July 29, 2022 - I recall that when I graduated from San Augustine High School in 1954, I received a couple of pairs of cufflinks as gifts. I wore those links for many years to various “up-scale” functions. I still have a couple of them in my jewelry box… yes, men can have jewelry boxes! Looking around me today, I seldom see any man wearing a white shirt with cufflinks. Neckties seem to be on their way out, also. Why is this?
Cufflinks go way back in jewelry history. Research reveals that they first appeared in the 1600’s. However, they did not become common until the end of the 18th century. They are related to men’s shirts quite naturally. Men have been wearing shirt-like items of clothing since the invention of woven fabric around 5000 BC.
I know what you are thinking – “Cufflinks? Who wears cufflinks? It’s the 21st century. Nobody wears cufflinks any more!” It might surprise you to learn that if you go on to “Google” and search for “buy cufflinks”, you get over 87 million results. So, it does seem that cufflinks are on their way back.
They are in vogue for men who dress to impress, and they are more common today than we might think. Cufflinks and ties - OK, we all know that most men have ditched the tie, although only Heaven knows why. Ties can say so much about a man. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that ties, well ties need to be – well – tied. To many men it is just too much of a hassle. This is one of the things that has come to the fore in this century, and that is why many men want everything to be as easy as possible.
Unfortunately, that boils down to pure laziness. After all, how long does it take to tie a tie? And what does it do for the man out in the work place? Well, by wearing a tie to work he will gain respect from his fellow workers, and more importantly, from his bosses. Who are they most likely to consider for promotion when there is a vacancy? Someone who goes to work in a tee shirt and jeans, or some man who dresses smartly? All else being equal, the man who dresses smartly is going to get the job every time.
One thing you need to consider about cufflinks as well as the tie, is that you do not want to out-do the boss, either. Wearing a pair of gold cufflinks with real diamonds in them will make you look impressive, but be careful not out-do the boss. That does not go over very well. Of course, if you are going to a party with some of your favorite friends, you can throw caution to the winds. You want a JCB digger on your cuffs, or a smiley face? OK, go for it. It will give everyone a laugh, and be a talking point. But do not wear them to the office.
Back in the 1950s a gentleman liked to adorn himself with a whole range of accessories, including a cigarette case, lighter, tie pin, and a watch worn on the wrist instead of the pocket, and a wide range of cufflinks.
By the 1970s cufflinks were less emphasized in the middle-class fashion. Fashion was dominated by the Woodstock generation, with shirts primarily manufactured complete with buttons and buttonholes. Most fine heirlooms were reworked into earrings.
The 1980s saw a cautious return to traditional cufflinks as part of a general revival in traditional male dress. Fortunately, this trend has more or less continued to this day.
I can recall going to Sunday morning church services back in my day. All the men wore white shirts with ties, and sometimes cufflinks. Today, as I scan the audience in church, very few men have on a suit and tie. Most of them are there dressed mostly in casual clothes. Sometimes I feel somewhat out of place wearing a suit and tie to church, but I refuse to change. I think that God wants reverence and respect when you visit his church. Wearing your work clothes to church just does not seem to fit. But, that’s just me.
Cite: Paul Winrow
