Statement collar separates are fast becoming a thing this season and provide the perfect way to temporarily tart up old tops and dresses. They’re absolutely everywhere at the moment – check out Alex’s round-up here – but the one I’ve been wearing most is this COS scallop edge ‘mock shirt’.

As well as the always-pleasing scallops, I was weirdly excited by the elastic straps on either side of the bib, which keep your collar in place and bring to mind – at least for me – the detachable collars worn by gents in the late 19th and early 20th century, secured in place by a couple of studs.

Seeing as how most books I read these days are set in the 20s and 30s, I’m no stranger to a detachable collar and they always seem to be causing little old Bertie Wooster and his pals problems, viz;

He toyed for a moment with the ginger-beer wire which held his pince-nez in place, and endeavoured without success to button his collar at the back. In moments of emotion Ukridge’s collar always took on a sort of temperamental jumpiness which no stud could restrain.

Indeed!

The top pic is a famous advert featuring the Arrow Collar Man – the face of detachable collars in the 1920s, TBH. The illustration is by J C Leyendecker and you can read more about him and his work with Arrow here. Bonus fact: story features tales of “a live-in companion”.