white collar evolution
image source: parisiangentleman.co.uk. allo amis, ca va? today i wanted to get here before 11pm. don’t want to burn out on this before it gets going but i see that’s it’s going to be a real push to keep myself going and stay motivated. anyway it’s day 9 and i’m still editing and organizing. today i went through the last of the items that are going to be sold, returned others to their rightful owners and separated those that need to be restored or given away. i decided to give away something i’ve had for a long time.
it’s a box of men’s collars that i thought for sure would be a fun and creative project whether it be putting them under glass or making a lamp like i saw in paris a couple years ago. does anyone remember that lamp by any chance? i can’t find the photos of it and don’t see it anywhere online. in any case once i started googling the collars for ideas it opened up a world that was once all the rage and is now completely obsolete. fascinating nonetheless. below are some links i found for everything from store curios to saks’ entire window display for men’s hard collars back in the day.
these are photos of the ones for the giveaway. they’ve never been used. if you think you can do something with them and are creative and crafty then leave your name and we can draw on friday.
graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/2013/01/antique-clip-art-mens-collar-ads.html
till then check out some of these amazing collections that have been preserved,
celebrated and
enjoyed. (masterfile.com-COLLECTION-DISPLAYS)
pzrservices.typepad.com/vintageadvertising
pinterest.com/thecostumer/detachable-hard-collars-history
some might say, ‘they’re just collars so what’s the big deal?’ i doubt we’d save a store curio or even take a photo of a window display full of collared shirts today. it’s a only a collar after all. but someone (more than one someone) had the wherewithal to preserve them. but why? who would have thought this everyday piece of fashion would have any significance when it was so prevalent, necessary and part of a man’s daily life? normally that makes something become commonplace and banal and overlooked. thankfully someone did bother and if you think you can make something cool with them i’m thrilled to pass them on. have a great night!
A collar’s job is to properly frame the face, accentuating a man’s facial strengths while down playing any abnormalities. Collars act like a frame to the most important picture in the world, your face.
guess some things never change: forbes.com-a-gentlemans-guide-to-dress-shirts
this just in: thank you chryle!
the paris apartment 
Nancy Flemming replied:
You are awesome in the way that you take one circumstance to research or explore and segue into an interesting subject displayed in such an artistic way and such and interesting approach of intellectual exploration and artistic display….you to a T. Good luck with your ‘evolution’ and your next project.
Vty,
Nancy Flemming
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January 14, 2016 at 12:58 am. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
Hi Nancy, that’s a really sweet thing to say! I do love the exploring connections, didn’t really know that till right now.
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January 17, 2016 at 4:09 am. Permalink.
Julie Light replied:
Hmmmm… I’ve got a couple of ideas but I’m not sure if they will work. They will be fun to play around with. I was thinking about making headbands with them, or maybe add a ribbon And use them as a Ladies collar. They would be a fun item to display
Have a Fabulous evening!
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January 14, 2016 at 1:41 am. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
That sounds like a great and unusual idea. You are so creative, Julie! I’ll try to find more.
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January 17, 2016 at 4:09 am. Permalink.
Susanne replied:
I too saw that lamp at one time but cannot remember where. Rue du Bac? Maison & Objet? I don’t know but it must have been a rare item. Can’t locate it on the net. I would *love* to have a collection of those beautiful old collars!
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January 14, 2016 at 3:23 am. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
They were in this little shop of Rue Paul Bert. Let me know if you find the photo, Susanne
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January 17, 2016 at 4:10 am. Permalink.
MJH DesignArts replied:
Hi Claudia, You might try a good frame restorer to fix the lid of the box. Then a leather person can “fill” the cracked leather and re-polish the leather. Please do not quit! I need my nightly inspiration. Thank you tons. Mary
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January 14, 2016 at 4:45 am. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
That’s a great idea. In fact I have to go there on Monday and will take it with me. I’ll keep you posted! Thanks for not wanting me to quit. Makes me feel good that you’re here.
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January 17, 2016 at 4:11 am. Permalink.
Annarica replied:
Hi there, oh those are so beautiful and thank you for the opportunity to be the possible future curator of these ephemeral bits of history. I have been following you for a very long time and would just like to say I admire your openness about your transitioning so very much. It is like witnessing the emergence of a butterfly from a cocoon in another cycle of your creativity. Enjoy the process of becoming the new you. Annarica
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January 14, 2016 at 5:31 am. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
Wow, thank you…would that it were so!
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January 17, 2016 at 4:13 am. Permalink.
Deborah McReynolds replied:
Oh my goodness I have many ideas for collars. Putting them around the top of one of my dress forms, over the top of a cute fluted lampshade. Thank you for the chance to enjoy some of your collars for decorating and wearing.
I am enjoying following along with your 2016 journey. I too decided that 2016 would be about me. I am starting with my health and already feel better just in this second week of the year!
Deborah McReynolds
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January 14, 2016 at 3:35 pm. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
Great ideas, Deborah! I’d love to hear more about how you’re working on your 2016 journey and glad you’re already seeing progress!
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January 17, 2016 at 4:14 am. Permalink.
