I recently picked up an old Hawaiian shirt made by Tiki Sports Wear. The shirt is silk and I would date it to the late 1940s or very early 1950s. However, a previous owner decided to fold over the collar and sew to make the collar narrower. The stitching that clamps the collar runs around the perimeter of the collar. The person who did this did a fairly through job, and the stitching is pretty robust.
I am leaning towards keeping the shirt as is, but it is tempting to try to restore the collar. However, I am not that familiar with vintage silk. Has anybody encountered a similar situation? My biggest concerns are that the silk developed a "memory" of the fold which will leave a permanent crease, or that the stitching may have damaged the fabric. it doesn't seem that the owner cut the fabric.
I am leaning towards keeping the shirt as is, but it is tempting to try to restore the collar. However, I am not that familiar with vintage silk. Has anybody encountered a similar situation? My biggest concerns are that the silk developed a "memory" of the fold which will leave a permanent crease, or that the stitching may have damaged the fabric. it doesn't seem that the owner cut the fabric.
