Men's Cufflinks

The cufflink is an elegant addition to men’s dress that gives a bit of flare to the wearer’s wrists. Now reserved for the more formal occasions, the cuff link began as a practical invention: a means to keep a person's shirt cuffs closed.

The arrival of the cufflink coincided with a revolution in men’s fashion regarding the exposure of a person's shirt sleeves. Mankind has been wearing shirts for millennia, yet up until the 16th century the shirt was considered among upper classes an undergarment to be worn beneath a suit jacket or waistcoat. As this tradition diminished over the course of the 17th century, the cuff, and coincidingly the cufflink, emerged, achieving unprecedented popularity by the century following.

From that point, the status of the cufflink skyrocketed, with every dapper gentlemen incorporating them into his outfit. Over the years, cufflinks became increasingly elaborate, with the world’s greatest jewelry designers conjuring pairs bedecked with gems, pearls, and precious metals.

Quick Facts

• As a testament to the slow evolution of men’s dress, one can look to 17th-century fashion figure Louis XIV. Known for his elegant dress and flair for jewels, including a set of 104 diamond buttons for his coat, he still used ribbons to secure his sleeves’ cuffs
• Cufflinks aren't only for men. Prominent women, like the “Gibson Girls” of the late 19th century to 20th-century actress Marlene Dietrich, have enjoyed wearing cufflinks as well
• The early 20th century saw the slow decline of the cufflink, in part thanks to Prince Edward, the Duke of Windsor. Once a fanatic for cufflinks, the Duke soon abandoned this passion in favor of the emerging trend of the more casual sport shirt