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If you have ever looked at portraits from centuries ago, you have probably noticed one strange fashion detail: a giant white collar wrapped around the neck.
At first, it looks like something artists exaggerated for dramatic effect. But these collars were very real, and many Europeans, especially in England, actually wore them in everyday life.
Known as the ruff, or sometimes the millstone collar, this dramatic fashion piece was especially popular among Europe’s upper and middle classes during the 16th and 17th centuries. And it was not just about style.
The ruff grew out of earlier pleated shirt collars that appeared as far back as the 13th century. At first, they were soft, narrow, and practical enough not to interfere with movement. But by the 1500s, collars started getting wider, stiffer, and far more elaborate.
One reason was the spread of starch-making from wheat across Europe. People discovered that starch could be added to delicate fabrics, making them firmer and helping them resist dirt. In England, this practice is said to have been introduced in 1564 by a Flemish refugee, Dingham van der Plasse, who noticed that pleated collars held their shape much better after being washed in starched water.
Once that technique became known, demand for ruffs quickly spread. To create them, cloth had to be heavily starched, pressed, dried, ironed, and then fixed into shape with frames. Some collars were even reinforced with wood, steel wire, or metal pins to keep their dramatic form.
By the late 16th century, ruffs had become enormous. Some noble collars reportedly reached 20 centimeters in diameter and contained hundreds of pleats. Because they were expensive and difficult to maintain, they became a symbol of wealth and status.
These collars also changed the way people behaved. They made it hard to bend the neck, difficult to eat comfortably, and almost impossible to move casually. But that was partly the point. Ruff collars forced the wearer to stand upright, hold the head high, and appear proud, disciplined, and refined.
Maintaining them was so time-consuming that wealthy households often relied on servants to wash, starch, and shape them.
Eventually, however, the trend began to fade. The English government grew concerned that too much grain was being used to make starch instead of food. In 1580, Queen Elizabeth I, despite being a great admirer of ruffs, issued rules to limit their size.
Before long, the stiff ruff was replaced by softer falling bands, collars that rested more naturally on the shoulders and were much easier to wear.
That marked the beginning of the end for one of Europe’s most uncomfortable fashion trends — a style that lasted for nearly 70 years and turned the collar into a symbol of pride, class, and control.
At first, it looks like something artists exaggerated for dramatic effect. But these collars were very real, and many Europeans, especially in England, actually wore them in everyday life.
Known as the ruff, or sometimes the millstone collar, this dramatic fashion piece was especially popular among Europe’s upper and middle classes during the 16th and 17th centuries. And it was not just about style.
The ruff grew out of earlier pleated shirt collars that appeared as far back as the 13th century. At first, they were soft, narrow, and practical enough not to interfere with movement. But by the 1500s, collars started getting wider, stiffer, and far more elaborate.
One reason was the spread of starch-making from wheat across Europe. People discovered that starch could be added to delicate fabrics, making them firmer and helping them resist dirt. In England, this practice is said to have been introduced in 1564 by a Flemish refugee, Dingham van der Plasse, who noticed that pleated collars held their shape much better after being washed in starched water.
Once that technique became known, demand for ruffs quickly spread. To create them, cloth had to be heavily starched, pressed, dried, ironed, and then fixed into shape with frames. Some collars were even reinforced with wood, steel wire, or metal pins to keep their dramatic form.
By the late 16th century, ruffs had become enormous. Some noble collars reportedly reached 20 centimeters in diameter and contained hundreds of pleats. Because they were expensive and difficult to maintain, they became a symbol of wealth and status.
These collars also changed the way people behaved. They made it hard to bend the neck, difficult to eat comfortably, and almost impossible to move casually. But that was partly the point. Ruff collars forced the wearer to stand upright, hold the head high, and appear proud, disciplined, and refined.
Maintaining them was so time-consuming that wealthy households often relied on servants to wash, starch, and shape them.
Eventually, however, the trend began to fade. The English government grew concerned that too much grain was being used to make starch instead of food. In 1580, Queen Elizabeth I, despite being a great admirer of ruffs, issued rules to limit their size.
Before long, the stiff ruff was replaced by softer falling bands, collars that rested more naturally on the shoulders and were much easier to wear.
That marked the beginning of the end for one of Europe’s most uncomfortable fashion trends — a style that lasted for nearly 70 years and turned the collar into a symbol of pride, class, and control.
