What Kind of Shirt Do You Wear with Cufflinks?

When it comes to adding charm, elegance, and polish to an outfit, there is nothing that works as good as a pair of cufflinks.

Perfect for business attire as well as formal wear, cufflinks do more than just adding an air of sophistication and style.

They also keep your cuff neat and showcase your personality in more than just a way. However, choosing the right pair of cufflinks is not always an easy walk. To help you, we have put together a guide on how to wear it like a true gentleman.

What Are Cufflinks?

It can be described as a piece of formal jewelry traditionally embraced by men. They are usually worn for formal occasions and used to fasten together the sides of shirt cuffs.

You can find a wide range of cufflinks for men today though the typical designs include single plate styles that feature linked studs with a small swiveling clasp.

Unlike studs that are more of decorative fasteners, it fasten the cuffs of a shirt. However, it’s important to note that cufflinks can be bought in stud styles.

Primarily, there are three main parts to a cufflink: the head, the post, and the toggle. The front face or head is the decorative part of the cufflink that faces out.

It can be seen by others on your wrist area. The toggle, the bottom piece of the cufflinks, can be described as the locking mechanism that closes the cufflink in place so it does not fall out.

The post is that part of the cufflink that slides through the buttonhole in the cuff. It joins the head and the toggle together and connects the two sides of the fabric to hold them together. 

It can be worn with a tuxedo or dress shirt or even with casual shirts or business attire.

How To Wear Cufflinks?

If you have not used it or in doubt about which cufflinks to choose, it is important for you to focus on the color and type of shirt.

Since buttons can be quite different from cufflinks, the type of cufflinks you should buy would primarily dictate the type of fastener you need to use.

• Cufflinks with a White Shirt: If you work in a formal business setting, you can liven up office outfits opting for a plain white shirt. White shirts appear understated and neutral and therefore it’s easy to choose from a wide range of exciting and different styles.
• Cufflinks with a Blue Shirt: You should be a bit careful if you want to try out it with a blue shirt. This is primarily because colored cufflinks can appear overly bold or clash with blue shirts.
• Therefore, it is always recommended to keep things on a bit conservative side. The best idea is to play it safe with a pair of silver cufflinks. If you want to wear a colored pair, it is best to opt for cufflinks in a contrasting shade of the blue shirt.
• For instance, you can opt for light blue cufflinks if your shirt is dark blue, and vice versa. This will help you keep the overall appearance consistent and sophisticated.
• Cufflinks with a Pink Shirt: If you want to wear a pink shirt and use it, it is best to opt for a pink-toned pair that complement your pink shirt while still offering a slight contrast. Alternatively, you can try out a sleek silver style so your pink shirt can stand out.
• Double/French Cuff Shirts are unarguably the most classic and common example to wear with chain link cufflinks.
• These shirts have extended cuffs that can be folded back easily onto themselves to create more layers. It is worthwhile to remember here that French cuff shirts don’t have any button to close the cuffs and therefore they require chain link cufflinks.
• Button/Barrel Cuff Shirts: Slightly less formal than a double or French cuff design, a button or barrel cuff shirt features a button fastening. You can remove the attached button and turn the button or barrel cuff shirt into a single-cuff style.
• Shirts for black-tie events: Just as black is the most formal suit color, black would also be the best choice with the cufflinks.
• You can opt for a sleek onyx look with a simple design would be ideal. You may alternatively opt for a metallic style. This is a shinier option but it does look cultured and elegant.

Remember, you don’t always need to have the it match the suit. You have the complete freedom to opt for colors, shapes, and designs as far as cufflinks are concerned when it comes to complementing the suit color.

However, if you want to create a monochrome look, it’s best to ensure your cufflinks are of the same color as the suit jacket and pants.