A soft (non-fused) collar structure and controlled floating collar stay implementing production, and subsequent use of the collar; and method for forming the collar. An improved stay is formed of an elongate strip of flat resilient flexible sheet material having a central portion and end portions at opposed ends of said central portion, each of which end portions is narrower in width than the width of the central portion. Hook means are formed on the end portions of said stay extending from said end portions toward said central portion, with an indent formed on said central portion beneath said hook means. The collar is formed by inserting the stays in pre-cut slits in a collar end piece. One end piece is then arranged over each end of the bottom collar ply after it has been superposed on an upper collar ply which has been placed on a collar lining to form a sewing package. The package is then stitched to connect the end pieces, lining and the collar plies. Thereafter the stitched package is turned to form a collar with the tips of the stay sandwiched and floatingly held between the collar lining and end pieces to prevent abrasion of the outer upper and lower collar plies.
