A shirt collar locking system for locking a shirt collar in an upright position adapted for use with a stick-shaped collar stay having a first end and an opposing second end, the system comprising a shirt collar attached to a collar stand at an upper portion of the collar stand, an inner side of the shirt collar facing an outer side of the collar stand when the shirt collar is in a folded down position relative to the collar stand, wherein: the shirt collar includes a shirt collar stay pocket formed on the inner side of the shirt collar and configured to receive the first end of the collar stay, the collar stand includes a collar stand receiving portion formed on the outer side of the collar stand and configured to receive the opposing second end of the collar stay so as to lock the shirt collar to the collar stand, and when the shirt collar is in a folded down position relative to the collar stand, a first end of the shirt collar stay pocket adapted for insertion of the first end of the collar stay is aligned with and proximate to a first end of the collar stand receiving portion adapted for insertion of the second end of the collar stay.