Aquamarine Cufflinks
Style, so the people in the know like to say, is a matter of personal choice. There is no style that is considered the so-called right style – no matter what some magazines or fashion gurus would have you believe. Some people prefer on thing while others prefer something different entirely. Amongst the various fashionable things that have made their way into the light of day in the world are cufflinks. While some people may not even be sure what they are and while others will arch a skeptical eyebrow at their continued existence, the fact remains that cufflinks have been around for a while and are likely to stay here for a while, too. Whether they are designer aquamarine cufflinks or commemorative.
Originally all sorts of cufflinks, whether they were simple aquamarine cufflinks or something a little smarter, were use to link the cuffs of shirts together. Hence the name: cufflinks. They were, and still generally are, usually worn with shirts that have a French cuff. The French cuff is marked by the fact that the cuffs of the shirt have two holes, but no button to fasten the two together. The cufflink would be used to keep the two cuffs together in one of two ways. If the cuffs were said to be ‘kissing’ then they are pinched together. But if they are worn ‘barrel-style’ then the cuffs overlap one another as with most normal shirts. The ‘kissing’ style is preferred with French cuffs as whole.
Cufflinks come in a wide variety of styles, shapes and designs. The simplest design for the cufflink consists of two disc-shaped parts that are connected to each other with a chain or some other mechanism. The larger, more visible part is often worn to the outside. They can range from aquamarine cufflinks to cufflinks made from solid gold. Some of them are inlaid with precious gems while others are personalized with a monogram. Some commemorative cufflinks that are distributed at certain big events become rather interesting collectors’ items with their prices sometimes reaching very high amounts.
An alternative to cufflinks is a silk knot. They are known by many names such as monkey’s fists or Turk’s Head cufflinks. It has been around for much longer than the cufflink and is more common in Europe than in America and is considered to be just as formal. Often French cuff shirts are accompanied by a set of color-coordinated silk knots instead of cufflinks though these days they are not the traditional know but rather an elastic equivalent that is just as stylish but easier to use. They also come in a variety of colors so just as you have aquamarine cufflinks you can have aquamarine silk knots!
Some of the older styles still remain to this day. Cufflinks, whether they are aquamarine or solid gold, are here to stay for a while. Their elegance and style are seemingly timeless. While the rules about how to wear them might change, the character they give is not likely to change as soon.
