Cuff Links

Mens Cuff Links

There aren’t many accessories that men frequent but when it comes to formal garments like tuxedos, it is impossible to miss out on cufflinks.For people who are hearing about this for the first time, cufflinks for men are small accessories that is used to hold the extra fabric of the long sleeve shirt basically serving as a link for the cuffs and hence the name. If you have an invitation to a formal event where you want to show up dressed in a tuxedo then you should know about mens cuff links. This article does just that and we hope by the end of this article, we would have convinced you to get a pair of cufflinks.

There are different styles of the cufflinks depending on the material used to make them, the shape of the cufflinks and more. Depending on your taste and style, you can choose the one but first you will have to check out the different styles of the cufflinks on sale.It would help to get the cufflinks online since you get to browse through more styles that you do when checking out these in the shops. You can also get them depending on your budget. If the event is very important and you want to look dashing for it then the most expensive cufflinks might be needed but the low cost cufflinks are also available. Think about the style you need and then make the choice.

History of cuff links

Some consider cufflinks to be pretentious but the accessory has been in use for quite a while now. Though we cannot exactly trace the origin, even during the medieval times men wore the shirt cuffs closed with a cloth or leather string.

As early as in the 17th century, it is found that there was a accessory similar to cufflinks. This had two buttons connected with a chain. By the 19th century, cufflinks had become a common accessory with them being made with precious materials like gold, silver and even with jewels.

This was a time when the collars and cuffs were detachable. These detachable cuffs came with buttons and hooks to attach the buttons. Cufflinks at that time were made from different materials like goldstone, ivory, tortoiseshell and more. Cloth cufflinks seem to have come into style during the 19th century and these were usually made out of silk. Even today, the cloth cuff links are available and you often get it free when you purchase a French cuff shirt.

The classic cufflinkswere small during the start of the 1900s but got bigger during the 60s and 70s. The stylish cufflinks that we currently use are also smaller in size. There was also a time when the men put a small photo of their mistress in their cufflinks. This will look like regular cufflinks on the first glance but on a closer look you can see the photo which they showed to their peers while being alone in the tea room.

With time, cuff links came with sophisticated lock mechanisms and the art on the cufflinks also got better. By the early 20th century, cloisonne enamel art became popular with the cufflinks. The iconic cufflinks style that we have now started during the 1920s and 30s. Till the mid 1900s, the cufflinks were popular and men even wore it with dress shirts. Today the usage of the cufflinks have been limited to the tuxedo shirts.

Selection of cuff links

The style of the cufflinks that you choose should depend on the event that you are attending and the attire of the day. While there are different formal attires available, choosing different cufflinks would help highlight the attire. The designer cufflinksthat match the studs of your tuxedo shirt would elevate the look of your outfit and makes it look more elegant.

White tie and black tie: When it comes to white tie attire, you already know that it is considered to be the most formal dress code available. Hence it is important for the attire to be perfect. For white tie dress code, go with formal cufflinks that are made of platinum or white gold. These are the standard choices but you can also go with the white pearls, onyx, abalone or even diamonds. If you want a simpler choice, go with gold or silver cufflinks.

Semi formal attire: If you are choosing to wear the cuff links with tweed jackets then the diamond cufflinks might be too much. While wearing cufflinks with the tweed jackets or regular suits, go with the gold or silver branded cufflinks. Another choice would be for you to choose the semi precious stone cufflinks.

Casual attire: If you are choosing a casual attire, most people would forgo choosing the cufflinks. But if you still want to go with the casual cufflinks style then we would suggest you to choose the cloth cufflinks or the stainless steel cufflinks.

At the end, the style of the cuff links that you choose should depend on the formalness of your attire and the nature of the event you are attending. For example, if you choose a bespoke suit or a tuxedo, it is a given to choose a real, bespoke model of the unique cufflinks. Hand crafted ones made from precious metals might be a good choice. Also these are good investments since metals like gold increase in price with time. Best quality cufflinks aren’t cheap but they are durable and you can enjoy them for the rest of the time. If you are a person who loves history, you will also be able to find the vintage cufflinks. The cufflinks are coming back in style and it is time to embrace the fashion.