Cufflinks are great for both fashion and function. They can take a mediocre suit and turn it into a masterpiece. Cufflinks have become popular among gentlemen to show their sophistication and give their suit a sense of completion. And you’ll be amazed at how such a small accessory will make a significant difference in your outfit.
Cufflinks are the closest thing a modern gentleman can get to jewelry without actually wearing it. This sleeve accessory, which is the greatest humble brag, can give a boring suit outfit a touch of personal flair like no other.
If you want to learn more about cufflinks, keep reading!
What Are Cufflinks?
If you’re still unsure about the purpose of cufflinks, consider fancy buttons. Cufflinks are used to secure the cuff of your shirt. However, these accessories can be much more. Cufflinks, as a rather personal and one-of-a-kind bling, instantly boost your fashion style. Cufflinks, unlike buttons, can be easily removed and replaced whenever you want to wear a new pair.
A cufflink secures a shirt by sliding through holes on either side of the cuff opening and swinging into a locked or fixed position to keep the sides together.
Cufflinks are highly decorative, and as a result, they are available in a wide range of shapes and styles. The cuff contrast they provide is both subtle and impressive enough to be considered appropriate for formal events. Cufflinks, on the other hand, can be worn with any semi-formal or business casual outfit.
How to Wear Cufflinks?
Cuff links don’t go well with suits in general, so take a look at your shirts. It depends on your personal preference. But to begin, a flat white or light blue shirt appears to work well with all kinds of cufflinks. They can be opposing, such as green, blue, red, yellow, or anything else that contrasts with all these colors.
Below is the step-by-step guide on how to wear a cufflink in general.
- First and foremost, select the appropriate shirt. Dress shirts with French cuffs (or double cuffs) look great with cufflinks.
- The cuff must then be folded. To make an even and lining, fold the end edge of the cuff (closest to your fingers) back.
- Hold the cuffs in place. Pinch the shirt cuff’s two open edges together, so they lay flat and away from the wrist. The cuff edges’ inside fabric should be pressed against each other.
- After that, line up the cuff’s holes. This will make putting the cufflinks on a lot easier, and it will also show you if your fold is even and aligned as it should be.
- Place the cufflink in place and secure it. The decorative face of the cufflink should be visible when your arms are at your sides.
- If you’re wearing a jacket, leave a quarter to half-inch of your shirt sleeve visible.
How to Style Your Cufflinks?
If you want to improve your fashion sense, you should learn how to style cufflinks with the appropriate outfits. Even the most affluent fashion people must consider pair cufflinks with a suit, tuxedo, work shirt, etc.
Cufflinks for Formal Events
Guys don’t often have the opportunity to make a statement at work. Besides, there are only so many ways to style a navy or charcoal suit. Cufflinks, on the other hand, allow you to stand out from the rest.
When it comes to attending a more formal event, you should select a cufflink set that complements your formal attire and is visible when worn. Now, if you’re unsure about how to wear cufflinks with a tuxedo, the answer is simple. You’ll want to add some classic silver or metallic accents to your tuxedo, and cufflinks are an excellent way to do so.
You can attain that bold, high-fashion style while still utilizing your style by adding just a little extra sparkle.
Note that you need to be extra careful when wearing French cuffs with a casual suit. A French cuff shirt may look odd with some summer-weight suits, such as khaki, linen, and seersucker. If the suit is simple, choose more subtle cufflinks. More quirky cufflink styles fit better with edgier suits.
If you’re wearing the suit to work, stick with a neutral-colored shirt, but for an out-of-office social function that still requires a suit, go for a more adventurous color or print.
Cufflinks for Casual Outfits
To avoid drawing too much attention to a casual outfit, you can choose a sleek and classic design. You can also make your cufflink’s raw material speak for itself, make a subtle statement, and a polished visual style – this won’t surely make you look overdressed.
Note: French cuff shirts look best and provide the most options in a neutral color, with white as the most formal option. A popular choice is a colored shirt with a contrasting white collar and white or self-fabric cuffs.
Different Styles and Types of Cufflinks
All cufflinks work the same way: to hold your shirt’s cuffs together stylishly. However, they don’t all look the same, and they don’t all accomplish their goals in the same way. There are varieties on the hinged cufflink’s primary theme, as well as several mechanical options.
So, we have listed some of the most common cufflink styles below for you to understand further.
Bullet Back
These cufflinks are trendy, and it’s probably because they’re so simple to use. The “bullet” is a tiny cylinder sandwiched between two short bars attached to the “face” of the cufflink. Then flip the bullet 180 degrees to place it through the shirt cuff, then back to 90 degrees to tighten it.
Whale Back
A flat head, a straight post, and a “whale tail” that flips completely flat against the post characterize these cufflinks. They are straightforward to use, thanks to their large post and closing mechanism. This is probably the most common cufflink style available aside from bullet back.
Stud or Button Style
There is no hinge mechanism on these cufflinks. Instead, they have a large head, a straight post, and a smaller head or backing on the inside. The trimmer head is tilted, then worked through the buttonhole before being straightened out to secure it. They’re very secure once they’re in place, and the lack of moving parts makes them very long-lasting.
The Bottom Line
While wearing cufflinks with a suit isn’t required, their impact will be well worth the effort. They reveal your level of taste and the amount of time and effort you put into grooming yourself, which you want the audience to know. It’s the little things that add up to make the overall outfit look a lot better.
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