Cuff link

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A customized cufflink worn with a tuxedo

This set of cufflinks and studs features pearl inlays.

A cufflink (also cuff link or cuff-link) is a decorative fastener worn by men or women to fasten the two sides of the cuff on a dress shirt or blouse.

Cufflinks are designed only for use with link cuffs (also known as French Cuffs), which have buttonholes on both sides but no buttons. These may be either single or double-length ("French") cuffs, and may be worn either "kissing," with the ends pinched together, or "barrel-style," with one end overlapping the other. Kissing cuffs are usually preferred.

Cufflink designs vary widely. The simplest design, consists of a short post or chain connecting two disc-shaped parts. The part positioned on the most visible side, is usually larger; a variety of designs can connect the smaller piece: It may be small enough to fit through the button hole like a button would; it may be separated and attached from the other side; or it may have a portion that swivels on the central post, aligning with the post while the link is threaded through the button-hole and swiveling into a position at right angles to the post when worn.

The visible part of a cufflink is often monogrammed or decorated in some way. There are numerous styles including novelty cufflinks, traditional cufflinks, contemporary cufflinks, and humorous cufflinks.

[edit] Designers of Cufflinks

Some of the top designers of popular cufflinks include Ian Flaherty, Sonia Spencer, Ravi Ratan, Murray Ward, Babette Wasserman, Duchamp, Simon Carter, Fiona Rae, and Tateossian. Leading retailers of cufflinks are John Lewis Partnership, KJ Beckett, House of Fraser, Selfridges, and Liberty of London, which all offer collections from some of the aforementioned cufflink designers.

[edit] Silk knot

This French cuff is fastened with gold-coloured silk knots.

An alternative fastener to a cufflink is the cheaper silk knot, which are also known as monkey's fists (although, technically speaking, the knot is a turk's head, not a monkey's fist) . This object is far better-known in Europe than North America and, despite having a lower cost than cufflinks, is just as well regarded and just as formal. French cuff shirts are often accompanied with a set of color-coordinated silk knots instead of double-button cufflinks. They are now rarely, if ever, made from silk; more often than not they are made from elastic. They are also commonly known as Turks Head cufflinks.