Note: I was doing laundry yesterday and remembered that I did not always know I should unbutton shirt collars. It’s a serious habit for me now, but I figured a republish of this reminder might be helpful!
Hopefully the rest of you have been smarter laundry-doers than me, but just in case you haven’t….
For the last few years, I’ve noticed that Mr. FG’s work shirt collars have been wearing like so:
The problem wasn’t on the edge of the collar like you’d expect.
And for the longest time I could not figure out what the problem was. But then I remembered how when the shirts come out of the wash, the collar is usually laying cock-eyed like this:
Rather than like this:
Basically, the collar is wanting to straighten out in the wash, but since the buttons are trying to hold it in place, the collar ends up bending at an odd spot.
And the edges of the cock-eyed collar were getting rubbed raw in the wash.
Doh.
Plus, because the collar was getting bent in the wrong places, the stiffness of the collar was becoming compromised.
Obviously, the solution is to just unbutton the collar buttons before putting the shirt in the wash. That way the collar can move freely and it won’t wear thin as it’s washed and dried.
I feel pretty silly for not having realized this until now, and I’m kind of bummed out that some of Mr. FG’s dress shirts are kind of unwearable for work now, simply because of the collar issues.
Such a waste.
But better late than never, I say! And now that I’ve figured this out, his current work shirts are safe.
___________________________________
P.S. I browsed around the internet to see if I’m the only person this has happened to, and most of what I came across said to unbutton things to reduce wear on the button stitching. So I guess even if your shirt collars are weathering all right, it’s still a good idea to unbutton before washing.
Wei Liu says
Hi, thank for sharing.
However, this is only the one side of the story. This must be what the washer/dryer told you: “It’s you problem not us”.
The washer and dryer may still have issues? Do you think it’s more wear from washer or dryer? Are thy too old? If you do what you suggested, the wear will only move to the edge of the collar.
gina says
Good tip!
GoddessTantra says
We are lucky, no-one in our house wears formal attire, but glad you’ve solved your problem.
Suzan says
More than once I have turned collars from front to back because my daughter was great at melting them while ironing.
Ellen says
That’s a bit of trivia I knew nothing about. (ignore the dangling preposition, please :)) Thanks. Now I just need to figure out why the same thing is happening to my husband’s chinos – same spot each time: near the back pockets. It’s the same brand – Dockers – I think it’s how the pockets were sewn at their corners – it wears away the fabric and causes holes. I’ve had to throw out so many pairs of his pants because of this – I almost feel like writing the company and asking. I’ve mentioned that maybe it’s how he sits but other pants don’t have that problem. Have you had that kind of thing before?
Kristen says
I’ve had a similar problem with my jeans…they tend to sprout holes at the bottom of the zipper, and I really do not know how to repair that!
I’d consider calling the company to ask.
Heidi Louise says
Does he carry a heavy wallet in his back pocket? (though it would have to be in both pockets, I suppose).
Sounds like they are poorly designed and need reinforcing when they are new. What a pain!
AR says
I’ve had a similar problem but when I wash and dry jeans. So to reduce wear and tear around the seams (especially in the dryer) I turn them inside out. It’s worked really well for me and saved some of my favorite pairs from an early death.
Beth says
Just an FYI, I would have expected better quality for the L.L. Bean shirts (button or un-buttoned). They typically stand behind their products and have a great customer service. You might consider asking them about the issue and I suspect they will be more than willing to help you.
Kristen says
I don’t mind doing that when it’s a true quality issue. But in this case, I feel like I’m somewhat to blame for the issue, and so I’d feel odd asking for a refund. The collars would probably be fine if I’d just unbuttoned the buttons!
Sarah G says
My husband doesn’t like the collars that button down, otherwise I’m positive I woul have encountered the same problem… And I’m pretty certain I wou have been able to figure out what the issue was. Nice work!
