Men's cufflinks: how to choose and wear it correctly?

Cufflinks are an elegant piece of men's wardrobe. They can be an exquisite gift, a welcome acquisition, but only if the man himself knows how to wear them. You should not think that this is a whole art, subject to a few, but the choice and use of cufflinks certainly requires certain skills.

The history of cufflinks dates back to the 17th centurywhen these little additions to clothing were contrasted with buttons: they looked more interesting and sophisticated. Initially, men contrived to attach beautiful, expensive buttons to a small chain, which was subsequently pulled through a hole in the cuff.

Men's cufflinks are fasteners inserted into the loops of shirt cuffs and fastening them together. But in order to put on the cufflinks, a shirt with cuffs is required, suggesting the use of this accessory. It will not be possible to fix them on a simple shirt.

Why are they to a man:

• to create an image in which everything is thought out to the smallest detail;
• they become part of the business style, emphasize the high status of their owner;
• can be an element of the corporate image.

Finally, cufflinks - a business card of a real gentleman... She can sometimes say more about you than any words.

The classification of cufflinks is based on the locking mechanism, symmetry and the style in which the work is done.

According to the mechanism of fixation, cufflinks are:

• with rotating pin - the clasp in such an accessory turns parallel to the leg, is threaded into the cuff and becomes perpendicular to the leg;

• flat mount - almost similar to the one described above, only instead of a bullet-shaped pin there is a flat plate;

• with a rigid mount (rod) - this is a solid metal piece, the design does not imply removable elements, it is more difficult to fasten such a little unusual cufflinks, but the service life is also long;

• with ball mount - in this design, the chain has a ball at the end, the cufflinks are easy to fasten, these are very beautiful and original men's accessories;

• bilateral - the decor of these cufflinks is the same on both sides;

• with chains - such models include two parts united by a chain, the design is not the simplest, but it involves adjusting the cuffs.

Cufflinks for men by style:

• classical - both color and shape have a strict decision;

• thematic option - this is an accessory that can illustrate the field of activity or hobby of the owner;

• extravagant style - an unusual, unexpected shape (for example, a guitar or a woman's silhouette);

• functional option - such cufflinks can be supplemented with a compass, clock, pedometer, thermometer;

• personalized product - the initials of the owner are engraved or otherwise indicated there.

A stylish accessory is made from different materials. In this respect, cufflinks are comparable to jewelry. The main favorite is gold, silver is slightly behind it. Cufflinks with precious stones look exquisite and bright.

Possible materials.

• Carbon fiber - material of high strength, has a silvery, smooth surface. For metal cufflinks, this option is very popular today. In the production process, it is well painted in the desired color.

• Glass - this option will suit both a simple, everyday wardrobe, and a bow for more special occasions. One of the most versatile materials, also available in different colors.

• Enamel - the material is made of powdered molten glass. The surface of the cufflink is smooth and shiny. The design is durable. True, when hitting a hard surface, chips are not excluded.

• Bronze - dark glossy metal made from an alloy of copper, zinc and tin.

• Onyx - this is the name of the crystalline form of quartz, which can be in a variety of interesting shades. For male models, black onyx is more commonly used.

• Silk - is also a fairly common option for cufflinks, it is less formal, but quite suitable for everyday business style.

• Titanium - a material, the strength and durability of which there is no doubt. Has a slight gray glossy sheen.

• Pink gold - an alloy of gold and copper, metal with a reddish tint.

• Gems - the widest layer of options. Cufflinks with pearls, ruby, topaz, agate, citrine compete with each other. This option is preferable for any style.

• Sterling silver - reflective, bright, with an attractive gloss.

Modern manufacturers are offering more and more options, but try not to take cheap models too seriously.

In color, the model you have chosen should be in harmony with the accessories that are presented in the outfit. That is, a gold watch and silver cufflinks are rarely a good combination. Silver will always make friends with silver, and gold creates a successful union with gold.

Other recommendations:

• if you wear a plastic or sports watch, it is almost impossible to find suitable cufflinks, just as you should not wear such a watch with a French-style shirt;

• it is possible (and even necessary) to select cufflinks not for the outfit as a whole, but for some other important detail of the image - for a business card holder, a buckle on a belt, cufflinks will also be perfectly combined with a tie clip;

• you can buy a whole set, which will feature several popular models for different looks and different purposes.

It is worth recalling once again - you also need to choose the right shirt for this accessory. French and Viennese options work, but Italian shirts don't go well with cufflinks. French cuffs are double, they only involve the use of cufflinks, they were not originally intended for buttons. Viennese shirts are variable - there is a slot for both cufflinks and buttons.

Fastening algorithm.

• Put on the shirt, wrap the edges of its cuffs back. The shirt must be perfectly ironed.
• Join the edges of the cuffs so that the holes in them line up.
• Insert the cufflinks into the slots, secure them. If you did everything correctly, the decorative part will be on the outside.

The most popular type of construction today is the T-Bar Clip. But we cannot say that this is an expensive and elegant fastener. This type of clamp is as cheap and affordable as possible. And it has a significant drawback - the reverse side of the cufflink may be open to the eye. And it is not always as decorative as the front part.

You can snap the cufflinks like a button by wrapping one half of the cuff. But another wearing option looks more interesting - folding the halves of the cuff together.

Wearing correctly means using the decorative possibilities of the accessory that it possesses.For example, the sleeve of a shirt should not protrude more than 2 cm from under the jacket. Otherwise, you will get the impression that you are wearing cufflinks for show. And this is already a sign of bad taste. If the decorative elements are worn correctly, they will not fly off the sleeve, even if you make a sharp wave of your hand.

How to use tasteful cufflinks:

• A white, perfectly ironed shirt and metallized cufflinks of the classic model without unnecessary decorative accents can be considered a win-win option. The option is gorgeous both for the office and for meeting with your beloved.

• Models with a black tint are perfect for white shirts, they create a contrasting impression.

• If the shirt is plaid, the cufflinks should be chosen so that the accessory echoes the color of the stripes, and not with the main tone of the shirt. But if the cage is large, then small cufflinks will be superfluous.

• If you prefer to wear shirts in faded pink, look for cufflinks in the same range.

• For blue and light blue denim shirts, accessories with a blue lacquer sheen are suitable.

• If the details are selected for a tuxedo, these should be exclusively metallized options with a black noticeable stone.

• Gold-plated models are suitable for almost everything.

Usually cufflinks become part of the white tie dress code as well as the black tie dress code. At a business meeting, such an accessory will also not be superfluous, especially if this meeting takes place in a respectable place, in a beautiful interior.

Don't be afraid to wear them with jeans, with a blazer, or with your everyday clothes. This is a completely possible option if things are combined with each other and their quality is not in doubt. However, if at the same time you choose sneakers or sportswear, the image will turn out to be daring, and more often than not, simply tasteless.

Undoubtedly, cufflinks are not a fashionable throwback, but a classic attribute that cannot be outdated. And you don't need to be a retrograde to take advantage of such a beautiful and sophisticated opportunity to complement your image.

See the video for cufflinks and everything you need to know about them.