White and non-white collars in White Collar

[echan]

The term "white collar" comes from the detachable white collars and cuffs that were once fashionable for office-working men. These collars are always white, regardless of the color or pattern of the rest of the shirt. In modern times, a detachable collar is worn as a symbol of status.

While watching the boilerroom episode, I took note of who was wearing a white collar and who was not:

• At the FBI office while planning the case, nobody is in a white collar. Everyone's collars have some shade or pattern matching their shirts.
  
• At the boilerroom, the man who interviews Neal has a white collar and cuffs, in contrast with his blue striped shirt. Every other boilermen or FBI agent has a more modern, matching collar.
  
• When Neal is taken to meet "the man behind the curtain", neither the man or his business partner have white collars.
  
• When Neal reveals the doublecross to the partner, Neal himself is in a white collar, but not a detachable white collar. Both of the partners have colored collars.
  

What does all this indicate? I've not been able to come up with any theories (yet). I do know that each shirt, each collar is a conscious decision on the part of the costume designer, if not someone above them as well. Also, is there any meaning in the difference between the genuine detachable white collars, and the attached white-collar-colored-shirt collars? Is that one just a cheat for ease, or a sloppy copy? I hope this all means something interesting.

Comments

[whitecollarfan.livejournal.com]

Um, I'm pretty sure white collar in this case refers to white collar crime division of the FBI: http://www.fbi.gov/whitecollarcrime.htm

or am I totally misunderstanding your post?