Generally, we do not see men wearing jewelry and when they wear any, it does not look very formal. So what if we tell you that there is something which is a piece of jewelry but does not state this fact loudly? We call it cufflink and it is worn with shirts at the place of buttons. The cufflink is a piece of jewelry that is both functional and ornamental for a man.

They are used to fasten the cuffs of a shirt but they have the capacity to make any boring shirt look an appealing one. Traditionally they are made up of gold or silver-toned metal but nowadays we can find cufflinks of every kind.

Cufflinks are not one of those modern findings of the 21st century. They have been a part of men’s attire for more than 400 years. Gentlemen in the 17th century also used to adore cufflinks and why not! They are both classy and useful.

If you are planning to make cufflinks a part of your attire then we would help you. By the end of this article, you would completely understand the perfect styling of cufflinks.

Basically, cufflinks are used with French Cuffs which have double cuffs. However, nowadays Convertible cuffs are available which are suitable for both normal buttons and cufflinks.

Why Cufflinks?

Cufflinks are used to secure the cuffs of a shirt. They are alternative to the buttons in the cuff around the wrist. Now you may wonder what is the purpose of cufflinks in a shirt if we can use buttons instead. Well, the answer is very simple. Cufflinks raise your style quotient to a different level. How many things are there for men which are functional for their attire but work as ornaments as well? You may have to think very hard and you can find no better answer than Cufflinks.

If you look around, the market is full of different varieties of Cufflinks. Unlike buttons that are sewn into the cuffs, cufflinks are removable. So you can actually wear a single shirt dress at different places which have totally different moods. Like wearing simple cufflinks at the office in the day and later in the evening supporting your favorite team with its flag design on your cufflinks. Sounds amazing, right?

In the resent time, cufflinks are available in a huge variety. From different metals to attractive designs, they can definitely have your interest. Apart from the traditional metal cufflinks, nowadays we can see cufflinks made up of glasses, leather, thread, stone, and even precious metal like gold, etc. If we talk about the print, design, shape, and size then there is literally no limit. This is enough to tell you how insanely the cufflinks are popular.

How to Wear Cufflinks?

Those who have not come across this particular object may really wonder how to put them on. If you are also one among them who wonder about how to wear cufflinks then go on.

Wearing cufflinks perfectly is not so much a big task to bother about. Once you get the trick, it becomes really smooth and a part of your regular attire. There are two most popular styles of wearing cufflinks- “Kissing” and “Barrel”.

Kissing Style

Here you line up both sides of the cuff opening. The cufflink is then inserted from one side, the post-run through the other end, and secured with the toggle there. In this style, both the ends of the cuff are visible and both the hem are held outward forming a “kissing” style.

This style is more ornamental in appearance and very popular in Europe as it is more close to fulfilling the actual purpose of wearing cufflinks.

Barrel Style

Cufflinks which are to be worn in this style has a decorative front side which is the largest part of the entire piece. It is also called the “insert member”. This design is the only visible part of the cufflink. You insert this piece from one end and take it to the other end to secure it with a toggle there. In this style, the cuffs overlap one over the other and only one hem of the cuff points outward.

This style looks more formal as it is more like the traditional buttoned style. So if you are planning to wear cufflinks at the office on a regular basis then you better go for the “barrel” style.

Also, there are simple rules regarding how to wear cufflinks like one of those gentlemen you have seen.

The Occasion

When you are sporting cufflinks it is advisable to take care of the place you are heading to. If it is a business meeting or corporate place then you should be a little careful. Choose subtle colors and prints. You can experiment with the material of the cufflink but take care that it’s size is not too big. The catch is it should not look over the top. Also, better if it matches with the color of your other accessory if you have worn any.

On the other hand, if your purpose of wearing cufflinks is not formal then Voylla! You have got lots of experiments to do with your cufflinks. You can choose cufflinks of any size and shape. Try them in the next wedding you head out to and see how magically they introduce energy into your shit outfit. You would definitely become the center of attraction for many.

Your Personality

Choose only those cufflinks designs that can synchronize with your personality. Wearing a certain cufflink design and not be able to pull off the look would be the last thing you would want to do. So whenever you make a purchase of cufflinks, see if you can associate with its design or not.