Sarah G says
*wouldn’t have been able
JD says
I have a front loader, but my husband’s shirts are generally unbuttoned when I wash them too, so the fraying hasn’t been a problem for me. However, I find this all so funny, because when I was a young wife trying to be the perfect homemaker (those days are long gone!), I read up on doing laundry and the Martha Stewart types back then said to always button all of the buttons on shirts. I tried it once and decided I was not going to be a perfect laundress, because that was too much work. And now I find out it’s bad for the shirts, anyway! So funny!
I hang up or hang out most of our laundry, so I unbutton and unfold the collars — they dry so much faster. As for turning them, which is a great idea– I should have thought of that myself. The one and only blouse I sewed for one of my kids, I put the collar on the wrong way. I should have realized it’s easy to turn a collar, because I sure did, by accident.
Ali @ Anything You Want says
I learned the hard way to always unbutton everything before washing/drying. I’ve had a few buttons on more delicate blouses pull out and rip due to machine washing and drying. I now unbutton everything but also zip everything – apparently open zippers can also cause problems in the wash.
david says
But those buttons are so tiny and fiddly. they are SO hard to button and unbutton. That will also wear out the shirt when you continually button and unbutton. At least that is what I think. But then I am just a man and my hands and fingers are big compared to yours! When I have had to do it I get so frustrated that I think I won’t buy any more of those shirts with the little button down collars.
Just a thought. 
Kristen says
His haven’t been too bad to do…yay for smallish hands, I guess!
Kim says
You aren’t supposed to wear neck ties with button down collars anyway. So, I find it’s better to buy the ones without the buttons (unless you are positive that you’ll never wear a tie with the shirt e.g. it’s a casual shirt).
Kristen says
Yep, Mr. FG has several shirts without button collars that he wears with ties. But most of the time, he doesn’t have to wear a tie, so that’s why most of his shirts have buttoned collars.
To be clear, I only unbutton them during laundering. They’re always buttoned when he wears them!
Diane C says
While it’s true that button-down shirts are the least formal style of men’s dress shirt, it is absolutely not true that they are not “supposed to” be worn with neckties. Balderdash!
As for washing, yes, undo the small buttons on the button-down collars. This also makes it easier to spot any grime on the collar so you can pre-treat it before it becomes permanent.
NMPatricia says
This is a new one. And contrary to zipping up zippers (I understand that). Thanks for the tip.
Kristen says
Yes, zipping zippers DOES make sense to me. That would be less wear and tear than leaving it unzipped.
Darlene says
I am surprised that you took the time to button the shirts. I unbutton my shirts, take them off, and put in laundry. Never crossed my mind to button after removing.
Kristen says
Oh, I don’t button the main buttons. But since Mr. FG doesn’t wear a tie, it’s not like he needs to undo the collar buttons when he takes his shirts off, so they’ve just stayed buttoned.
Ellie Z says
Now that you have solved the mystery the solution to save the shirts is to unsew the collar and flip it over to put the holes on the underside and sew the collar back in place.
Anne says
Yes, exactly what I was going to say. Turn those collars and save the shirts. And if you are worried about how well you will do, well, what do you have to lose?
isabelle says
At least your figured it out! I keep getting these tiny holes in my shirts. Always at the same place (belly region). And I CAN’T figure out how they get there. It’s not like I am always wearing the sames pants with buttons or studs or anything. I wear different kids of pants, and I don’t pull on my shirts… It’s a mystery. How many shirts I had to throw out, it’s annoying!!
Amanda says
Me too! Does anyone know why this happens?
Ellie Z says
My friend had same problem until she noticed her counter top edge had a rough spot that she must have leaned (rubbed) against while washing dishes. Could also be car safety belt has a burr that you don’t notice.
Tammy says
I have that same problem, and have figured it is a result of where I press against the counter as I’m washing dishes, combined with buttons/snaps on my skirt or pants. Wearing an apron helps prevent it for me.
Isabelle says
That could be it!!! I’ll keep an eye for it, thanks.
Amy says
Happens to me too! It’s the worst! Always my favorite t-shirts, too.
SandyH says
I am a dog groomer and my nylon scrub tops ALWAYS wear out right across the front of my waist. This is because I use a waist-height tub to bathe the dogs in. So yes, I’d say definitely it is something you’re rubbing against causing the wear and tear.