Rogerlyn Olson replied:
I really like those collars and I love the idea of putting them in a display. My husband and I are making our downstairs into a bar which will have an old fashioned theme. The collars would look so cool displayed there! I hope that you are able to fix the beautiful jewelry boxes. You are right, they need love! I am wondering if taking the leather covered one to a wood worker would do the trick? Maybe even contacting someone on Etsy who works in leather might be a good idea. If they could not fix it, maybe they could give you some good ideas on restoration. Best of luck to you!
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January 14, 2016 at 4:43 pm. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
I’m going to try both a framer and a shoe maker on Monday but you’re right, Etsy is a great place to look too. Your new bar sounds fantastic!
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January 17, 2016 at 4:16 am. Permalink.
Karena Albert replied:
Dear Claudia, You truly find these unique and special pieces and treasure them. I love that about you and am enjoying this series so much! Thank you!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Life Lessons: So Honored!
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January 14, 2016 at 8:37 pm. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
Hey Karena, I’m soooo glad you’re here and appreciate you checking in to let me know. You inspire me!
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January 17, 2016 at 4:17 am. Permalink.
phoenixwmn replied:
Hmmm—made this post once already but it disappeared ! :( J’ADORE your wonderful collars ! If I were to be lucky enough to win these babies I’d paint some of them with Oils and Acrylic paints ( I’m a professional fine artist), perhaps add some flatback stones to make ‘Statement Collars’, but I’d have to keep a couple just as they are for myself, to wear with a fitted shirt,long pearls,a calf-length black duster,fashionably baggy black trousers and a pointy lil black boot. *sigh* LOVE,love,love~ Thanks for the opp~ <3
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January 17, 2016 at 12:30 am. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
Man, an artist’s mind is a beautiful thing. I wish i had a box for each and every one of you and could see your visions come to life.
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January 17, 2016 at 4:17 am. Permalink.
phoenixwmn replied:
Bless you !! Your blog is a great joy to me; through you I made an extraordinary find. You deserve to know about it and how it affected my life.
With deep interest some time ago I saw your post about the legendary Paris Apartment , left sitting empty but rent paid for 70 years, the home of Mme de Florian. Like so many thousands of others, I gawked in wonder at the gorgeous photos. I was particularly stricken by the large portrait of a woman in a fabulous rose-colored gown. People assume this was Mme de Florian, but it was actually her GrandMere. That lovely portrait was painted by artist Boldini, and I immediately started searching his name to see more of his incredibly lyrical work. This is where it gets crazy. I am adopted. I began finding my biological family when I was 28, but I still have blanks to fill in. I am loved & accepted by my bio family, thank God, and have ironically become the family genealogist. :) Perhaps the most uncanny of all, through my 7 years of scholarly research and two DNA tests I’ve learned I am directly descended from many royal houses of Europe, in particular the Scottish (Campbells, Stuarts and others) and French houses ( the Valois, the deVermandois, the Plantagenet) . When I searched Boldini’s work I tripped over a portrait of Lady Colin Campbell, who happens to be my 8th Great Grand Aunt . Thanks to your post, your photos, I was able to see a likeness of a family member who I would otherwise not have known about. My research has centered strictly on direct ancestors ( Grandparents, Great Grands, Great-Great Grands etc etc)….I had not therefore looked yet at Aunts/Uncles other than my closest generations. When I saw the title “Lady Colin Campbell” I knew we had to be related and set to work connecting the genealogical dots. I now have a large giclee of that painting hanging in my living room to honor my Great Grand Aunt, and it’s all because of YOU and your blog. So you see, I owe you a great debt. Thanks to you, I found more precious family members. In my wildest dreams I’d never have imagined you’d find my wee anemic blog, which I don’t tend to and never visit. But here you are ! I even bought your book, you know. :) I figured I owed you at least a purchase of your book. :) I’m 65 and my memory, sadly, isn’t what it once was; I could be wrong about it being your blog but I’m fairly confident it was your blog that I first learned about Mme de Florian’s time-capsule of an apt. At any rate, thank you…you inadvertently gave a gift of inestimable worth. Warmest, fondest regards to you, dear Lady. xoxox
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February 14, 2016 at 6:17 am. Permalink.
Chryle replied:
Dearest Claudia~
I hope you find the sweet spot where you feel you don’t have to push at all, that ease and flow are guiding you forward. I, for one, will think more of you if you take time off from your challenge to take care of yourself in some other way. And I bet it will move your forward faster. ;)
For me, just the idea of thinking about antique shirt collars is cool! And the photos! You inspired me to google to see what images I could find. And then I checked Pinterest. I think this photo is beautiful: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/152911349819371172/
Shirt collars… who knew??!!
Here’s hoping you know the answer to this better than Cousin Violet (Downton Abbey): “What’s a weekend?”
Chryle
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January 17, 2016 at 2:46 am. Permalink.
The Paris Apartment replied:
The photo you found is so pretty, it’s almost exactly what I was looking for regarding the lamp but then i realized it’s a display. But i love it so much i added it to the post. Thanks for the advice about not pushing. As an alpha broad i want things when i want them. Maybe it’s time to just letttttt gooooo…
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January 17, 2016 at 4:20 am. Permalink.