For example, if you are more of a sober person, metal or pearl cufflinks should be your pick. They look really elegant and still serve the purpose of cufflinks. On the other hand, if you are confident enough then you can experiment with bold designs like comedy cufflinks.

Your Outfit

So here comes the most important thing about cufflinks. While choosing the cufflinks of the day, look at what you are wearing. Once you understand the “feel” of the outfit, choosing the right cufflinks becomes really simple.

You can either accentuate the style of your attire with the cufflinks or balance it. Like most people when wearing a fancy jacket, go for simple cufflinks for a more balanced look.

You can do the opposite as well. Like the more stylish the shirt/jacket, the trendier the Cufflinks. This is suitable at informal meetings where being sober can be compromised a bit.

Both the styles are correct at their place but remember, what you choose will speak a lot about your personality.

When to Wear Cufflinks?

When you are heading to a function that calls for shirt and tie attire but you want to make yourself stand out of the crowd then it is the time you should wear cufflinks. If it is more of a formal event then cufflinks of subtle colors like white, silver must be chosen.

Generally, cufflinks are associated with semi-formal appearances of men but that is not true in the present scenario. Cufflinks rock with any formal attire equally. In fact, it makes you stand out the lot in the office.

Cufflinks go well with both the full white formal shirts or textured printed casual shirts. French cuff is not necessary as the only condition is that it should have holes on both sides.

Can You Wear Cufflinks With Any Shirt?

If you think that any shirt which has long sleeves is suitable for cufflinks then you must update your facts. For a shirt to be ideal for cufflinks should have buttonholes on both sides but no buttons.

There are shirts that already have French cuffs or what we call convertible cuffs. These are the pattern traditionally suited for cufflinks. However, you can get your normal shirt altered by a tailor to make it ideal for cufflinks. It requires a very basic alteration where the tailor will remove the button from one cuff and make a small buttonhole at its place.

So Yes! You do not need to feel bad about your inability to wearing your favorite shirt with cufflinks. No matter what the style of the shirt is, you can make it suitable for cufflinks.

How to Wear Cufflinks With a Single Cuff Shirt?

It is a fact not hidden from anyone that cufflinks are designed to use with a French Cuff which has a double layer. However, the good news is you can wear cufflinks with a single cuff shirt as well. They are known as Convertible cuffs or Italian cuffs. Such cuffs have two round buttons and two round buttonholes. Such cuffs are also called Button-cover cufflinks.

These shirts are more like regular shirts but have holes on both sides. You fasten the cuffs as you do with a regular shirt but the buttons can be hidden inside the cuffs. After that, you wear the cufflinks for the final look.

In this manner, you get two styles to wear a single shirt. When you feel like wearing the shirt without cufflinks then just put on the buttons on the cuff as you do with a regular shirt. On the other hand, if you are planning to wear it on a special function then embarrass your stylish cufflinks to make your appearance match with the vibes around you.

How to Wear Cufflinks With a Blazer?

Shirt with a blazer is the look most called out for a formal appearance. So if you think that cufflinks can not make their entry here then you are wrong. There are people who wear cufflinks with blazers at formal meets and look so managed.

Wondering how to wear cufflinks with a blazer and also make them visible? Simply keep your shirt cuffs outside the blazer. Both “kissing” and “barrel” cuffs look good under a blazer.

While you wear cufflinks with a blazer, better the former match with the color of the later. In this way, you look more organized and concerned about small details.

How to Wear Cufflinks With Buttons?

Cufflinks are designed to secure the cuffs of a shirt on their own. They do not need buttons to support their purpose, so there is no need to use buttons when you are wearing cufflinks.

However, you can also wear them with buttons. Yes! After knowing the function of cufflinks, it may sound surprising at first but it is true. Shirts are available in the market which has buttons on cuffs like the normal ones but can also be worn with cufflinks.

There are shirts with convertible cuffs which have a single-layer/ normal cuffs. They are also called Italian cuffs. In such shirts, two buttons are attached and two holes are made.

So if you are wearing it in a normal way you just put on the buttons like you have been doing always and when there is a special occasion, use Cufflinks.

When one uses Cufflinks with buttons, first you fasten your cuffs using a button. In the convertible cuffs, the design is such that the button can be hidden. So now the buttons on the cuff are not visible, put on the cufflinks in the extra hole provided.

In some cuff designs, the button is turned inside through the buttonhole provided and cufflinks are used.

