Friday, August 13, 2010

How to Match Cufflinks With Your Attire

Wearing cufflinks is a great way to add style to your attire, especially if the usual suit and tie have become boring in time. It also shows some personal touch, and may distinctively set you apart from the other guys wearing the same suit. On some occasions, when done right, cufflinks even add some elegance and appeal.

Currently, there are so many cufflink designs available and so many styles to choose from. You don't just pick out a pair, close your cuffs and off you go. Unfortunately, your favorite cufflinks may not be a one-fits-all kind. As with wearing other accessories, there are certain rules to follow, specifically when matching them.

So how do you match your cufflinks? How do you know which pair of cufflinks to wear?

For one, you have to match your cufflinks design with the occasion.

What kind of occasion are you attending? Is it a formal one, a business one, or a casual one? There is an appropriate cufflink design for every occasion. If you're going to a formal party or doing a business presentation, do not wear novelty cufflinks. They're cute and make great gift ideas but may be too informal for the occasion. Wear them with your ordinary office shirt instead; it looks great just the same.

Traditional, conservative-type cufflinks are best, and simple cufflink designs are the safest. Also, some formal events have color-themes or motifs, such as wedding or debut parties, even reunions. Make sure you follow the standard, and stand out later with your cufflinks.

Match your cufflinks' colors with what you're wearing, specifically with other pieces of clothing you're wearing.

Usually the first thing to look at is your tie. Your cufflinks should compliment the color and design of your tie. Regardless of the design, it's a rule to follow your tie's color. If it's blue, then your cufflinks should be blue, or of shades of blue. If your tie's design is patterned, wear a simple, plain-colored cufflink to balance that.

Another reference is the color of your inner shirt. Plain white or simple light-colored shirts are best if your cufflinks are dark-colored in order to create contrast. Same thing if you're wearing dark colored shirts, your cufflinks should be light-colored in order to stand out. If you're wearing patterned-designs, plain looking cufflinks fit well.

You can also match cufflinks with other accessories you're wearing; perhaps your belt buckle or your other jewelries' color, your ring or watch.

Colors for formal occasions are usually gold and silver. Gold compliments well with brown suits or shades of brown perhaps. While silver blends well with most colors - blue, red, etc. Just make sure it follows the color of your belt buckle.

Besides color and design, also consider your cufflinks material - if it is made of glass, metal, or fabric.

Your aim is to create color, balance and harmony when wearing accessories such as cufflinks. There should always be a contrast and at the same time compliment in color and style.

Adam English invites you to take a look at the latest mens cufflinks offered at Cufflinks.co.uk. Specialists in sterling silver cufflinks, men's unique gifts and accessories - you're certain to find something to your liking.


Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Buying Men's Cufflinks

Cufflinks are popular men's accessories. It has persisted through the ages and its history spans centuries. Cufflinks are perfect with corporate suites especially if they are fitted with French cuffs, tuxedos and even dress robes. They are famous accessories for any man who wants to exude class and elegance. If you are thinking of what gift you can give your boyfriend, husband, friend or any other family member, why don't you give them a nice pair of cufflinks? They may not own one at the moment (which makes your gift more wonderful) but it will surely be appreciated. Giving cufflinks to people who are not fond of wearing them is like introducing them to the trendier side of life.

If you are not aware yet, cufflinks are available in varied shapes and sizes. The styles that are used by many cufflinks manufacturer can come from the most sophisticated and intricate, to the most basic and commonplace. Formal cufflinks typically come in the most subtly shaped cufflinks that are elegantly decorated while novelty cufflinks can be created to symbolize your man's hobbies, likes, personality and you can even have them in his initials or your photograph (yes, they can be customized).

