When it comes to men’s accessories and jewelry there is really nothing more elegant and sophisticated than cufflinks, those refined little jewels that hold together the sleeves of a French cuff shirt. Cufflinks add an extra bit of detailing to shirts and suiting that are sure to set you apart from the pack by adding a personal touch to your style.
People often think that cufflinks can only be worn with a business suit, or for special occasion dressing, but they can also be worn to elevate jeans for more casual outings, or for those in-between events with slacks and a jacket. Cufflinks may even be worn with slacks and a shirt with a pullover sweater in cooler weather. It’s an elevated casual office (or dinner date) look that will give relaxed style polish. However you choose to wear cufflinks they will always add an element of style and customization to menswear.
Cufflinks were first introduced in the 1600s when “bouton de manchettes”, two decorative buttons held together by a chain, were made to fasten billowing shirt sleeves with something a little more decorative and robust than the strings that were used in that era. Today, shirts are made with French Cuffs, that have a slit where the button should be, allowing cufflinks to act as closures for the cuffs.
When it comes to types of cufflink closures there are four basic styles: Chain, whale back, bullet back and fixed back. These terms refer to the fastener on the cufflink. A chain, features a tiny chain with two decorative plaques. One plaque slides through the slits in the cuff, closing the sleeve. These cufflinks tend to hold the sleeves a little bit more loosely than the other fasteners.
A whale back is a fastener that has a solid post and a “whale tail” that flips up to hold the cufflink securely. A bullet back fastener is a cylinder that swivels into one piece so that it fits through the cuff slit and then swivels outward to fasten the cufflink. There are also fixed back cufflinks that have a post with a ball on one side that holds the cufflinks in place. When the cufflinks are fastened, check to make sure they are not too loose, which makes the cuffs look sloppy, or too tight which will make the fabric pull.
Starting a Cufflink Collection
When choosing cufflinks, think about where you may be wearing them. If you’re just starting your cufflink collection, then you may want to begin with something classic, such as a set of gold cufflinks that will go with everything. It’s also good to have a white metal in your cufflink collection, whether it’s white gold, silver or platinum, these cool-toned metals offer another option when styling your apparel. The metal may be smooth, or textured in some way, what you choose is a matter of your own personal preference. These are the go with everything, wear them everywhere cufflinks that are a building block for any collection and a very giftable option due to their versatility.
Another classic option is a cufflink made with black onyx or mother of pearl, two favored gems that are flexible enough to be worn for everyday or special occasion dressing. Also, black onyx and white of mother of pearl, or moonstone, both work very well with formal attire that generally consists of a black suit and white shirt.
Gemstone Cufflinks and Dress Sets
Once you have a couple of foundational cufflink styles in your jewelry wardrobe, then you may want to consider adding a pair with gemstones. Diamond, ruby, sapphire and garnet are often used gemstones in cufflinks. These are cufflinks that may be worn for very formal events, or to the office, especially if you’re sitting in the C-suite, or if you’re going out casually, but want to add a little relaxed elegance to your look. They’re also great if you just happen to love gemstones.
If you’re heading out to an uber formal event, consider a dress set, which is a matching suite consisting of cufflinks and button covers that match. The button covers have a hook in the back that allows them to slide over the top of the button and stay in place. It’s a very elegant look that conjures up the best dressed men of the Edwardian and Art Deco eras when everyone dressed to impress, so you’ll find some great vintage cufflinks and dress sets from those eras.
Cufflinks With Edge
If you love color, but don’t necessarily want to wear gemstones, then cufflinks with enamel accents could be a good choice. As are more unusual gemstones that are sometimes used in cufflinks such as coral, deep blue lapis lazuli or bloodstone. The opaque nature of these gems makes the cufflinks a little less formal, but the strength of the colored gemstones makes a big statement. These cufflinks can be worn for either a dressy or casual event, or any time you want to show your personal style.
Perhaps you’re in a creative profession or maybe you have a little edge to your style, if that’s the case then be daring. Choose cufflinks with a more avant-garde feeling, or vintage cufflinks that have unique designs based upon the era in which they were made.
Coordinate Cufflinks With Other Accessories
One last pointer, when you’re choosing the right cufflinks to wear, consider your other accessories. You’ll want the cufflinks to harmonize and complement your watch, belt buckle, rings and tie bar. The easiest way to do this is to keep all the accessories to one metal. However, you can further personalize your look by mixing metals, just make sure that the mix is balanced, such as wearing a couple of yellow gold pieces with a couple of white metal pieces. If you’re wearing colored gemstones, make sure that the rocks harmonize with the color of your shirt.
After you’ve worn your cufflinks, wipe them with a soft cloth to remove fingerprints and store them in their own pouch or box. If you have a significant collection of cufflinks, you may want to consider dedicating a dresser drawer to your treasures, keeping them in their original box. Alternatively there are cufflink boxes that have compartments for each pair making it easy to find what you want when you are getting dressed.
Cufflinks come in myriad designs reflecting personal style and interests. They’re the perfect accessory to elevate a casual look, or to put the finishing touches on more formal suiting and everything in between. Whether you select contemporary or vintage cufflinks, you’re sure to make a lasting impression with your sophisticated style.
Top of Page: French Art Deco diamond, lapis lazuli, coral and platinum cufflinks, circa1920s.
Edwardian mother of pearl, enamel and 14-karat gold cufflinks; Textured 18-karat gold cufflinks, George Lenfant, French circa 1960s; Onyx and 18-karat gold dress set with cufflinks and four button studs, circa 1920s; Art Deco diamond, unheated ruby, unheated sapphire and platinum snake cufflinks, French, circa 1920; Art Nouveau, old European cut diamond and 14-karat gold cufflinks, signed Tiffany & Co.
Authored by Amber Michelle