How to Wear Cufflinks On a Regular Shirt?

A regular shirt is not designed in such a way that you can wear it with Cufflinks. In the normal shirts, there is a button sewn on one end of the cuff while a hole at the other to put that button in.

On the other hand, there should be two holes at both ends to wear cufflinks. So if you are willing to make cufflinks a part of your attire, you should first get your shirt suitable for it. Do not worry! All it needs is a small alternation. Give it to a proficient tailor and he will remove the button from one side and make a hole instead.

Now your normal shirt is all ready to be worn with cufflinks. Get those attractive pieces from any store and make a style statement of your own.

How to Properly Wear Cufflinks?

In order to wear cufflinks correctly, align the two ends of the cuff, and slide the cufflink from one end to the other. Swing it in a locked position using the toggle to hold both the ends of the cuff together. This gives a firm grip to the sleeve ends. Both kissing and barrel style is popular in cuffs, so it totally depends on you which one you choose.

How to Wear Curved Cufflinks?

When you are wearing curved cufflinks, you have to be a little cautious. If you do not take care of the sides then it does not rest on the cuffs properly and looks unmanageable.

So when you put the cufflinks in your cuffs, the convex side is to be kept facing the inside and the concave side will face the outside. In this way, you get the sleek finish on your cuffs for which the cufflinks are known by us.

People who are not experienced with cufflinks have a lot of questions regarding them. The questions mostly asked are about wearing cufflinks with different dresses. Here we have tried to answer some of them.

Can You Wear Cufflinks With a Suit?

Absolutely Yes!

Men wearing a suit with cufflinks around their wrists look the epitome of sophistication. A suit dress itself is a formal dress and a pair of cufflinks add a sense of finality to this attire.

You must wear cufflinks with a suit as the combination looks incredibly amazing. In fact, without cufflinks, your suit may look too plain. The attractiveness of cufflinks really complements the formal feel of a Suit dress.

Can You Wear Cufflinks Without a Jacket?

So basically, there are two different ideologies that work behind it. According to one, such an experiment should not be done. On the other hand, some fashion experts say that cufflinks without a jacket are acceptable in some places and there is no need to make a fuzz about.

If we go with the majority then Cufflinks without a Jacket is a big No-No. Though acceptable, it does not look that good. However, if you still want to pull the stunt then go for “barrel” cuff and not the “kissing” one. The barrel cuffs look more like the regular style.

With time, things have changed and people have started to accept Cufflinks without a Jacket on. There are men who adopt such style and no one raises an objection. Now the cufflinks are worn in a casual way as well. In fact, some experimental ones try them with laid-back clothing such as Jeans too.

When you try any such style, take care that the cufflinks are not too formal. You can choose the more playful ones instead of those traditional metal cufflinks. Also, it would help if the shirt is not plain white with no design on.

Can You Wear Cufflinks With Any Dress Shirt?

Most probably, Yes! If you are wearing a shirt which has got two holes at both the ends of the cuffs then you can wear cufflinks with it.

However, there are certain rules made by fashionistas that are being followed for years. The most important one is the Cuff style. Traditionally, cufflinks are worn with French Cuffs or Double-Layered Cuffs. Cufflinks were actually designed for these cuffs only. These cuffs have an extra length which is folded back to be fastened by using cufflinks. Both the hem of the cuff point outward forming a “kissing” style.

This style goes best with tuxedo shirts in semi-formal events. You would be glad to know that from the last few years, this style is accepted as a formal business attire as well. So now you can wear French cuffs at any place if you feel like wearing it.

Moving further, there are shirts with Two-button fold cuffs which are also called cocktail cuffs. These are the shirts which can be worn with both buttons and cufflinks according to the need of the occasion. These shirts have “barrel” cuffs where one end of the cuff overlaps the other. This looks more formal and acceptable in almost every office. So if you are to pick a regular style with cufflinks, try the barrel cuffs.

Also, the general rule says that for a formal look, cufflinks should not be worn without a suit and tie. So if you are wearing just a formal shirt with a pair of trousers, it is better to avoid cufflinks as it will look unnecessary.

On the other hand, cufflinks are acceptable with the suit, blazer, jacket, and tuxedos. If you are wearing any of them with your shirt then you can pick your favorite cufflinks as well.

Tie or No Tie?

