If you are bored with the uniform look of your suit and tie, add more personality with a novelty cufflink set. Novelty cufflinks also make a great gift idea. The Different Materials: Cufflinks are made out of a wide range of materials.
Most common are metals, but glass, fabric, wood, bone, and even Ivory is used. What material of cufflinks you wear is completely your choice in taste and also your budget.
Materials are less important than the color you choose for matching cufflinks to your outfit. Your Dress Shirts: Cufflinks are worn with so-called French cuffed dress shirts.
Unlike traditional dress shirts, French cuffed shirts do not have any buttons on the cuffs. These are fastened by setting the toggle in its closed position, so that there is a straight post descending from the underside of the head. The post slides through the holes on both sides of the cuffs, and then the toggle is swung outward to prevent the post from sliding back out.
That holds the cufflink in place, with the front face of the insert member placed decoratively atop the buttonholes. There are dozens of variations on the basic theme of the hinged cufflink, and several other mechanical alternatives as well. Here are some of the most common types of cufflinks:. French cuffs will have two holes on either side of the opening, which should line up one atop the other when you fold the cuff back. To fasten the cuff, the holes on both side of the cuff opening are lined up, the cufflink is inserted through so that the post runs all the way through all the holes, and the link is then set into its closed position.
This turns the hemmed edges of the cuff opening outward from the wrist, one atop the other. In that arrangement, the underside of one edge of the cuff lays atop the outer face of the other edge, so that only one hemmed edge points outward.
Neither are wrong, but the kissing approach has traditionally been considered better suited to the ornamental nature of cufflinks. Click here to view the Ultimate Guide to Cufflinks Infographic. Cufflinks can be made of almost anything, and ornamented with everything from precious stones to repurposed novelty junk. Gold, silver, and platinum are obvious favorites, especially for cufflinks that have no other decorative materials, and that rely on the quality of their metal alone for aesthetic value.
The most recognizable role for cufflinks is as the formal and semiformal alternative to buttons. If you're wearing a suit with a white tie or black tie outfit properly, it will have links at the cuffs and often studs instead of buttons on the shirtfront as well. That's hardly the extent of their wardrobe functionality, however. Shirts ranging from plain white business dress to colorful and casual options come with French cuffs, or with single cuffs with holes on each side rather than a button and a buttonhole.
Furthermore, tailors can easily convert any shirt with a basic button-and-buttonhole arrangement into one that takes cufflinks, simply by removing the button and inserting a small buttonhole in its place. For your first pair, we say start simple. Consider these guidelines:. Some have said that as a man, you have to limit your accessories to only one type of metal.
Sounds good in theory, but what should you do if you always wear a silver watch and your monk-straps have a gold buckle? Should you go for silver or gold cufflinks?
Our answer is easy — mix it up! Why bother trying to coordinate your cufflinks, watch, wedding band, belt buckle AND briefcase closures? Consistency is a nice goal, but at some point, it becomes matching overkill. And no, not that kind of sparkle. You can easily elevate your look with the addition of a pair of cufflinks encrusted with diamonds or Swarovski crystals.
This is an easy way to class up an outfit without making it look totally overdone. Colored cufflinks can absolutely be your friend if they are styled in the correct manner and paired with the right pieces. Look through your work staples and find a color you might like to highlight. Use bullet back cufflinks by making sure the toggle is parallel to the post.
Slip it through your cuff holes, and flip the toggle back to lock in place. Bullet back cufflinks are mass-produced, making them affordable. As the name suggests, these tend to look like studs or buttons, drawing less attention than some of the other bolder designs.
Slip through, and then straighten again. Pretty much the way you button a shirt. Almost forever, actually. Chain link cufflinks are some of the oldest cufflinks around, existing before the Industrial Revolution. Use chain cufflinks by simply inserting one side through the cuffs at an appropriate angle and then straighten. The chain does mean a looser fit and thus a different style. Both sides of chain cufflinks are decorative. The rear of these features a largish ball, attached to the decorative face by either a chain or curved post.
Use ball return cufflinks by tilting and pushing the smaller side through your cuff holes before straightening. Ball return cufflinks have a more traditional design, which lasts longer thanks to not having any moving parts.
