What Are 70s Collars Called? | Decade Style Terms Explained

70s collars had no single name; men wore dagger, Barrymore, or tapered collars while women wore Peter Pan, Chelsea, and poet styles.

The 1970s produced some of fashion’s most recognizable silhouettes, and shirt collars were no exception. Whether you are shopping for vintage pieces or researching the decade’s aesthetic, knowing what 70s collars are called helps you describe exactly what you want. The terminology splits cleanly by gender, with long-point styles dominating menswear and softer, rounded looks defining womenswear.

Below is a breakdown of the era’s key collar names, the shapes they describe, and common mix-ups to avoid when identifying 1970s shirts.

Men’s 1970s Shirt Collars: Dagger, Barrymore And Tapered

Men’s dress shirts from the 1970s are best known for long, dramatic collar points that spread wide over jacket lapels or lay flat against the chest. The most common names for this look are the dagger collar, the Barrymore collar, and the tapered collar.

A Barrymore collar is a turnover collar with notably long points, and fashion historians note it reappeared in the 1970s with a strong “disco” association. The style is frequently called a tapered collar because the collar leaves narrow toward the points. The dagger collar takes the trend further with sharp, elongated points that resemble a blade’s shape, often paired with bright, bold disco shirts.

Related wide-point looks from the era include the spread collar and the pointed collar. The spread collar sits wider at the neckband, while the pointed collar keeps a narrower angle. For men’s shirts, the dagger and Barrymore names remain the most specific to the 1970s look.

Women’s 1970s Collar Styles: Peter Pan, Chelsea And Poet

Women’s 1970s fashion blended nostalgic revivals with new romantic silhouettes, producing three distinct collar terms.

The Peter Pan collar is a flat, rounded collar that sits close to the neckline. It was revived during the decade’s 1950s-fashion trend and appears frequently on blouses and dresses from the period. The Chelsea collar features a low V-neckline with a stand and long points, popular in both the 1960s and 1970s. The poet collar is a soft, flowing collar with long pointed ends, named for the romantic writers whose style inspired the look.

Womenswear in the 1970s also included wide collars worn open over lapels, echoing the decade’s menswear trends but with softer fabrics and rounded edges.

Common Naming Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

Mislabeling 1970s collars is easy because fashion writing uses several terms interchangeably. The wing collar, for example, is not the right name for the disco-shirt look — that formal style belongs to earlier decades. Similarly, “big collar” is a descriptive phrase, not a precise historical name; the correct term depends on the shirt’s actual shape.

The table below clarifies which collar name matches which silhouette:

Another common mix-up: the Peter Pan collar is sometimes applied to any vintage women’s collar, but its rounded shape is distinct from the long-point styles seen on 1970s men’s shirts. When identifying a garment, check the collar’s silhouette first, then match it to the correct name. Fashion writing often uses dagger, Barrymore, and tapered interchangeably, so confirming the shape before choosing a term is the safest approach.

Why The Right Name Matters For Vintage Shopping

Using the proper collar term makes vintage shopping and online searches far more effective. Searching “70s dagger collar shirt” returns different results than “70s shirt” alone, and knowing the difference between a Peter Pan and a Chelsea collar helps you identify pieces correctly. If you are hunting for authentic 1970s menswear, check the collar points carefully — the longer and sharper they are, the more likely the shirt belongs to the dagger or Barrymore family. If you’re ready to shop for authentic pieces, browse this roundup of the best 70s men’s dress shirts to see these collars in action on modern reproductions.