Tab Collar in Episcopal Purple
Fortuna is the tab-collar counterpart to Fidelia. Both shirts share the same deep episcopal purple body, the same tailored long-sleeve construction, and the same poly cotton blend. The difference is at the neck: Fidelia wraps a full white collar band around the throat, while Fortuna uses a purple stand collar with a removable white tab inserted at the center front.
The tab collar gives a sharper visual contrast at the throat because the white tab sits as a small, defined rectangle against the purple band. Some clergy prefer this to the full collar band because it reads as slightly less formal, making it well suited to pastoral visits, community events, and parish office hours where a full collar can feel overdressed. Others simply prefer the tab because they already own tabs from their black shirts and want to use the same insert across their wardrobe.
When to Choose Fortuna Over Fidelia
The choice between the two comes down to collar preference rather than occasion or rank. The tab collar on Fortuna is removable, which means the shirt can be worn without the tab as a plain purple dress shirt for off-duty settings or informal parish gatherings. Fidelia’s full collar band is permanent, so it always reads as clerical.
For clergy who rotate between several shirt colors during the week, Fortuna’s tab system means one set of tabs works across a black Sacerdos, a blue Ministera, and a purple Fortuna without buying separate collar pieces for each.
Cut and Fit
Fortuna uses the same darted body pattern as Ministera and Fidelia: bust and waist shaping, a back yoke seam across the upper shoulders, and a curved hem cut for tucking in. The long sleeves end in single-button barrel cuffs. The set-in shoulder seam keeps the shoulder line clean, and the sleeve tapers slightly from the bicep to the wrist.
The purple fabric sits flat through the torso without pulling at the darts, and the concealed placket runs from the collar to the hem without a visible break in the center line.
Fabric and Care
Fortuna is made from a poly cotton blend with a matte finish. The matte surface keeps the purple reading as a flat, dense violet rather than picking up shine marks at the bust, shoulder, or cuff, which is what happens with satin-finish or high-polyester fabrics in dark saturated colors.
The white tab provides the only contrast point on the garment, so the tab opening in the collar band needs to hold its shape without softening or spreading over time. The stiffened collar band holds the tab securely without additional stays.
Care: machine wash cold with dark colors, tumble dry low. Purple dye can transfer in early washes, so avoid washing with light-colored garments until the colour has set. The removable tab should be taken out before laundering and cleaned separately by hand or in a mesh bag to keep it white and rigid.
