Change a Shirt Collar Into a Mandarin Collar With NO Sewing

by K-Sue

115K2420

Intro: Change a Shirt Collar Into a Mandarin Collar With NO Sewing

Living in a hot climate, I love wearing light weight shirts and blouses, but I hate the collars on them. They always need to be ironed for one, and they can look and feel sloppy too.
I came up with this idea of cutting the collar off, which makes it look like a Mandarin style collar. It works great and looks great! My shirts feel lighter and cooler too!
It's so simple and quick, and requires no sewing. You can do this in minutes!
Some of these shirts have long shirt tales. I like to cut them off and hem at top of hip level and wear them not tucked in. They look great with a pair of Capri's and it makes a cool comfortable summer outfit.
I've also done collars on my long sleeved shirts too.

STEP 1: The Before Picture

The shirt as it was originally.

STEP 2: Cutting the Collar Off

Cut across the bottom of the collar very carefully, being sure to keep the cut close but JUST ABOVE the seam line of the peice that will be the Mandarin collar.

STEP 3: The Cut Off Collar

Check to see that you cut close enough and clean up any little frays if you did not. Snipping carefully so as not to cut the edge of the new Mandrin collar.

STEP 4: The Finished Product!

A nice new clean crisp look to an old shirt! I don't like labels tickling my neck either so I cut them off too! lol!

STEP 5: Another Shirt I Did

Here's another shirt dressed up with a necklace.

STEP 6: A Denim Shirt Before

STEP 7: The Denim Shirt After

The denim could also be cut about 1/2 inch above the Mandarin seam and then you can fray it for another more casual option.

STEP 8: Save the Collars You Cut Off

Be sure to save all those collars you are cutting off your shirts for another project! I have a few ideas cooking for mine already for a future Instructable ; )

16 Comments

Epboone13 4 years ago

I absolutely hate collars. They just don't sit right with me and always curl up on the ends. Very annoying. But as someone else said, mandarin style collars are hard to find. I can't believe I have been suffering them so long when there was such a simple solution. Cheers to you! And by the way. I saw someone say something about fraying too. After I cut the collar off, I used a lighter to burn all the frays off. Easy and effective.

iluvcatstoo 3 years ago

Glad it worked out ! I would probably have caught the shirt on fire! You are brave! :D

artish37 3 years ago

TFS - great ideas! This came up when I searched whether this was even possible. I'm not an advanced sewer, and I was concerned the shirt I wanted to convert would "hang funny" afterwards. I'm also not a fan of floppy collars or trying to iron them. So I read your tips, converted a tunic and it looks way better. Not sure why they even put a collar on it to begin with. But I love your frayed collar tip, and I'm saving the collar scrap- I may want to make epaulets for the rolled sleeves!

iluvcatstoo 3 years ago

That looks great! I bet it gave it a whole new look just by removing the collar!

driddle marlin 5 years ago

I have a couple white cotton dress shirts with long tails I want to wear with leggings but I don't like the collars. I too have a short neck and sometimes stiff collars need to go. These instructions will help me fix this problem. Thank you so much!

AnnaF16 8 years ago

Oh... I think you solved the first issue of my Halloween costume. It isn't easy to find a mandarin collar, and that is vital to Princess Anna. Thanks!

Gerson Bergamin 10 years ago

Very nice, good Idea. Why save all those collars I'm cutting off my shirts?
Thanks

Gerson Bergamin 10 years ago

Very nice, good Idea. Why save all those collars I'm cutting off my shirts?
Thanks

instructablesobserver 11 years ago

Thank you!! This worked for me. I was about to give away a blouse I have that had a huge ungainly collar. It is now a lovely mandarin collar shirt with 15 seconds of work!

Candice157 12 years ago

I'm so happy to have found this. I am so hot natured that I can never wear anything with a normal collar. I have some cute sleeveless, but collared, dresses that I love, but are miserable in, due to the collar. I'm going to try this on one of them. Thank you so much for posting.

If you have a way to remove SLEEVES, PLEASE let me know! Ive been trying to think of a way to do that and I'm guessing there is no way to do it without turning the sleeve into a facing. Thanks again!

porcupinemamma 14 years ago

I have a short neck, and collars look rediculous on me.  I do this too.  Nice instructable!

cokecola 14 years ago

How do you keep it from fraying after washing?

K-Sue 14 years ago

By making sure you cut right up to the seam line of where the collar was attached to the 'Mandarin" strip, there will be nothing to fray. The top of the Mandarin is already finished off, there isn't any cut on that part. You might not have cut close enough if you see anything that could fray so just check it and clean up any wisps that happen to poke out.