Wednesday 15 April 2009

What is the Right Pair of Cufflinks for your Personality, and the Occasion?

When putting together a formal outfit there are few options for customisation, but accessories give the man some freedom to express himself. Cufflinks are a great way to add some personality, colour and mood to your formal outfit. There is a vast array of cufflink styles such as; crystal, coloured enamel, mother of pearl, animals and novelty cufflinks. The vast array of designs ensures that you will find the ideal pair of cufflinks to suit your personality, and the occasion. In this article I will explore the different brands and styles of cufflinks, and how to pick the right pair for you and your outfit.

Due to the very large range of designer cufflinks available, it is not easy to pick the right pair for your outfit. Do the cufflinks need to match the tie? Very often you can purchase a tie and cufflink set with matching colours and patterns, which does give a smart and well considered look. Choosing a pair of cufflinks with a colour or pattern that matches the tie, also gives the same effect. More important though is to choose a pair of cufflinks that suit your personality, and the occasion.

If your work demands a conservative dress, then a classic pair of cufflinks will work best. For example solid colours or subtle patterns that match the tie give a smart and professional look. Classic cufflink shapes include; circles, ovals, squares and rectangles (also known as barcode cufflinks or barrels). Cufflinks made out of chrome give a modern and clean look. The chrome egg cufflinks by Simon Carter are an excellent all round cufflink that will suit most looks. It is very important to own one pair of classic cufflinks, to give you wardrobe some flexibility. In addition, classic cufflinks go very well with a highly patterned or detailed shirt.

It is possible to be a bit more daring when choosing cufflinks for a social occasion. For a black tie event a classically cool look is a matching pair of black cufflinks, with a hint of crystal or silver for some sparkle. Simon Carter has a large range of black and crystal cufflinks, such as their bullseye cufflinks which is made from rings of onyx. For special events such as weddings, cufflinks using semi-precious stones such as mother of pearl and sapphires will lift your outfit without being too loud.

If your intention is to stand out from the crowd, then a vividly coloured pair of enamel cufflinks or coloured crystal cufflinks will do the trick. Duchamp London is a premium accessories brand based in London, known for their vividly coloured enamel cufflinks. Their designs are exclusive to Duchamp, using hand enamelling techniques to achieve a very detailed level of design. Their multi coloured harlequin cufflinks will add some much needed ‘jazz’, to a more neutral suit and shirt. Some cufflinks are made from coloured fibre optic glass, which have the added benefit of being able to reflect the light (see Tateossian).

For the gentleman who likes to show off the fun side of his personality, novelty cufflinks are a good option. They do not have to be tacky, as there are some luxurious and elegant novelty cufflinks available. Tateossian are well known for their mechanical cufflinks such as watches, compasses and thermometers (which all work). Their signature cufflink is a globe that can spin around in its solid silver axis. Paul Smith are well known for their ‘naked lady’ enamel cufflinks whilst Simon Carter are renowned for their aspirin cufflinks. There are also a wide range of cufflinks for animal lovers and sports enthusiasts. Tateossian football cufflinks feature a football on one side, and a football boot as the whale tail fitting.