The Peter Pan Collar

© Flickr / Mariah Fleming

The funny thing about Peter Pan collars – those adorable, rounded necklines that make any outfit extra-sweet – is that Peter Pan didn’t actually wear one. Rather, the boy who refused to grow up is often depicted in a green, v-neck tunic, or bare-chested and wrapped in vines, while the flat, round-cornered collar that bears his namesake actually came to prominence in fashion during the mid-20th century. A popular detail on children’s clothes, the child-like style soon made its way to the babydoll-look dresses and sweaters of the sixties.

Peter Pan collars continue to pop up again and again in today’s fashions. Donna Karan showed retro, lacey mini-dresses with contrast collars at her “New York mod” show for DKNY; Vanessa Seward attached one with white piping to a saucy evening jumpsuit in all black for her Azzaro line. At Philosophy by Alberta Ferretti, Peter Pan collars showed up on silky champagne tops worn with brocade skirts, and on impeccable khaki shirt-dresses. Marc Jacobs took the look in a completely different direction for his fetishistic show for Louis Vuitton, where the girlish-collars lent sweetness to his severe black-and-leather French maid-inspired uniforms.

If you don’t have a Peter Pan-piece already in your wardrobe, now’s the time to acquire something with this unusual detail.

© ASOS, ASOS, ASOS, See by Chloe, Anthropologie Adelie, ModClothASOS makes the Peter Pan collar seem downright sexy on its Petite Exclusive V-neck Dress. In body-conscious white knit with a nipped-in waist, the oversized collar adds offbeat appeal to an otherwise sexy, sexy dress. Forget the “rules-“ we love white for winter in Miami. Pair this beauty with pumps and pearls for a classic cocktail look, or add textured or patterned tights and fun flats to keep it casual.

The Sleeveless Peter Pan Collar Dress with Chiffon Panel, also from ASOS, is another cute and classy option. Team the navy blue frock with red patent leather pumps or brogues and a skinny belt to polish it up; we love the sheer section from neck to chest, which covers up where you need it, but still shows just enough skin to make this school-girl style dress feel grown-up.

A round-collared blouse can be a girl’s best friend when she’s trying to be posh and polished, but still wants and original detail to set her look apart. Swap out your standard, stand-up collared dress shirts and button downs for a sweet peter pan top instead. Try the delicate ASOS Lace Peter Pan Collar Blouse with tan cords or a camel suede skirt and ankle boots for a retro-vibe; the same holds for the very-70’s See by Chloe Crepe de Chine Peter Pan Blouse in Burnt Orange. Pair it with high-rise, flared-leg distressed jeans, chunky platforms, and a vibrant fringed bag.

Go full-on playful with a penguin-printed Peter Pan blouse; an Adelie Blouse from Anthropologie combines yellow penguin-silhouettes on a turquoise background for a really cool finish. Distinct enough to stand on it’s own, wear it with button earrings, skinny jeans and sleek shoes to keep the focus up top. The studious Study in Stripes Top from ModCloth is another retro-revival we love – pair this stripy, swingy top with skinny jeans or a skin-tight tube skirt to balance it out. Add statement shoes and a bright envelope clutch so you err on the “modern” edge of mod.

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