fabric is, it is a fabric woven with a basketweave structure giving it a lustrous finish.
Anyway, I searched for a cheaper version of the Oxford but just could find it. Searches on eBay or on the internet would come up empty or show something that I didn’t want. A few months later, I had a look on eBay again and someone was selling a remanent piece for £7.50 (1.5 meter). I snapped it up immediately and started adjusting my shirt pattern to achieve a mandarin collar.
I used the under collar of the shirt pattern and reduced the top length of the collar by curving the bottom length of the collar.
This effectively narrows the collar so it sits snugly around the neck.
As a very impatient person, I quickly wore the shirt as soon as the buttons went on and ran to the mirror to have a look at the result of the modified collar. I have to say that the result is exactly what I wanted. I can’t wait to buy more of this type of fabric. It seems like I am going to have a very smart look this summer.
Till then, I need to make sure this pattern is kept safely in an envelope and ensure I label it properly too. The countless adjustments I have made to this shirt pattern has also made it one of my most prized patterns. The fit is now absolutely perfect!
Stephen Yong 