Sits high on the middle of the neck with no drop and no slack.
Also called: multi strand collar, dog collar necklace
Measurement
12"-14"
The basics
What to know about collar
Collar length runs 12 to 14 inches, about 30 to 36 centimeters. The band rides the middle of the neck, well above the hollow at the base of the throat. Most collars are built as several strands held parallel by spacer bars, or as one rigid band. At this length there is nothing to hang and everything to fit.
Fit is the whole story here. An average adult neck measures 13 to 16 inches around. A 12 inch collar simply will not close on many people. Even a 14 inch one leaves under an inch of ease. Measure your neck at the point the collar should sit, then buy at least 1 inch larger, or choose a hinged design that opens.
Worn correctly a collar does not swing, tangle or slip below a neckline, which is why the length survives on formal and vintage pieces. The cost is flexibility. No drop exists to absorb a sizing error. The band presses on the throat when you tilt your head. It also fills the neck so completely that nothing else can layer above it.
Check the closure before you check the look. A collar fastens at the back of the neck under the hairline. In that spot, a box clasp with a safety catch is easier to feel for than a small spring ring. On multi strand builds, run a fingernail along the spacer bars. The holes the strands pass through are where wear starts. A strand that has cut a groove into a soft bar will saw through it eventually. Restringing costs more here than on any other length, because each of five strands is a separate job.
Best for
When it works well
Strapless and off the shoulder necklines suit it, because the collar has bare skin above and below to sit against.
Formal evening dressing is where the length belongs, since a multi strand build reads deliberate rather than casual.
If a moving necklace distracts you all day, this is the one length that stays exactly where you put it.
Vintage and deco collectors will find most true collars here, as the length went out of general production decades ago.
