Dress 140. Hearty Kiss in red + blue. Where to buy cutwork collars, false fronts (dickeys) and detachable cuffs.

November 18, 2020

Hearty Kiss in red and blue with lace collar. Photo of Angela Lansbury by Trevor Sharot.

The blouse with the pretty collar has the label Intermode. I cannot find them. I think I bought this in Singapore from one of those tiny stores which look like a garage inside Far East Plaza in Scots Road from the bridge walkway across the road.

Desk Bell

Desk bells with the words Ring for a KISS are widely available.

Balloons

The heart balloon must be saved from a meal out on Valentine's day or sold off cheaply at Tesco's the day after.

Collars and Dickeys

I looked all over the internet for lace collar, embroidered collar and cut-out collar. You can also search for dickey. If you can find the Chinese websites, they have a dozen styles. They fabrics range from thin and flimsy to stiff and scratchy through absolutely gorgeous with colourful motifs and embroidery.

From America you can get modern and vintage collars at ten times what I would pay for a blouse. On the other hand, if you wore a dickey every day with different outfits it would be worth the money.

I find that like blouses, you have to wash the collar after every wear, so if you want to wear them every day, you need two of the same or better still two styles.

I bought two with red collars and they went with hardly anything, but I love them.

The best variety is fake collars. But as you see here, they really don't look right on multi-colour woollens, only over plain colours, especially to brighten up a white or black garment.

These are the websites I shall go back to when I want to order.

You can also buy fake cuffs.

Triple collar in white and many other designs. Posts free from UK to UK. Under seven pounds including postage.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Women-False-Collar-Fake-Half-Shirt-Blouse-Ladies-Peter-Pan-Detachable-Collar-New/353276692090

DIY Cuffs and collars

Do you have a blouse or shirt which is too small or too big? Do you have a blouse or shirt with spoiled collar but OK cuffs? Or fine collar but spoiled, frayed cuffs? If you were about to throw it out, consider dyeing it to hide the white. Or cut off the collar and cuffs. You can wear the piece without the collar and sleeves. And wear the collar or sleeves as a separate item under a tee-shirt or woolly jumper.

Useful Websites