What exactly is a "collar"? I'll spend some time now pondering a question that, at this point, is "neither useful nor beneficial." Speaking of the origins of "clothing," the "kantoui" (a simple garment made from a single piece of cloth with a hole for the head) was the ancient Japanese attire. Assuming the cloth at the time was made with primitive looms, the fabric width was probably narrow, around 30 cm. It was taught that the "kantoui" was "a single piece of cloth" with a hole for the head, and the edges of the front and back fabric were sewn together, leaving openings for the arms. However, the current understanding is that it was made by sewing together two pieces of cloth woven to about half width, with openings for the head and arms, which seems to be the more accepted theory. This more recent understanding is more logical in the transition to "kimono," the subsequent Japanese attire. What about other parts of the world? While ancient European weaving was also primitive, they seem to have woven cloth wide enough to make garments like the "tunic," the prototype of European clothing. In South America and Taiwan, there's the poncho, which is also a similar type of clothing. Ancient clothing did not have "collars." From here on, I'll focus on the history of Western clothing. It is said that collars were devised and began to be used from the 14th to the early 15th century, with the appearance of stand collars for the purpose of warmth and reinforcing clothing. It is said that the prototype was made by gathering the edges of the neckline of the garment itself. In the mid-16th century, the gathered collar evolved, and the "ruff," a form of collar worn around the neck as a separate accessory, was devised in Spain. The ruff went from being practical for protecting clothing from dirt to a fashion statement that displayed status. It evolved into an exaggerated form from the late 16th to the 17th century, becoming a huge trend among nobles and the wealthy, both men and women. Currently, the Elizabethan collar, which is attached to a cat's neck for hygienic reasons, is named after Elizabeth I of England, who loved the luxurious ruff. In the late 17th century, the wave of popularity subsided, and the ruff became more modest, with the "cravat," the ancestor of the necktie, coming to the fore. In the 19th century, modern folded collars became widespread, and detachable replacement collars were invented to reduce the burden of washing. With the invention and spread of washing machines, collars once again became part of the garment itself. ★ Collars have transitioned from practicality to symbols of status and then to fashion items. The "ruff," which seems to speak for the times, is particularly interesting. If you removed the ruff from the portraits of historical figures, including Elizabeth I, it literally wouldn't be a "picture." Amakusa Shiro also wore one! Thank you for reading.