cufflinks for men
15 Jun
Cufflinks

The Ultimate Guide to Cuff-links for Men.

Accessories add the “extra” to an otherwise ordinary outfit. They are the little details that make the difference in the way your outfit looks.

In this post, we are going to be sharing with you how to use the various types of cufflinks you have or may find, on what type of outfit to wear it on and what event to wear them to.

Table of Contents

How do you wear cufflinks?

Let’s not focus on the style and statement you want to make for a minute and just show you how to wear a regular cuff-link you have. In these few steps, you’ll learn how to fasten your cufflinks:

  • Remember you can only wear cufflinks with shirts that have cuff holes – the holes at the sleeve but no buttons. 
  • Fold the cuff of your shirts on top of one another to align the two holes
  • Then put in the back of the cufflinks into the two holes
  • Clip the toggle once the cufflinks are aligned and in the right position in both holes. Clip the toggle outside of the shirt, preferably behind the wrist. 

A few factors have to be considered when deciding whether or not to wear cufflinks:

  1. What type of event are you attending?
  2. What kind of cuff-links do you have available?
  3. What kind of shirts do you have?

We would discuss all these below and we do hope that after reading this guide, pairing the right cuff-links with the right outfit to your events become an easy task. 

HOW TO WEAR CUFFLINKS TO FORMAL EVENTS:

The reason cufflinks need to be visible is because they are as ornamental as they are functional. When you decide to use cufflinks to formal events such as business dinners, some pitch event or some gala night; the purpose you use cufflinks is to complement your entire look. You already have jacket and a shirt that’s appropriate for the event; then pick the cufflinks that complement the colour or pattern of your jacket. Ensure that your cufflinks are visible when you wear your jacket for your formal events – this means your shirt has to be a bit longer than your jacket in a non-tacky way. 

HOW TO WEAR CUFFLINKS WITH TUXEDOS:

Tuxedos are a huge fashion statement for any man in. When we sit back and spend time watching some fashion show or big Hollywood night, the red carpet is usually swimming with men who know how to rock their tux like bosses. A tux is already cool, calm and collected; so you would want to put the right amount of sauce on it and cufflinks would add that metallic juice, When wearing cufflinks with tuxedos, you should go for the ones who are made out of metals such as gold, silver or some ornament – gems and stones. This is the ultimate stylish fashionisto move. 

HOW TO WEAR CUFFLINKS TO BLACK-TIE EVENTS:

More and more events are paying attention to a uniform dress code and black-tie events are increasingly becoming a rave. It’s an entire black ensemble here, so you should opt for cufflinks with cool colours or some metallic ones if you are looking at an entire subtle look but if you want to distinguish yourself as a gentleman with an appetite for bold moves, you can use a pair of brightly coloured silk-ball cufflinks to make that statement. 

HOW TO WEAR CUFFLINKS TO WORK:

Everyday work clothes can be boring (well, depending on the type of job you have) especially if you work a highly formal corporation where suits and blazers are a compulsory part of your dress code. You could spice things up with some cufflinks, you know? You could make a good impression on your team lead or stand out from the competition with a nice set of cufflinks on your shirt. Just pair basic cufflinks with your regular office jackets and blazers once in while to look different from the other guys. 

HOW TO WEAR CUFFLINKS WITH A REGULAR SHIRT: 

Yes! Yes Yes! As long as your shirt is a long-sleeve shirt with some cuff holes; you can accessorize with cufflinks. You can modify things up – turn the regular shirt into one wth a double cuff. Even if your shirts have buttons, you can remove the button to make the cuff work. You would have to make another hole right where the button holes are so that the cuffs can pass through both holes and so the cufflinks might be steady and firm. 

Cufflinks have been referred to as formal jewelry as they are mostly worn to formal and semi-formal events but with the rise in trends and the knack to break fashion rules, we are seeing more men wear cufflinks with regular t-shirt and just suspenders. 

One of the most intricate things about fashion is that it’s the little things that count and that make all the difference. Shirts, blazers and suits are at the top of the list of classic styles any man can deck on – I mean nothing looks dapper than a man in a tailored, cut-to-fit suit, right? But using the wrong set of cufflinks for this get-up could ruin all the beauty there is to see. The perfect set of cufflinks can accessorize your entire look better than any expensive watch, ring or bracelet.