You can even purchase cufflinks that can be perfect gifts for your husband during your baby's christening, and even young boys have their own uniquely designed cufflinks. There a million reasons and occasions to wear cufflinks so owning a nice pair would not seem odd or out of place. However, you need to consider your recipient's style and sensibility if you want to purchase the perfect pair. Their personality and fashion sense should be well represented by the cufflinks that you will buy so that your recipient will enjoy wearing them. If you are not sure about the things to consider in buying cufflinks, here are some tips:

1. Cufflinks for newbies. If you are going to give the first pair, then you need to give cufflinks that are basic and simple. Stay away from flashy cufflinks as your recipient may have a hard time finding a suit, dress shirt or occasion to match it with. One example of a nice simple cufflink is a simple platinum stud that has very minimal design on its face, or look for something that looks like a simple metal button. Choosing simple cufflinks will not scare your special man in wearing them. You can also throw in a nice pair of French cuff shirt that he can wear with his new pair of cufflinks.

2. Cufflinks for seasoned wearers. If you are going to give cufflinks to a frequent user, then you should give him the most stunning cufflinks that you can find that does not go over your budget. If you can afford it, you can go for diamond studded cufflinks, and that would be much better. Another perfect option is personalized cufflinks. You can have his initials engraved on each face or if you're giving it to your husband, you can have a picture of you both monogrammed on the face of the cufflinks. You can also choose to personalize your cufflinks by choosing any precious metal and your own set of gemstones that you want studded in his cufflinks. These are uniquely and personally designed cufflinks which are sure to delight any cufflinks wearer.

Adam English invites you to take a look at the latest mens cufflinks offered at Cufflinks.co.uk. Specialists in sterling silver cufflinks, men's unique gifts and accessories - you're certain to find something to your liking.


Saturday, August 7, 2010

The Cufflink Invasion

By Patrick McMurray




In the 1960's American media labelled the influx of British pop bands as the British invasion, as waves of new music and dress trends flooded across the Atlantic. It was the first time that England had produced a sound style uniquely original.

But this was not just a mere awakening for the English music scene; moreover a holistic conversion from what America forced upon the populations of music lovers the world over. The hair styles, clothing, and language that all surrounded the new wave of Beatles music. An infusion led to the natural introduction of other memorable bands. And there seemed to be an endless diversity of sounds within this genre. The Hollies, Eric Burden and the Animals, Moody Blues, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Kinks, Tom Jones, the Troggs. All of whom were distinctly recognisable.



America had no answer to the Brits invasion and could do nothing better than to capitalise on their style by mass producing it. Record companies soon realised there was an awful lot of money to made through marketing bands that had the right sound and individual personalities, even though their musical talent lacked lustre.

Moving away from the music scene, there has been a more subtle British invasion taking place for decades: A diverse group of designers have been branding a range cufflinks as distinct as day and night.

The wave began about two decades after the demise of cufflink manufacturing in America. Designer Manufacturer Swank was producing twelve million pairs of cufflinks per anum, which peaked in the late sixties.

The English flavour was less on mass production and more on bespoke, exclusive, funky, and flamboyant. It seemed in contrast to the countries gloomy out look reflected by its grey skies and rising damp.

Those who take an interest will identify the Brit designer brands.

Men began to reinvent the dandy styles that were introduced by Beau Brummell. George Bryan Brummell (Beau Brummell) was the arbiter of men's fashion in Regency England and a friend of the Prince Regent. He established the mode of men wearing understated, but fitted, tailored dark suits and full-length trousers, adorned with an elaborately-knotted cravat.

Beau Brummell is credited with introducing and establishing as fashion the modern man's suit, worn with a tie. His style of dress is often referred to as dandyism, even though Brummell himself would have never agreed to that description.

He bathed and shaved every day and spent many hours grooming and dressing for the occasion. Polished boots, clean fingernails, quick whit and principles all helped shape the gentleman as defined by principles.

Cufflinks began to appear around 1715 and the rest is history. The dandy man continued through mods, glam rock to modern times. The suit, and silk tie, cufflinks and lapel badge remain as prominent in everyday dress as ever.



Purveyor of finely crafted Designer Silk Ties and handmade silver cufflinks

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_McMurray