The History of Cufflinks

An often ignored element of style amongst men are cufflinks. With so many different styles, colours and designs they are a great way to introduce a bit of colour and detail into a man’s wardrobe. Cufflinks have been a part of a man’s wardrobes for centuries- with Royal families commissioning cufflinks to mark weddings or other special events and even historians noting the presence of cufflinks in Egyptian paintings.

Cufflinks are prevalent in men’s wardrobes today, the story behind them however can be traced all the way back to the sixteenth century. It’s during this time that the modern dress shirt first made an appearance, the basic shape was there, but was very different to what it is like now. Details like the cuff were nothing more than an open slit that could be sealed off with a piece of string.

 The reign of French King Louis XIV saw the cufflink get a well needed facelift. The string was replaced with “sleeve buttons,” tiny glass forms with a chain running between them to keep it all together. Pretty soon men started to get flashy with their buttons, graduating from simple glass ovals to full-on gaudy jewellery. Diamonds to gold- the possibilities were endless and suddenly a whole industry was born. Cufflinks gave opportunity to show personality and added character to each outfit. By the 1800’s different cufflinks reflected a man’s respective styles.

Around the twentieth century, however, things began to relax for menswear in general and the formality that once was so popular began to fall out of favour. Menswear became more nonchalant and cufflinks were one of the first things to go. Adding to their demise was the Great Depression and World War II, which led to a drop in both raw materials for manufacturers and income for consumers. The more practical sewn-on button came back to replace the ornamental cufflinks on men’s shirting. They became exclusive to the wealthy and naturally, the cufflink suddenly became a sign of status. High-flyers would strut around wearing real diamonds and gold on their wrists while their less fortunate counterparts would wear plastic or simply forgo them all together.

Nowadays, as formal attire is back on the upswing, cufflinks are experiencing a bit of a comeback, allowing men to show off a bit of attitude without becoming tacky. A pair of signature cufflinks are a characteristic mark of a true modern gentleman. They have even become, for many, an heir loom to which will be passed from father to son.

Here are Cuttings, we have a fantastic range in stock that can complement any outfit. Whether you’re interested in a classic style like these 18ct Gold Vintage Cufflinks or want to express character with these Silver Cufflinks, we’ve got the ideal set.