How to Wear French Cuff Links
French cuffs, a fashion that was once only seen with a tuxedo or dinner coat, is a style that is making a comeback with all types of suits and dress pants. Although the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, as played by Johnny Depp, and a few other real-life film stars wear their French-style cuffs without any links, it is generally not a good idea. The cuffs flop around and look sloppy, defeating the purpose of the elegant shirt and making onlookers wonder if the wearer is trying to make a fashion statement or simply doesn't know how to wear cuffs. Don't let it happen to you.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Iron the cuffs flat with a steam iron. This is a critical element to linking the cuffs. If the cuffs do not lay flat on the ironing board, adjust the upper sleeve and try again.
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2
Put on the shirt. Button all of the front buttons before attempting to link the sleeves.
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3
Let your arm hang to the side and fold the cuff down over the hand. This first step will allow the cuffs to remain crisp and without wrinkles.
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4
Fold half of the cuff up on the hand, toward the shoulder. Be sure to match the holes on both the top and the bottom of the cuff.
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5
Raise your wrist and, with your other hand, hold the matching sides of the cuff with the small openings together. The opening should be large enough for you to see a small amount of light through the hole. The link will be inserted here.
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6
Pick up the cuff link, with the decorative side facing away and the folding link side toward the body.
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7
Link the two sides of the cuff together by slipping the cuff link through the two sets of holes.
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8
Twist the backside screw or flip the folding mechanism to hold the two sides together. Some French cuff links include a second decoration on the back of the link. Simply place this element through the holes to attach it. There is nothing to screw or flip with this type of cuff link.
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9
Follow the same procedure to link the other cuff.
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10
Shake both arms with your hands hanging down to the side of your body. This will settle the cuffs to ride on the upper portion of the hands. If the shirt touches the top of your fingers, it is too long. Select a shirt with a shorter sleeve. If the cuffs rest at the wrist bone, with the shirt sleeves hanging at the side, the shirt is too small. Select a shirt with a longer sleeve.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The folding cuff link is not your only choice. Cuff buttons are available in all types of metal and semi-precious and precious stones. In place of a cuff link, try a tied French cuff. These are knotted with a thin silk rope, in a style similar to that of a miniature necktie.
Make sure the cuff links fit tightly in the openings. If they don't fit, they may slip out when the shirt is worn. Tighten the hole with a small needle and thread by placing one stitch next to the cuff link. This will hold the link securely in place. Make sure to remove the links before the shirt is laundered. Many links are lost or destroyed when they are mistakenly laundered. Many French cuff link sets are sold with extra links in acknowledgment of this problem.
