WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CUFFLINKS

Cufflinks are used to secure button cuffs and they are jewellery for boys and men. There are varieties of materials from which cufflinks are made such as glass, stone, leather, metal or combinations of these. Cufflinks are designed to be used with shirts which have buttonholes on both sides but no buttons. These may be either single or double-length cuffs, and may be worn either "kissing," with the ends pinched together, or "barrel-style," with one end overlapping the other. Kissing cuffs are conventional and are usually preferred. Cufflinks are a great way to add a personal touch to a suit or dress shirt. If you want a unique look, add  cufflinks to your corporate shirt.

PREPARING YOUR SHIRT FOR CUFFLINKS

Wear the right shirt. Cufflinks are most commonly worn with French cuff (also known as double cuff) dress shirts. This kind of shirt comes with extra-long cuffs that fold back on the cuff material, creating layers. French cuffs don’t have buttons on the sides to connect the cuff instead; there are small holes on each side of the cuff where cufflinks are added. Wearing cufflinks with this shirt means that the cufflink will be holding four layers of shirt fabric. This gives a lovely look, and the most stylish style of shirt to wear with cufflinks. Cufflinks can also be worn with single cuff shirts. Wearing cufflinks with this style of shirt gives a more casual look.

                                                                                                        

Fold back the cuff. With your arm extended, use your other hand to fold your French cuffs back. Make sure that the end edge of the cuff (closest to your fingers) folds back to form a neat lining. If you are wearing a single cuff shirt, there is no need to fold back your cuffs.

 Hold the cuffs together. Hold the two open edges of the shirt cuff together so that the both edges lie flat away from the wrist. The inside fabric of the cuff edges should be pressed against each other creating the stylish kiss cuff commonly worn with cufflinks. The two open edges of the cuff will be held together as if they are kissing. A single cuff shirt will not use the “kiss cuffing” instead, the two cuff edges overlap one another. Again, you can wear cufflinks with single cuff shirts for a more casual look. Cufflinks are paired with French cuff shirts for formal occasions.

Attaching Different Styles of Cufflinks

Insert and secure the cufflink. When your arms are at your sides, the decorative face of the cufflink should be outwardly displayed. Aside from the face of the cufflink, the rest of the cufflink material is inserted through the layers of cuff fabric, and is secured on the other side of the cuff. The way you secure the cufflinks varies depending upon the style of the cufflinks.

Attach a set of chain link cufflinks. Chain link cufflinks are the original form of cufflinks, and feature a connecting chain linking the two ends of the cufflink together. Hold the top portion of the cuff with your middle, ring, and pinky fingers, and use your thumb and pointer finger to push the back of the cufflink through the top cuff’s holes. Then bring the bottom cuff up to meet the top cuff, and again, use your thumb and pointer finger to push the back of the cufflink through the holes of the bottom portion of the shirt cuff. These cufflinks are a bit more difficult to put on. However, the benefit of wearing these cufflinks is that the flexible chain between the front and back of the cufflink typically allows for a more relaxed cuff fit.  An additional benefit of this style is that there is something beautiful to look at on both sides of the cuff.

Attach a set of reversible cufflinks. These styles of cufflinks have a fixed backing, featuring a design on the back end, rather than a plain fixed disc. Attach these cufflinks the same way you would attach fixed back cufflinks. Use your thumb and pointer finger to fit the entire back end of the cufflink through the holes in the top layer of the cuff fabric, while your other fingers hold the cuff steady. Then, bring the bottom portion of the cuff up to meet the top portion, and push the back of the cufflink through the holes in the bottom cup. The cufflink will be secured when the back is held in place on the bottom portion of the cuff like a button. This cufflink style allows for an appealing design on both sides of your cuff, and enables you to switch what is shown as the face of the cufflink. It’s like having two pairs of cufflinks in one.

Attach a set of ball return cufflinks. This style of cufflink is similar to fixed backing cufflinks. Usually, the backing is composed of an attached ball. Use your thumb and pointer finger to insert the balled backing of the cufflink through the holes on the top layer of the cuff. Then bring the bottom portion of the cuff up to meet the top portion, and push the post of the cufflink through the bottom portion’s cuff holes. The upside of these cufflinks is that they are very easy to put on and you get the slackened cuff fitting.

Attach a set of locking closure cufflinks. Unfold these attached cufflinks (so they’re opened and have a straighter form) and insert the small, back end of the cufflink through the holes on the top layer of the cuff. Once the back end of the cufflink is completely through the top layer of cuffing, bring the bottom portion of the cuff up to meet the cufflink backing. Then push the backing of the cufflink through the holes of the bottom portion of the cuff. Hinge the cufflink back into place, folding it, to close and lock the cufflink into place. This style of cufflink is one of the most secure varieties, and offers a tighter fit to the cuff.