Shirt Cufflinks: How to Put Them On and When to Wear Them

Choosing Among Different Models

 
 

"A huge diamond he wore on his shirt, and for the red ribbon that stretched from one end of the dress buttonhole to the other."
A. Dumas

 
 

This is how Alexandre Dumas describes wrist cufflinks in The Count of Monte Cristo, referring to the attire of Baron Danglars.

In the first half of the 19th century, these precious items had already been known for some time as a distinctive mark of belonging to the nobility and the upper bourgeoisie.

They made their appearance in the period immediately following the Renaissance as special buttons decorated in pairs and held together by an equally precious chain. The name for these particular accessories originated in France in 1788.

In Great Britain, tailors compete to create "cufflinks" with the most original materials and eclectic shapes. Over time, the habit of personalizing them for special occasions such as births, coronations, or weddings emerged.

Gold, silver, and precious stones are the most sought-after materials, but in the 18th century, there was a growing demand for cufflinks made from glass paste. The Industrial Revolution democratically transformed the world of accessories.

Cufflinks became a common item, accessible to other social classes. After a few years of quiet existence in the 1980s, Italian and foreign fashion designers brought this accessory back into prominence, giving it a central role in men's clothing.

Cufflinks are now used not only for important occasions as ornaments for elegant and ceremonial attire but also as cufflinks on a regular shirt, a versatile accessory that can be creatively reimagined for more casual looks.

 
 
 

When to Wear Cufflinks?

Special Occasions to Flaunt These Accessories

Shirt cufflinks are now the stylish touch that makes a difference in every outfit, but it's essential to choose and match them appropriately. White gold and silver cufflinks are timeless classics, while yellow gold ones are more challenging to match: it's advisable to match the materials of these precious accessories with the other metals you're wearing.

Another variable to consider is the type of cuff you're about to decorate with cufflinks. The most suitable cuff that exudes greater elegance is the French cuff, also known as the double cuff. It's longer than the traditional one, with two pairs of buttonholes without buttons, often chosen for groom's cufflinks, ceremonies, gala evenings, and formal events.

 

How to Wear Cufflinks: What Makes Them Up

Details That Make an Elegant Difference

How to wear shirt cufflinks

Cufflinks are often worn on the more classic shirt models with single cuffs and no corresponding button on the other side of the sleeve. In this case, the look becomes more casual and less formal, but the addition of this precious accessory still makes it extremely elegant.

The front face is the top part of this accessory, always distinguished by its refined design: it can have a particular shape, it can be an ambigram or monogram, or even a precious stone. The pin is the part that passes through the buttonhole, the element that threads through the fabric and effectively attaches the accessory to the iconic item of men's wardrobe. Finally, there is the clip, the bottom part of the shirt cufflinks, which can rotate 90 degrees to allow the precious accessory to stay in place on the sleeve without the risk of slipping out of the buttonhole.

 
 
 

How to Wear Cufflinks

The Best Way to Showcase Class

There are various types of cufflinks, each with a different way of wearing them. Here's how to wear cufflinks depending on the chosen style.

 

Whale Tail Closure Cufflinks

Practical and Common Model

A practical and popular model that gets its name from the characteristic shape of the rotating part. Shirt cufflinks: how to wear them in this case? You wear them by placing the clip in a vertical position, sliding it through the buttonhole, and then returning it to the initial position.

Torpedo or Toggle Closure Cufflinks

Heroes of Timeless Elegance

This type of men's shirt cufflinks is named after a war movie scene in which a heroic soldier on a submarine manages to release the torpedo that will save the world. How to wear toggle closure cufflinks? Ensure the clip is parallel to the pin, then slide it inside the buttonhole and rotate it again to lock it in position.

Double-Action Closure Cufflinks

A Modern Design Model

A very modern model, with a design carefully crafted on both sides, whose closure mechanism resembles that of wristwatches. How to put on shirt cufflinks? To wear them, we first ensure the hinge is flat, then let it slide through the cuff buttonhole and open it to secure it in place.

Chain Link Cufflinks

Antique Model with Two Faces

The oldest model, featuring two identical faces connected by a chain.

To wear them, simply insert one side into the cuff and then secure it: in this case as well, the accessory has a two-sided design.

Ball Cufflinks

Unique in Their Style

This model stands out from the others due to the presence of a rather large sphere on the back, connected to the decorative face through a chain or a curved pin. To position it, you need to tilt and push the smaller side into the buttonhole and then proceed with the fastening.

Button Cufflinks

The Simplicity of Refinement

The name reflects its shape, taking on the function that a button serves inside clothing. In this case, both parts are decorated, and to apply it, you need to act as if you were buttoning up a shirt.

 
 
 

A cuff with cufflinks, a distinctive sign of class and elegance: Montegrappa's accessories are the refined signature that seals an important moment, a special occasion, or the choice of everyday life lived with style.

 

MONTEGRAPPA CUFFLINKS