Leather Jacket Styles
Common Jacket Collar Types and How to Identify Them
Collar or lapel? Standing, turnover or flat? A three-step check plus a clue chart to name any jacket collar, from rib knit and biker to notched lapels.
To identify a jacket collar, check three things: whether it is a separate piece or folded from the front of the jacket, whether it stands up, folds over or lies flat, and, if there is a lapel, how the lapel meets the collar. Those three checks sort almost any jacket into the common collar types: stand, turnover, flat and the notched, peaked and shawl lapels.
Then look at the material and fastening. A rib knit, a fur trim or snap-down points will often tell you the jacket type too.
This page is part of our guide to leather jacket styles and their history. Want a full catalogue of collar styles instead of an identification method? See common jacket collar styles explained.
Step 1: Collar or lapel?
Start where the fabric comes from. Clothing makers call a collar a separate piece of fabric sewn to the neckline. A lapel is the front edge of the jacket folded back and sewn to that collar.
So run a finger from the neck down the front edge. If one piece stops at the neck, it is a collar only. If the fold continues down the front, you have a collar plus lapels.
Step 2: Does it stand, fold or lie flat?
Every collar falls into one of three groups:
The base that holds a turnover collar up has its own name: the stand. The two corners are called points.
| What you see | Collar group | Common names |
|---|---|---|
| Rises around the neck, does not touch the shoulders | Standing | Mandarin, band, Nehru, rib knit |
| Stands, then folds or rolls over | Turnover | Shirt collar, fur collar, biker collar |
| Lies flat on the shoulders | Flat (falling) | Flat collars |
Step 3: Read the lapel join
If the jacket has lapels, the join tells you which type:
- A step where lapel meets collar: notched lapel. In British English it is a step collar. It is the most common lapel, on suits, blazers and sport coats.
- Sharp points where lapel meets collar: peaked lapel (also called a pointed lapel), the most formal, often on double-breasted jackets.
- One smooth curve with no join: shawl collar, usually on tuxedos.
A buttonhole on the left lapel is another tailoring clue. It holds a boutonniere.
Clues from material and fastening
Some collars name the jacket for you.
| Clue | What it is called | Usually found on |
|---|---|---|
| Stretchy ribbed knit matching the cuffs | Rib knit collar | Bombers, ball jackets |
| Fur or shearling | Fur (mouton) or shearling collar | G-1, B-15 and aviator jackets |
| Wide collar, lapels that snap down | Biker collar | Perfecto-style biker jackets |
| Flat leather collar like a shirt | Shirt-style collar | A-2 flight jackets |
| Small band, no lapel | Mandarin or stand collar | Nehru jackets, military dress uniforms |
| Zip pocket inside the collar | Collar with stowed hood | M-65 field jackets |
| Velvet on a dark overcoat | Velvet collar | Chesterfield coats |
| Short, plain collar on a slim zip jacket | Short collar | Cafe racer jackets |
How many collar types are there?
It depends on how you count. Wikipedia sorts collars into three groups: standing, turnover and flat. Lapels add three more forms: notched, peaked and shawl.
Lists of "seven" or "six" collar types mix these groups with named styles, and many of the pages ranking for this question are about shirt collars. Shirt names such as spread and button-down describe the points: the spread is the distance between them, and button-down points button to the shirt. This page names jacket collars by how they stand and what they are made of instead.
The biker collar, up close
This one appears in Google's "People also ask" box for collar searches. A classic biker jacket has a wide collar. On Schott's Perfecto, the collar and lapels snap down.
Older Perfectos even had snaps for attaching a fur collar. A cafe racer, by contrast, has a short collar.
Choosing a collar on a made-to-order jacket
On the Leather Collection custom bomber jacket, you pick the collar style along with pockets, snaps and leather color. The page says the collar, cuffs and hem get extra stitching because they move the most.
FAQ
What are the three types of collars?
Standing, turnover and flat. A standing collar rises around the neck, a turnover collar stands and then folds over, and a flat collar lies on the shoulders.
What is a biker jacket collar called?
It is usually just called a biker collar: a wide collar with lapels that snap down.
What is a Nehru collar?
A small standing collar that meets at the front. The Nehru jacket, a hip-length tailored coat, uses a mandarin collar.
What are those jackets with collars called?
If you mean a jacket with a stand collar and no lapels, it may be a Nehru-style jacket. If it has notched lapels, it is likely a blazer or sport coat. See types of leather jackets explained to match the rest of the jacket.
Related guides
Sources
- Wikipedia: [Collar (clothing)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collar_(clothing)), Lapel, Nehru jacket, M-1965 field jacket, Perfecto motorcycle jacket
- Schott NYC, Steerhide Perfecto
- Frank And Oak, Flight jacket vs bomber jacket
All read 2026-10-10.
leatheride Editorial Team
leatheride articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.