Cufflinks convey the qualities of a well-dressed individual.
There’s a special something about a man wearing cuff links. The man appears elegant and interesting, smart and sharp. Think the ad executives on AMC tv network’s “Mad Men” or Cary Grant in any of his films. The cuff links those men are dressed in bring another dimension to their personas.
Cufflinks have a long past dating back to the Egyptian era. The modern cufflink, however, was inspired by the fancy cuffs of men’s shirts from the Renaissance age, which turned into a simpler cuff that's held together by ornamental ribbons during the 1600s. Aristocracy on both sides of the Channel in France and England are credited with creating what we now know as cufflinks popular during the 1700s, once they substituted ribbon ties with pieces of painted glass or jewellery labeled sleeve buttons. Since these were hand crafted and time-consuming and expensive to develop, it was only the blue bloods who could manage to pay for these tiny luxuries.
All of that changed during the 1800s, after the Industrial Revolution started and cuff links were mass-produced with less effort and inexpensively. This opened up the path for the middle class to find the money for cuff links. It was de rigueur for a man to wear cufflinks well into the 1960s. After that, more laid-back lifestyles and evolving social beliefs led to a less formal sense of style. However, in some circles, cuff links are making a comeback.
A Whole New Period
The one thing which can be counted on is change and yet again, cufflinks are finding followers. “20 or 30 years back, cufflinks were something execs in their thirties to sixties will wear. It was not fashion; it was a staple to get dressed up,” says Robert Tateossian, chief executive officer (CEO) and fashion designer of his London-based eponymous firm that has stores globally. “These days, cufflinks are fashion. Now, 18- and 19-yr-olds wear cufflinks, guys in their 20's will put on a shirt, cuff links and jacket but no tie.”
Designer Sheryl Jones of Sheryl Jones Inc., within New York City’s jewellery district, finds that a number of men are shopping for cuff links, from the Wall Street tycoon to the youthful pro. “There's a time-line for cufflinks,” Jones says. “Men get their first pair when they finish high school or college. Those cufflinks might be something standard. They then get another set as a marriage gift or to mark a special event. As soon as they are in their thirties, guys will start to collect cufflinks.”
The Trendy Man
Cufflinks belonging to the mid-twentieth century were rather common monogrammed gold discs, black onyx or a simple knot design. Now, cuff links are more of a technique for gents to indicate their style. “A guy is enthusiastic about donning cufflinks to demonstrate his personality, in ways that is not pedestrian,” notes David Zyla, Emmy-award-winning stylist and author of the book Colour Your Style. “Guys dress in cufflinks as a way of demonstrating the world who they really are. A man will get a cufflink that is quite personal and it can be a conversation starter, be it in business or socially. Dressing in cuff links can crack the ice and begin a conversation.”
Michael O’Connor, high profile stylist and principal of consulting organisation Style & Substance in New York, has witnessed an uptick in males donning bigger cuff links with gem stones as a show of standing. “Males are sporting cufflinks as a marker of success and as a means to wear jewellery,” says O’Connor. “The cuff links have become bigger and bolder in style and much more flamboyant. There are also even more choices in stones - diamonds, topaz, chalcedony along with other stones.”
The Perfect Option
Zyla implies that when selecting a 1st pair of cufflinks one needs to take into account the metal used. “Look at the metal he dons the most in a belt buckle or watch. This is what he is fascinated with and feels handsome dressed in. Then take a look at whether he is sporting the cuff links with a suit and tie or jeans and blazer. That will decide if the stone is clear and sparkling or solid. Take a sign from hair color or footwear color. Pick a stone that suits one of these for a neutral look. The second set of cuff links could be crafted to a hobby or something that he is passionate about.”
Other than self-expression, cuff links take a guy’s appearance a step further, indicating that he takes extra care in his grooming. “Guys should dress in cuff links. Cuff links show the thoughtful care of going one extra step, they make a person more appealing. And a cufflink doesn't go out of fashion.”
