Popped Collars OR How To Look Instantly Cool?

After spending hours on my Tumblr last week, on photos that put me in this 70s mood of Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg irresistible attraction, of Brigitte Bardot, of those great films, great fashions and times – it hit me.

They all had one thing in common: a certain coolness, je ne sais quois effortlessness and more often than not it was given by their simple outfits mixed with their fabulous attitudes. And POPPED COLLARS.

The fact that I’ve had to swallow my tongue one too many times has rarely stopped me from making big statements. After being wrong so many times, you’d expect me to know better, but here I am again taking back what I said last year: my professed dislike for the popped collar look.

I think it was something like: ‘Unless you’re Alex Turner stop popping your fucking collar.’

Well. Now I not only take it back, but actually encourage everyone to pop that shit, with a few notes: Alex probably still does it better, and while he (and maybe a few other lads) can get away with popped collars on any top, I’d suggest us mortals – girls and boys – stick to popped collars only on jackets and coats.

Is popping your collar the new trend in town?

Up to last weekend when I was on tumblr and had my epiphany I never really gave much thought to the popped collar being a thing in fashion. Is really everyone popping it? I guess it’s to hide from the cold. Or just to look cooler you know.

Popped collars are the equivalent of sunglasses. Everyone instantly looks better with them on. More rockenroll you know.

Or could this 70s mania in fashion be the reason behind everyone loving the retro cool look of a popped collar on a coat? In fashion being slightly reckless and messy is way better than a well-studied-proneness, and the popped collar stands exactly for this. A je m’en fiche, a middle finger up to all that’s suppose to be a certain way.

Or maybe we’re really that cold. Or perhaps lifting up your coat’s collar is the instant gimmick to making you look cool.

Is there a rule to popping your collar?

1) You have to get in a rockstar state of mind, which implies wearing sunglasses indoors. or in the words of Alex: ‘Leather jacket collar popped like Cantona’, while of course you’re on the prowl late in the night looking for some ‘her/him’ in your life.

2) Limit yourself to popped collars on jackets and coats. Hands deep in your pockets and hair tucked in. ;)

3) If you wish to pop that collar on polo shirts or shirts, do it, but to avoid looking like a cheap fashion victim keep your attitude very cool and relaxed.

Italian men, Miranda Kerr and French girls do this style best:

pop the collar of your shirt or polo T-shirt BUT wear it underneath a jumper or sweater; layering a lot also helps.
pop the collar of a shirt BUT wear it in a simple basic outfit. Think French chic.