These are probably the most modern cufflinks, securing shut thanks to an innovative mechanism similar to that of a wristwatch. Use dual-action cufflinks by making sure the cufflink is hinged flat, and then push through the cuffs, opening up again to fasten.
Locking dual-action cufflinks are quick and easy to use after you figure them out. Both faces are identical, providing visual interest on either side of your sleeve. They look contemporary and might not work with a more traditional setup. Made entirely from silk, these feature two identical knots attached with a cord. Silk knot cufflinks are colorful and playful, appropriate for casual settings, and certainly not in highly formal events or in business environments where you want to make a more professional impression.
Use silk knot cufflinks , by pushing either knot--remember, both sides are almost always the same--through your cuff holes. These are the most affordable and casual of cufflinks. Incidentally, all the materials below can also be featured on the face or faces of cufflinks made of a different material.
In other words, cufflinks from stainless steel can feature an inlay of any other material. Depending on the design, stainless steel has a clean, almost industrial look. Stainless steel lasts very long. Titanium is a fairly new addition to the metals used for jewelry.
As such, it has a more modern appeal, which most designs reflect. Like stainless steel and silver, it features a neutral grayish tone that lies outside the color wheel , so it's easy to pair. Copper has a lovely warm tone. Copper cufflinks are not as common as silver or gold ones. The yellow-reddish tone of copper means it should be paired accordingly. Pure copper will develop a patina with time, darkening and even growing green patches.
These lend it a special vintage cufflinks charm that, depending on your tastes, may or may not suit you. With less of a red tinge than copper, bronze is still warm-colored.
It falls somewhere between gold and copper. Like copper, bronze tarnishes and develops a patina, and requires some thought when it comes to pairing.
Showing s Silver Oval Cufflinks. Silver is similar to stainless steel but with a slightly warmer luster. Again, existing beyond the color wheel, it is extremely easy to pair and you should have no problem wearing it with your existing shirts and suits.
Choose sterling silver over pure silver. Gold has always been a symbol of status, prosperity, and eminence. On cufflinks, it certainly makes a statement. Unlike silver, gold is more like a yellow than a neutral tone and should be paired thoughtfully. Showing Gold s Classic Cufflinks. Gold cufflinks should be displayed in situations where you want to make a strong impression, such as important business meetings, weddings, or other highly formal events.
Showing Anchor Cufflinks. Crafted from a mix of metals, metal alloy cufflinks are usually polished to look like silver or stainless steel, but can also feature a gold-like finish. The abundance of the materials and their mass-production make metal alloy cufflinks highly affordable. Silk is a protein fiber, produced from the cocoons of certain insect larvae. It can be dyed any color and works for informal situations, whether in the office or any other gathering where you want to look good but not project an air of power or status.
Traditionally, these are made by hand-applying finely ground colored glass to a stamped design. The cufflink is then placed in the kiln, before another layer is added. The process is repeated several times, with a final polishing to create a highly glossy and attractive surface.
Since enamel and glass cufflinks come in all designs and color combinations, they should be matched individually, and may or may not be appropriate for highbrow settings depending on the design. A lot of work goes into making quality enamel cufflinks, as is reflected by their price tag. Or even one a son or grandson would love to inherit one day. Anything from extravagant rubies and emeralds to readily available semi-precious stones can adorn the face of a cufflink.
Beyond depth and luster, stones still correspond to colors and should be matched accordingly. Wood has a warm, earthy tone and always features an entirely unique grain pattern. Wooden cufflinks, or cufflinks with a wooden face are a fantastic way of bringing that lumberjack vibe to semi-formal attire.
Unlike more classic materials, wood on cufflinks is fairly modern. Paired correctly, it makes a striking visual contrast. Not always good for formal settings, however. Like wood, leather has a more modern appeal and is excellent for casually complementing your more edgy outfits, but is considered problematic for black tie events. Made with the beautifully iridescent shell coating of molluscs, mother-of-pearl cufflinks are an old and gentlemanly classic.
A graceful pair of mother-of-pearl cufflinks matched with a sleek suit can make a powerful and timeless impression. To make life super easy for you, the following illustrations show all the different kinds of cuffs in existence, literally. Ok probably not, but we couldn't find more. Give this a quick read through and you'll know exactly what cuffs go with cufflinks and which ones don't.
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