Cufflinks are men’s  jewelry used to hold the cuffs of shirts and just like women jewelry, they are made from different materials such as metal, steel, stones, leather or even glass. They are usually worn with shirts that have holes at the sleeves but no buttons, like mini clip-ons. 

If you’re looking to invest in jewelry and fashion accessories and you’re considering buying different kinds of cufflinks for the day you’re in the mood for some two or three-piece suit, then you should read this post to the last word. There are different kinds of cufflinks and can be categorized according to shape, design, detail, colour and of course, the material. You can have a range of cufflinks, from formal – those ones you’d wear to a meeting, work especially if you’re the boss or some other formal events to informal types that you can easily clip on to  casual events, so long it’s a shirt with cufflink holes.

There are different kinds of cufflinks, especially with the rising trend of those with chains or strings but here are the essential parts of almost every kind of these tiny jewelry you meet:

  • The Post: This is the tiny part that goes through the holes. 
  • The Front Face: This is the top of the cufflinks which is usually coloured, a beautiful design or some gem.
  • The Toggle: This is the bottom part of the cufflink that the post is clipped on and that keeps the cufflink in until you take it off.

We’ll be using these terms a lot for the rest of the post; keep in mind.

Now that you have a more enlighted information about cufflinks, let’s show you the 10 different kinds of cufflinks that should be sitting in your wardrobe:

  1. Bullet Back Cufflinks:
    What separates most of the cufflinks we know about is their hinge system. Bullet back cufflinks has a hollow frame at its post and to cuff it to your shirt, the cylinder in the closing mechanism is flipped outward. The reason they are called this is because the toggle is shaped like a bullet. This is one of the commonest types of cufflink, it’s quite easier to use and affordable.
  2. Ball Return Cufflinks: The post of these cuff-links are mostly chained or curved while the toggle looks like a ball. To use the ball return cuff-links, you push the smaller end into the holes and straighten. It might take some time practicing to get used to fastening this type of cuff-links but it’s a really classic look to nail. 
  3. Silk Knot Cuff-links: These ones are just adorable and are made from silk. From the name, it’s basically two knots separated by a cord. They are one of the most colorful types of cuff-links out there and would do best in a less formal setting. Push either of both knots into the hole and voila; you are perfect. No hassle, no need of an instruction manual and it’s quite affordable. 
  4. Chain Link Cuff-links: As the name implies, the toggle and the post are linked by a chain. The size of both front faces are exactly the same just like Silk Knot Cuff-links above. It’s easy to fasten – tug in the face on one side and then once it is in, straighten. Due to the chain which is a loose in-between, this means that your cuffs wouldn’t be firm and some times loose can be good. 
  5. Whaleback Cuff-links: Another name derived from how it’s shaped. The toggle of this cuff-link is in the shape of the tail of a whale. It’s firm and stays put till you take it off. It’s a very popular kind of cuff-links and quite affordable as well.
  6. Locking Dual-Action Cuff-links: This is one of the modern ones with a toggle mechanism that can be likened to that of a wristwatch. I don’t know why it’s called this but it’s a very contemporary design that you can fasten on quickly.
  7. Stud/Button Cuff-links: These are small and very comfortable cuff-links to use; they could be mistaken for a button. Both ends are usually the same design; to use, click in the smaller end and straighten it to fasten. 
  8. Fixed Backing Cuff-links: From their name, you can guess that there are no moving parts here. The backs are usually fixed and the movement to fasten takes place on the front face. They are usually easy to fasten and stay in. These are essentially the types of cuff-links that exist and they are produced using different materials, in different designs and in colors. These tiny piece of accessory can help you solidify the statement you want to make in your formal style and you can get any of these at our store here at zigmanly.com. 

Where to Buy Cufflinks

Looking for who sells cuff-links? Look no further- Zig Manly is the number men’s accessories. We stock quality cuff-links of different types. Click here to see options or call us on 09013100010

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