How to Wear Cufflinks: 4 Cufflink Styles

Cufflinks are jewelry accessories that fasten dress and tuxedo shirt cuffs at the wrist. Generally, people wear cufflinks at black tie events or other formal occasions, although they can be part of casual looks or semi-formal attire, such as with business suits. There are various styles of cufflinks, and materials may include sterling silver, gold, glass, stone, metal, leather, or other precious stones or gems. Cufflinks can reflect the wearer’s singular aesthetic or be custom-made for a particular outfit.

A pair of cufflinks may come in many different styles, including:

1. 1. Whaleback cufflinks: This type of cufflink has a straight post. The end flips flat, parallel to the post, so you can efficiently maneuver it through the buttonhole. To lock, flip the end back again and fasten the cufflink.
2. 2. Knot cufflinks: Silk knot cufflinks feature two knots that fasten to secure the cuffs. For less formal outfits, the knots can be made out of twine-like material—these cufflinks resemble shipmen's rope to moor boats and work nicely for beachy outfits.
3. 3. Ball return cufflinks: Ball return cufflinks have rounded fixtures on each end of a post. These spheres do not require adjustment; they are simple to work with and simply poke through shirt sleeves for easy fastening.
4. 4. Chain link cufflinks: Chain links represent the most traditional form of cufflinks. These cufflinks feature two sides or disks joined by a short chain. The two sides may come in different shapes and styles, and are typically reversible. The chain link cufflink has no rigid post and can be challenging to fit through a sleeve, but the chain allows for a looser cuff.

Follow these steps to learn how to easily add these accessories to your outfit:

1. 1. Put on the correct shirt. Cufflinks are typically worn with French-cuff shirts that feature a double cuff that folds back. You can also wear cufflinks with single-cuff shirts, which feature two overlapping edges.
2. 2. Check your shirt’s buttonholes. Your tuxedo shirt or dress shirt will have two buttonholes on your shirt cuff: one on the outside of the wrist and one on the inside, between two buttons. You’ll thread the cufflinks through these holes.
3. 3. Close the cufflink clasp. When extended and locked in, cufflinks will normally take the shape of a T, with the head poking out and the base at a perpendicular angle to secure the other side. Close the clasp so the head can easily slide through your buttonhole.
4. 4. Hold the cuffs together. With your cufflinks at the ready, you can now pinch the two sides of the cuffs to align the buttonholes.
5. 5. Insert and secure the cufflink. Next, thread the cufflink through the first and second buttonholes. Once fully through, you can fasten the cufflink. Different types of cufflinks will fasten uniquely, but for a common type of cufflink, like bullet-back cufflinks, bring the bottom part of the cuff (the closing mechanism) up to meet the cufflink. Then, insert the cufflink's post through the cuff's bottom. You can then horizontally flip the bullet-shaped capsule to secure it.

If you have an upcoming formal event, consider how to incorporate cufflinks in your ensemble:

1. 1. Wear custom cufflinks. For intricate, personalized cufflink designs, you can turn gemstones, family heirlooms, or a prized piece of jewelry into your own, high-end cufflinks. Bring the material to a jeweler who can create a bespoke pair of cufflinks for special occasions.
2. 2. Start with simple cufflinks. If you are just trying out cufflinks or want to put on a pair with simpler step-by-step instructions, whaleback cufflinks may be a good place to start.
3. 3. Match your studs to cufflinks. Shirt studs are the items that go through tuxedo shirts’ buttonholes. Studs are normally black, and while cufflinks can be an accessory unto themselves, they can also match your studs or lapel pins.

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