There’s a special something about a man wearing cuff links. The man appears elegant and interesting, smart and sharp. Think the ad executives on AMC tv network’s “Mad Men” or Cary Grant in any of his films. The cuff links those men are dressed in bring another dimension to their personas.
Cufflinks have a long past dating back to the Egyptian era. The modern cufflink, however, was inspired by the fancy cuffs of men’s shirts from the Renaissance age, which turned into a simpler cuff that's held together by ornamental ribbons during the 1600s. Aristocracy on both sides of the Channel in France and England are credited with creating what we now know as cufflinks popular during the 1700s, once they substituted ribbon ties with pieces of painted glass or jewellery labeled sleeve buttons. Since these were hand crafted and time-consuming and expensive to develop, it was only the blue bloods who could manage to pay for these tiny luxuries.
All of that changed during the 1800s, after the Industrial Revolution started and cuff links were mass-produced with less effort and inexpensively. This opened up the path for the middle class to find the money for cuff links. It was de rigueur for a man to wear cufflinks well into the 1960s. After that, more laid-back lifestyles and evolving social beliefs led to a less formal sense of style. However, in some circles, cuff links are making a comeback.
A Whole New Period
The one thing which can be counted on is change and yet again, cufflinks are finding followers. “20 or 30 years back, cufflinks were something execs in their thirties to sixties will wear. It was not fashion; it was a staple to get dressed up,” says Robert Tateossian, chief executive officer (CEO) and fashion designer of his London-based eponymous firm that has stores globally. “These days, cufflinks are fashion. Now, 18- and 19-yr-olds wear cufflinks, guys in their 20's will put on a shirt, cuff links and jacket but no tie.”
Designer Sheryl Jones of Sheryl Jones Inc., within New York City’s jewellery district, finds that a number of men are shopping for cuff links, from the Wall Street tycoon to the youthful pro. “There's a time-line for cufflinks,” Jones says. “Men get their first pair when they finish high school or college. Those cufflinks might be something standard. They then get another set as a marriage gift or to mark a special event. As soon as they are in their thirties, guys will start to collect cufflinks.”
The Trendy Man
Cufflinks belonging to the mid-twentieth century were rather common monogrammed gold discs, black onyx or a simple knot design. Now, cuff links are more of a technique for gents to indicate their style. “A guy is enthusiastic about donning cufflinks to demonstrate his personality, in ways that is not pedestrian,” notes David Zyla, Emmy-award-winning stylist and author of the book Colour Your Style. “Guys dress in cufflinks as a way of demonstrating the world who they really are. A man will get a cufflink that is quite personal and it can be a conversation starter, be it in business or socially. Dressing in cuff links can crack the ice and begin a conversation.”
Michael O’Connor, high profile stylist and principal of consulting organisation Style & Substance in New York, has witnessed an uptick in males donning bigger cuff links with gem stones as a show of standing. “Males are sporting cufflinks as a marker of success and as a means to wear jewellery,” says O’Connor. “The cuff links have become bigger and bolder in style and much more flamboyant. There are also even more choices in stones - diamonds, topaz, chalcedony along with other stones.”
The Perfect Option
Zyla implies that when selecting a 1st pair of cufflinks one needs to take into account the metal used. “Look at the metal he dons the most in a belt buckle or watch. This is what he is fascinated with and feels handsome dressed in. Then take a look at whether he is sporting the cuff links with a suit and tie or jeans and blazer. That will decide if the stone is clear and sparkling or solid. Take a sign from hair color or footwear color. Pick a stone that suits one of these for a neutral look. The second set of cuff links could be crafted to a hobby or something that he is passionate about.”
Other than self-expression, cuff links take a guy’s appearance a step further, indicating that he takes extra care in his grooming. “Guys should dress in cuff links. Cuff links show the thoughtful care of going one extra step, they make a person more appealing. And a cufflink doesn't go out of fashion.”