Now here comes another question that pops up in the minds of many. You may also think about how necessary it is to wear a tie with cufflinks. So we should tell you that though cufflinks are traditionally worn with a formal “tie appearance” but they look equally good with no tie. In fact, it is a really impressive way of showing your style without looking too formal. If it is a semi-formal event then you can surely go for a no-tie look.

Do and Don’t When You Wear Cufflinks

Back in the 17th century, only metal cufflinks were there which were worn with French Cuffs. Now the things have changed and we have cufflinks made up of various metals. Also, they come in different shapes and sizes. So in this scenario, there are some unwritten rules which should be followed if you want to pull off your look perfectly. Try to take care of these points when you wear cufflinks.

Match the Color

The cufflinks should match with your shirt stud and tie. It gives a real class to your appearance. People tend to think that you give attention to small details while getting ready which definitely makes you look a Perfectionist.

It goes for other accessories as well if you are wearing any. Be most careful while dealing with the metals. For example, if you are wearing a pair of golden cufflinks, you can not wear a silver-toned watch with it. The same goes for the metal of your belt buckle, chain, etc.

Give Attention To What You Pick

Some people consider cufflinks to be too small to make a difference. You will create a blunder if you think so. One can not simply open the cufflink box and pick whatever comes in hand.

Remember that you are going to make a style statement with those tiny pieces. Therefore, they should be picked with such dedication only. Take your time, look at what dress you are wearing, what the occasion is, and then choose the cufflinks which are suitable.

Do Not Pick Any Shirt For Cufflink Style

It is true that you can get a normal shirt altered by a tailor to make it suitable for Cufflinks. However, this does not mean that you pick any random shirt from your wardrobe, get holes on its sleeves, and wear it with cufflinks. No, you can not do that.

Remember this fact that cufflinks bring automatic attention of people to your shirt. So always wear a shirt which has dedicated holes for putting those beautiful pieces in.

Do Not Over-accessorize

Apart from being functional, cufflinks are a kind of jewelry in itself. Therefore when you are wearing cufflinks, you must see what other accessories you are sporting. No one wears jewelry in a formal look but when you are heading to a semi-formal event, a balance must be there. You can not load yourself with all the jewelry in your collection. Limit yourself so that people can give detailed attention to your attire.

Never Mix and Match The Cufflinks

Though it may sound very obvious to many, some people do this mistake. They call it an experimental style but believe us, it will look drastically bad. Mixed and matched cufflinks appear completely disheveled and out of place. Especially, when you are to attend a formal event, do not ever make this mistake.

Wear a Tie With Cufflinks If It Is a Formal Look

If you are in an office or to attend a formal meeting, wearing cufflinks without a tie is an act that should not be done. Also, the color of cufflinks should synchronize with the color of your tie as said earlier.

Wearing cufflinks without a Tie is a stunt you should do when the meeting is semi-formal or a casual one like a wedding reception. This style is accepted with such appearances. So all in all, it depends on the place. If the occasion is formal enough, wear the complete attire or just skip both cufflinks and suit.

If you wear cufflinks in the right manner, you can definitely beat people with your style quotient. So whenever you are picking the cufflinks for your shirt dress take care of the points above and once you wear one, have the confidence that you can rock the world.

Taking Care of The Cufflinks

Cufflinks are not that delicate to take care of. In fact, they are designed in such a way that they can tackle the maximum hard handling. Afterall they are rubbed against the desk during work, so you can imagine how strong they are.

However, there are still some tips that can enhance the life of your cufflinks. If you take care of some small points then you can really have a large collection of cufflinks within a few years.

Whenever you are back at home, remove the cufflinks from the shirt and store them carefully in a box. If you are traveling then you should keep them in a compartmentalized box that has a soft surface. Ensure that they do not rub against one another as they may lose their shine and soft finish. You should also clean them once in a while with a soft cloth to remove dirt particles if any.

Conclusion

If you follow these tips, you can really have your favorite cufflinks for a few more years.

In the end, we can only say that there is no written rule about when to wear cufflinks and when not. So stop worrying about it much and wear them whenever you like. Wear them with confidence and you will see that they do only good for your appearance.

Sources:

https://www.cufflinks.com/blog/when-how-to-wear-cufflinks
https://www.fashionbeans.com/article/how-to-wear-put-on-cufflinks/