If you’re looking for a fashion-forward alternative to ordinary apparel, consider incorporating a shirt with a mandarin collar into your wardrobe. Mandarin collars, sometimes called Chinese collars or cadet collars, continue to be very popular for both men and women.

A mandarin collar is a shirt or jacket collar based on the traditional Manchurian dress. The collar starts at the neckline and typically rises two to five centimeters with no fold. There can have either rounded or straight edges at the front of a mandarin collar. If the collar overlaps slightly, there is often a button to secure the two sides of the garment together.

Sun Yat-sen, a Chinese revolutionary and political leader, popularized the use of this style of collar in China by creating the Zhong Shan suit. Also known as the Mao suit, this outfit was intended to be representative of the Han people and prominently featured a mandarin collar.

A mandarin collar is very similar to the Nehru collar that is a characteristic trait of modern Indian clothing for men. Band collars, a style designed to make it easy to use a detachable collar with a shirt or jacket, are also very similar in appearance to the mandarin collar.

The mandarin collar may have oriental roots, but its use is now widespread. Outfits with mandarin collars are often worn by Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic clergy. In addition, the United States military has adopted mandarin collars on uniforms that require the use of body armor.

In popular culture, men often choose to wear shirts with mandarin collars since this style does not require the use of a necktie. A shirt with a mandarin collar can be worn with a business suit as a slightly less formal alternative to traditional dress. In fact, many men’s clothing shops now sell tuxedo shirts with mandarin collars. This look is youthful and minimalistic, making it a favorite fashion statement among young men working in creative industries or those seeking to avoid the impression that they are playing dress-up in their father’s business clothes.

Although the mandarin collar is most often associated with fashion for men, women can enjoy this unique design as well. However, shirt and jackets for women with mandarin collars are often made from silk fabric, feature knots instead of buttons, and have other vaguely oriental-inspired details. These pieces can easily be paired with dark denim jeans or skirts for a fresh and contemporary look.