The Detached Cool of Collars

Primarily due to the engineering of the ever-eccentric Miuccia Prada, dickies (or removable shirt-collar accessories) are sprouting up as a quirky accent for s/s '08. On the Prada runways, psychedelic fairy-printed silk looks were anchored with sexy neck chokers, crafted from black-and-gold leather or plaid knit. Meanwhile, at Miu Miu, stiff frilly-edged collars held the power to tame coquettish shrunken dresses with their prim and proper air.

London-based, Danish designer Peter Jensen's removable collars, on the other hand, look more like pieces of jewelry—each one is completely hand-made with sequins as well as wooden and candy-colored beads. In a collection inspired by the many faces of John Waters' Mink Stole, Jensen's "hundreds-and-thousands collar" served as a cheeky topper for a chalky pink crepe de chine sheath that was paired with white patent loafers.

To take these stylish dickies from runway to reality, try them out on low necklines for tongue-in-cheek sex appeal. Or, fast-forwarding to Fall, look into Paris-based label Ikou Tschüss's forthcoming crocheted knit shirt collars, which layer nicely over sweaters and T-shirts.

—Jessica Dang