Jewelry for Men - Cufflinks

Personally, I have never been a big fan of jewelry.  It does not interest me.  I really do find people who adorn themselves with so much sparkle and 'bling' to be downright ostentatious. Vulgar. It is as if they become a walking disco ball, screaming for people to gaze upon them.  While we do take notice, it is not in admiration, but rather in disdain, and for the conservatives, it is in disgust. After all, we live in an era where it is not necessary to carry your wealth with you.

via: Philippi.com

 
However, there are certain pieces of jewelry, more specifically male jewelry, that even the most conservative would approve of.  These would be the timepiece, the wedding ring, tie clips, collar pins and cufflinks.  All of these serve some functional purpose and the cufflink is no different.

via: deoveritas.com

Essentially, cufflinks are ornaments meant to keep the cuffs of shirt sleeves together.  These cuffs will need 'button' holes on both sides for the cufflinks to be inserted through.  Cufflinks are usually worn with shirts that have French cuffs, where the cuffs of the shirt sleeve are folded back, producing four layers of cuffs on the ends of each shirt sleeve.  This is quite different to the buttoned shirt cuffs that we see on most shirts today, which have become the most prevalent way to fasten cuffs. Alternatively, there are convertible cuffs which come with buttons, but also allow the use of cufflinks.

Many friends prefer cuffs with buttons as it is more convenient, as it allows them the option to roll up their sleeves and there is no need to keep cufflinks around.  In addition, putting cufflinks on and removing them has been considered a hassle by some. Far too tedious they say.

via: robertcharles.co.nz

While these are valid points, I still feel that cufflinks and French cuffs present an image of formality and class, with the exception of novelty cufflinks of course.  While I believe that men should dress in relatively simple outfits, it is the accessories that allow us to express ourselves and to have a bit of colour and fun.  Cufflinks come in a number of materials, but usually it is in steel, silver, gold, wood or enamel, but I suggest you fork out some money for a quality pair of cufflinks as these ornaments can last for a lifetime, unless you lose things easily.  Most shops that sell suits and shirts will usually have cufflinks available as well as brands that largely cater towards the male market such as Montblanc or Dunhill.

Cufflinks certainly have a place in the male wardrobe, especially on important occasions.Such accessories provide the finer details to a dapper outfit, thereby adding sophistication and presence to your look. which can certainly be advantageous to you at formal functions and in business, since it may provide the extra edge of professionalism to put clients at ease or to intrigue the ladies. Thus my fellow gentlemen, I highly recommend wearing a pair of stylish cufflinks the next time you suit up!