New take on French cuffs by first-time user

[The Swede]

I was browsing a Swedish fashion forum and came across this thread that not only amused me but also made me think. This forum has a higher percentage of younger, less experienced members but it's not bad for finding shopping deals and sales in Sweden.

Anyway, this young man has just bought his first shirt with a French cuff (from Bertoni apparently) and seeks advice on applying the cuff-links.

http://www.manligt.net/viewtopic.php?t=13151

(You will have to look at the pictures there)

Here is my translation of what he is saying:

"I have just bought my first shirt with French cuff. Now I'm left a little puzzled about how to button it.

In the store where I bought it they hade it buttoned according to option nr 3. That is, inside part of cuff to inside, both ends pointing in the same direction.

But my first thought was option 2.

Then I came to think of option 1. That is, one part of cuff surrounding both outer and inner part of the other.

Whick is the correct way to button it? Does it depend on the kind of buttons one has? (he means cuff-links)"

It had not occurred to me for many, many years that you could actually fasten the cuff-links any other way. Sometimes the correct way is so ingrained in our psyche that the alternatives just disappear. Of course his cuffs look rather large in the wrist area and the alternative ways might prove to large to fit naturally into the arm of the coat but still, if done with flair, why not?

Has anyone else experienced something similar?

 

[epa]

I never thought of any other possibility than option 3, but the photos triggered my curiosity. Actually, I thought that opton 2 and especially option 1 looked quite interesting. Just tried them with the French cuffs I am wearing right now, but I found that they didn't really work for me. Actually, option 1 was quite difficult to achieve. By the way, do you not find the cuffs in the photos to be a bit to wide? If they are too wide, than options 2 and 1 may be easier to achieve...
By the way, I am also a Swede, but I have not lived in Sweden for years now. Do people dress stylish there? I mostly remember shoe-box like Ecco shoes and things like that (like a shoe-version of the Volvos at that time, you know, they were also shoe-box like). Also, I have the idea that young Swedes tend to dress more "trendy" than "classy". However, it may be a prejudice...

 

[Tomasso]

I have employed #1 for use under a sweater.

 

[The Swede]

I would say that Swedes, on a whole, dress quite well compared to other countries. Such things are of course always difficult to grade, especially since there are huge differences between what people in the city (which in Sweden basically boils down to Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö) and the rest of the country.

If we take Stockholm as an example the ordinary man on the street dresses reasonably well. You are right about the horrible shoes though; there are far too many square toe, giant rubber soled, cheap plastic leather shoes out there. This has improved somewhat these last years with the introduction of some higher quality international brands. Today there is a somewhat decent selection of C&J, RM Williams, Church's and Tod's. Most people are still shocked/appalled when they find out that I'm wearing shoes for 300 Euros. The younger generation is warming to the consumption of quality shoes but for most people over 25 spending 100 Euros on shoes is considered luxurious, even though the C&J:s would far outlast the cheap 30 Euro dress shoes.

It might be the weather, 60% of our year is spent in the dark, ducking snowstorms and trudging through slush. Strangely not this year, it is +10 C today in Stockholm, but that is global warming for you.

Younger Swedes definitely dress more for trend than for style. There is a strong current of conformism. In order to fit into your social clique (of which in Stockholm there are quite few, at most a handful) many younger people dress exactly the same. As a culture Swedes tend to be organised and obey authority well. This shows very well in fashion. There are but a few voices of fashion but these are followed obediently by most. Sometimes it just gets ridiculous. Winter jackets are of course essential during winter and have become a strong fashion statement in themselves. For a few years ago down jackets by Canadian Goose were the thing for the upper class. Later it switched to a different brand and Canadian Goose was seen with mounting suspicion. Even our version of chavs would hesitate to wear one today. Last year it was a different brand of down jacket called Fjällräven. These huge Michelin man silhouette jackets were seen on probably every other person you saw on the street. People even wear these Antarctic Expedition jackets when it is warm out just to display their (lack of) taste.

So in conclusion, Swedes today dress better than before. There is a mounting wave of quality reaching us which actually makes it a very pleasant time fashion-wise. There is still however a strong dose of conformity and lack of imagination.

 

[King Francis]

Originally Posted by The Swede

There is a strong current of conformism. [. . .] As a culture Swedes tend to be organised and obey authority well.

That's socialism for you.

 

[epa]

Yes, I also had that impression of conformity.
Actually, a friend of mine here in Spain spent some years in Finland, with some travel to the Scandinavian countries, and his impression (as a foreigner, which sometimes makes you overlook or misunderstand things but which also can help you notice things that the locals may overlook) was that when there was a new trend, the Swedes were the first ones to pick it up. The other Nordic people picked it up later. Now, in Sweden, he said, it seemed like all the Swedes picked up the trend at the same time, so you saw all these people in the street wearing the same winter jacket, the same strange fashionable winter boots, etc.
Now, I have actually been to Sweden on business twice this year, to Stockholm and to Göteborg, and I got the feeling that things had changed since the 80's/early 90's. People seemed to care more about the way they dressed, and they also seemed to go out a lot. Actually, the bars and restaurants in central Stockholm were quite crowded even on a Tuesday night. Can't understand how the Swedes make it to go out so much, considering the prices (certainly higher than in Germany, for example) and the money I guess they have left after paying their taxes...

 

[Stazy]

I was in Stockholm this summer. I had a great time browsing through all the shops in NK. The coffee shop had delicious pastries.

 

[Toiletduck]

I button the first way to use under sweaters too

 

[Dragon]

I just learned a new way to do french cuffs from a first timer! I never even thought of #1.

 

[contactme_11]

#2 is how I remember my grandfather always doing his cuffs. I personally like the way #1 looks though.

 

[chobochobo]

I use one from time to time when I use cufflinks with the twistie/hinge thing on the one side instead of being double sided.

 

[WestOfPCH]

I like #1 because at least it looks different; I can see how it makes sense under sweaters. #2 looks like you don't know any better.

In either case, the backside of the cufflink rubbing up against your wrist from time to time is uncomfortable, especially is you've got a sweater cuff trying to compress the shirt. So I'm going to pass on #1 also, more for practical reasons than esthetic ones.