Diane C says
The two most likely culprits are seat belts and belt buckles.
Kim from Philadelphia says
Ah Kristen, you are a dress-shirt detective!
Here’s another trick I figured out. I wash dress shirts inside out. It provides extra agitation to the heaviest-soiled parts of the shirt (the collar and cuffs)
I then dry them for just 5 minutes, then invert the shirt and button it up. I hang dry the rest of the way. Even easy-care shirts look less rumpled this way.
Liz says
So interesting! I never unbutton my husband’s shirts before I wash them and was wondering why we’ve never had this problem, but then I realized he doesn’t button them! His office is very casual though.
Kim says
Not buttoning down a button down collar is like walking around with your fly unzipped.
Next you will be telling me that he wears neck ties with short-sleeved dress shirts…
Kristen says
Oh, goodness. Neck ties and short sleeved dress shirts…yuck.
Actually, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen an instance where a short sleeve dress shirt was good-lookin’!
Tammy says
Interesting. I don’t unbutton my husband’s shirt collars and I can’t think of any that have worn that way. Do you have a front or top loader? My machine is a front loader so I’m not sure if that makes a difference or not.
Kristen says
Mine is a top-loader, so yes, that could make a difference.
Gary says
Some of my shirts develop this pattern of holes and others never do. I think it is more a factor of the material than if you washer spins vertically or horizontally. I have unbuttoned the collars before thinking this could potentially be the reason, however by that time the holes were already there. I will start doing it all the time on new shirts of similar fabric and see if that helps. Thanks.
Dawn says
I must be thicker than most. I don’t know that I ever would have figured out that the buttoned collars were causing the issue. It’s too bad about the shirts affected, but think of all the shirts that will be saved because you figured it out…
Patricia says
I did not know that about unbuttoning the collars and I thank you for the tip. But here’s one for you that might work to save the shirts: remove the collar and flip it around. (I have done this with my husband’s work shirts with great success as they were wearing thin at the back of the neck.) I do not have a sewing machine and this is so easy you can even do it by hand, although it takes longer. You cannot tell at all and the frayed edge of the collar is now under the fold. Looks like new!
Kristen says
Is this really time-consuming? I’ve always hesitated to bother with it before!
Patricia says
Not time consuming at all. May be 30 minutes for me because I am sewing it by hand. I just rip out the seam, reverse the collar and pin. It doesn’t have to be super perfect because everything will be under the collar fold and not seen anyway.
KT says
As others have said, this is easy and not time consuming. Easy for a beginner, too…if you have a sewing machine. My hubby even rips out the stitching for me while he is watching TV! All I have to do is turn the collar, slip it back inside the slot, pin, and re-sew. You must try it! Doubles the life of a shirt. Now that’s frugal.
Jessica says
I’ve turned the collars a few times and it is easy and looks great. With a sewing machine it’s only a few minutes. The most time consuming part is using a seam ripper to open the seam. A super way to extend the life of an otherwise fine shirt.
Tarynkay says
If you try it and it doesn’t work, you can always refashion the dress shirts into cute summer shirts/dresses (depending on how tall your man is, I guess) for you and the girls.
TrayceeBee says
Thanks so much for this!! My husbands collars wear out like this as well and I didn’t know why — I thought maybe it was the way I ironed them. Never thought it would be because the collar was still buttoned! This will definitely help save us money and his favorite work shirts!!!
Kristen says
It seems so obvious once you figure it out, right? I was all, “DUHHHHH.” when it finally occurred to me. Gah. But at least we know what to do from here on out!
Diane C says
Public Service Announcement – before you spend time ripping out those multiple rows of tiny stitches, check the underside of the collar. Most button down collars can be turned, but some other styles can’t. For example, some collars have tiny pockets or channels for stays. Others have stays firmly stitched in place. Still others have a stitched or fused interfacing. Any of these examples will show if the collar is turned.
Kristen says
Ooh, that is a very good point about the collar stays. Those make a collar totally unflippable.