For the Love of Cufflinks

Learn to speak "cufflink" & discover some of the hottest online cufflink sellers

Back in the day...

Once only available to European royals and noblemen, cufflinks can now be found in most every American mall, and all over the Internet. Better yet, a pair of cufflinks is now financially within reach of anyone with as little as $15 to burn.

From whence came these modern-day accessories for flashing-up a suit? From England of course! (OK, maybe not "of course" but, I was trying to ride that whole "whence" momentum.) The European Renaissance of the 16th and 17th centuries, while most often noted for its contribution to the arts and literature, also gave birth to new clothing styles.

Enter the lengthy, ornate sleeves that adorned men's formal shirts, and with them an almost medieval level of cleanliness. After all, how clean... how dapper can a man be when his sleeves, possessed by a hunger unmatched in the fashion world, insist on dipping themselves into wine, ale, porridge, meat sauces, etc.?

A Renaissance coroner, should they have existed, would never have needed to examine the contents of a nobleman's stomach; a mere glance at the sleeve and a quick note of the most recent stain would have done the trick.

Luckily someone (or perhaps many "someone"s) realized that this simply would not do. Various ties of ribbon, leather and other material were employed in the semi-original cufflinks. (Only semi-original because, according to the National Cufflink Society, there are Egyptian hieroglyphics in King Tut's tomb that appear to represent a B.C.-version of cuff fasteners/links before shirts were even worn.)

As men's fashion and tailors' imaginations evolved, cuff fasteners began to assume the basic form of modern-day cufflinks. They were, however, reserved to the formal wear of upper-class due to their expense.

I can see it now: The year is 1760. A British duke is being dressed for a ball at the palace. His servant chooses the noble's diamond "cuff fasteners." Once in place, the duke surveys himself, only to ask, "Do these diamond cuff fasteners make my butt look big?" (The first known use of the word "cufflink" was in 1788.)

Cufflinks became more obtainable in the 1800s though, thanks to the good ol' American Industrial Revolution, which began around 1870. It wasn't just the dawn of assembly lines and mass-produced autos; it was also the dawn of mass-produced cufflinks using more affordable-to-the-masses materials.

If it weren't for George Krements, who invented a button- and cufflink-making machine in 1882, the average businessman may never have been introduced to the wonderfully fashionable world of cufflinks.

Way to go George!

Modern times and modern choices

Jump ahead by about a century and a quarter to modern times when cufflink choices abound.

You can find and, most likely, afford cufflinks that range from the kitsch to the classy; from the weird to the wondrous; from handmade to mass-produced and, of course, from just-made to vintage.

This is now true regardless of gender. Those women willing to hunt down a true French-cuff blouse (in a Google search for one, the top entries were all for blouses with buttons on the cuffs) and pay dearly for it will be rewarded for their efforts with cufflink choices that didn't exist 50 years ago.

John Walbaum, the president of the online Clever Cufflinks store, says that in his experience, "Women's cufflinks are more of a rumor... it's not a large category for us."

On the flip side, says Walbaum, "Maybe there is a lot of borrowing going on that I don't know about!" Maybe indeed.

In addition, while women may not be wearing cufflinks, they're certainly buying them.

According to Walbaum, "Most of our customers are women [who] seem to be buying for their husbands or significant others more than for themselves."

(Are you or do you know a woman who likes to sport cufflinks? If so, please do share in the comments section at the end of this article.)

Find the cufflinks of your dreams

Without further adieu, I bring you a select listing of online cufflink proprietors.

The images used in this article are from those shops that sell handmade cufflinks. Mega bonus points to these artists for their creativity!

Click on a store's name to be whisked away to its cufflink heaven.

Handmade Cufflink Sellers

Bella Moda Artist: From the funky to the whimsical, and the opportunity to have a custom pair of cufflinks made from a photo you provide, this Etsy shop has a lovely variety of choices.

BrigaBauble: Yes, this is my Etsy shop. I try to spread the cufflink love by making them from such materials as resin, re-purposed buttons, images of vintage pin-up girls and more.

The Clay Collection: I love the 80s clay style! Artist, shop owner and self-admitted child-of-the-80s Lauren sculpts polymer clay into the most creative of cufflinks.

Clever Cufflinks: The selection in this shop is jaw-droppingly wide, and features quirky, tasteful and durable cufflinks made from four or five categories of vintage/antique found objects.

Enthral Designs: Delightful mix of vintage and new materials for cufflinks that range from kitsch to classic.

Gr0glmann's Retro Classy Cufflinks: Obsessed with LEGO®s? Speak Klingon? Still hoping to grow up and become Indiana Jones? Then this shop run by a college engineering student is the place for you. (Also carries a variety of other cufflink styles.)

QA Create: Shop here for steampunk-style cufflinks, ones made from vintage typewriter keys and more.

Other Cufflink Sellers

Cufflinks Depot: You want it; the depot's got it. Those on a budget may want to pay particular attention to the "affordable style" and "sale" sections.

Just Cufflinks: This cufflink company is currently run by the daughter of the founders of the National Cufflink Society; it's fair to say that Just Cufflinks knows cufflinks.

Gent Supply Company: The name really does say it all; shop here for classic accessories (or supplies) for the modern gent.

Images courtesy of and copyrighted by Bella Moda Artist, BrigaBauble, The Clay Collection, Clever Cufflinks, Enthral Designs, Gr0glmann's Retro Classy Cufflinks and QA Create

Researched and written by Brigitta Kral, a freelance writer, editor and teacher whose love of cufflinks began on August 10, 1998 when "two hot guys in suits sporting cufflinks" walked into her office. Check out Brig's handmade gifts, including cufflinks, in her Etsy shop BrigaBauble. Follow BrigaBauble on Twitter; Become her friend on Facebook.