Archive for February, 2007

Wearing Cufflinks

Tuesday, February 20th, 2007

A cuff link is a beautified fastener for men, used to link the two parts of French cuff, usually on a dress shirt or blouse. One thing to note will be the cuff is designed not to fasten overlapping it self as the other button cuffs will do.

Generally these cuff links are used to fasten designed simply with one post, one short cylindrical portion like chain which used to join two disc parts. One of the disc is designed to fit correctly into the button hole of the cuff, as well as the other part which is visible is designed a little wider bearing the designs. Usually some designed or alphabetically initialized cufflink is used in these parts of the cuff link.

When you wear cuff links for the first time take a notice of the occasion you want to attend. And also foresee for what others will wear for that occasion.

To tie the cuff with the cuff link, first close the swivel bar and insert the cuff link through the button holes from outside.
For security you may open the swivel bar.

We can choose the cuff links of at least five cuff styles which can be used in Custom Dress Shirt Cuffs and also coincides with necktie, button cover, ascot or bolo tie / bola tie.

We can also choose the cuff links as per the occasion. Usually Hematite Cuff Links will suit at the most formal occasion and Paua Shell Cuff links may suit in a festive occasion or as a daily wear.

Cuff link has a wide range of designs like many fashion accessories. The numerous varieties in designs and construction details may be notified in a cuff link.

Usually the hidden side of the cufflink can have the construction and procedure about the swivel bars and the post, how they align , the link that ties the button holes and also shows us the right angled position of swivel bar when worn.

A cost effective alternate for the cufflinks silk knot also known as Monkey’s fists. This type is popular in Europe than in North America and is mostly used as a formal wear and they suit well with color-coordinated silk knots for the replacement of double-button cuff links.

The French cuff also known as double cuff is a cuff which suits in a dress shirt to folded back and then tied with cuff links or silk knots, other than buttons. Cuff links and silk knots can be used simultaneously

French cuffs are known for formal use than the button cuffs. Normally Button cuffs and standard suits are formal enough for occasion.

But when it comes for the job interview or in some business environment shirts with button cuffs are generally preferred than French cuffs.

Usually French cuffs can be tied up with cuff links. But as an alternate we may also use the cheaper in cost, formal, well regarded silk knots often known as Monkey’s fists with the French cuffs.

As we have already known that this style of French cuffs are popular in whole of Europe except in the United States of America.

The Necktie History

Tuesday, February 6th, 2007

The history of Necktie History had an important event in its course when in the 1880s the British Military decided to give out its bright colored uniforms as they helped enemies to notice easily. The British Army had the distinction of wearing very bright uniform which was a very easy target for their enemies even in the dim lights. The awareness to change the uniforms for the entire British Military took place in the early 1880s. After this the Uniform was changes so that there were no bright stripes and lines on the Uniform and the full uniform was made to have a more subtle look.

But the military refused old colors only in their uniforms and those bright Colors and the stripes continued with their neckties. These ties not only remained in their old colors, but they created new uniforms for each regiments.

One of the regiment The Royal Rifle Corps were allotted with rifle green and scarlet ties and for Artists’ Rifles they were changed to black, gray and red colors. For Court Inns the stripes colors were green and blue.

In the Military circles it was it was strictly followed that a person should wear ties from more than 200 regimental ties. Even some time London’s greatest shopping stores questioned their customer’s right for wearing a particular tie. These demands and changes in the custom of wearing the neckties had a phenomenal increase in the demand for exquisitely designed neckties and the neckties came to be sold in a variety of colors and designs. This increased the customer’s eagerness to buy some of the rarely available ties. This gave rise to the enormously popular necktie rare collections and many persons who were the owners of those precious ties exchanged them for thousands of dollars.

In America where the climate is not so conducive for the wearing of neckties, it seemed so uncomfortable to wear lace or silk cravats in the hot American south. The plantation owners of those times in the American continent, who were powerful and opulent, made a custom of wearing wide ribbons only to show their social powers. These the plantation owners wore wide ribbons that are tied in bows around their necks and these were made a compulsory item of their regular attire. As this can be worn with a low collared shirt, this plantation tie was the origin of American neckwear. All the development to the modern Necktie could be traced back to this modest wide ribbon bow.

This tie soon became part of Mississippi River boat Culture of the west. The famous writer Mark Twain also wanted to show his picture with wearing a plantation tie. The Riverboat Gamblers soon accepted this tie in their uniform with a fancy white shirt and a light suit. Today the leading supporter for this plantation tie is Colonel Sanders of chicken fame, who always wanted to picture him with these ties.

These plantation ties are often worn by Country music singers and square dancers.

Origin And Use Of Cufflinks

Friday, February 2nd, 2007

King Charles II, the monarch of 17th century who was famous for the form and function was known as the origin for the modern cufflinks. Men’s fashion in that century was shirts with lacy fronts and cuffs. Only a string is used as a tie to keep the cuff around the wrist. King Charles used an ornamental decorative button to pin the cuff of his coat to show more lace in his shirtsleeve. For the time being this is modified and the decorated buttons changed in to modern cufflinks. Today the cufflinks works as it was before but only adds the elegance to it.

The main use of the cufflinks is it holds the shirt cuff with the wrist.

But today we can say we are having buttons in our shirts, the buttons also serve as that of cufflinks to keep the cuff closed. When we have buttons in our shirt it is enough for us to keep the cuffs close.

But if we want to wear cufflinks in our shirt, there must be French cuffs or double cuffs with our shirt.

Single cuff shirts are also there but they have never taken off.

When you wear a shirt with French cuffs the first thing you notice is the extra material at the bottom of the sleeves. The cuffs are designed so that the flap material will extend to come near the hands. When you just fold the flap over the bottom of the sleeve it makes a perfect cuff.

The cuffs will meet at the outside edge; there you will find two button holes both at front and back. The only thing you will do is just line up the button holes and slide it in to the cufflink to hold the cuffs together.

A sharp man should not give importance to what he is wearing. The only thing we should take in count must be when we choose gold or silver cufflinks; we should match the color to our wrist watch. If your wristwatch band is made of leather then metal only matches to your ring.

When choosing cufflinks with color match with your shirt’s tone and match your tie also. When we use cufflinks with the dinner jacket in the evening time, you should match your cufflink with your inner white shirt or with your black dinner jacket. Now the fashion changes, so match gold or silver cufflinks with your dinner jacket.

We can choose the cufflinks for the wedding ceremony to match what the others wear for it, but not changing the rules much. The important thing we consider when we match cufflinks to the wedding party is to match the cufflinks to watch, ring, and shirt jacket also.