The art of wearing cufflinks

[Achilles_]

Can it be done by everyone?

I did my internship at the Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis and I was fortunate enough to meet several Vice Presidents and executives. I found it interesting that only those in upper (and I mean upper!) management wore cuff links. A couple of guys in my class noticed this as well and it seemed like there was a barrier to cufflinks, that you had to ascertain a certain level before being "cufflink worthy."

Has anyone here found that? Or do most of you wear cufflinks and say "to hell with what everyone thinks," has this ever come up for anyone while wearing CL?

Im not saying weddings etc, but is it ok for everyday life/work?

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Originally Posted by Achilles_

Can it be done by everyone?

I did my internship at the Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis and I was fortunate enough to meet several Vice Presidents and executives. I found it interesting that only those in upper (and I mean upper!) management wore cuff links. A couple of guys in my class noticed this as well and it seemed like there was a barrier to cufflinks, that you had to ascertain a certain level before being "cufflink worthy."

Has anyone here found that? Or do most of you wear cufflinks and say "to hell with what everyone thinks," has this ever come up for anyone while wearing CL?

Im not saying weddings etc, but is it ok for everyday life/work?

Wearing cufflinks and other sartorial accoutrements usually linked (pun intended) with the executive class is a lot like driving a BMW to work -- you can probably afford to do it wayyyyy before it's actually acceptable to do so.

 

[landshark]

Originally Posted by Lord-Barrington

Wearing cufflinks and other sartorial accoutrements usually linked (pun intended) with the executive class is a lot like driving a BMW to work -- you can probably afford to do it wayyyyy before it's actually acceptable to do so.

I've been driving a BMW to work even when I used to make minimum wage.

 

[faketrain]

i've worn cuff links a few times to work, but have stopped since I always get my balls busted for wearing them

 

[DerekS]

I wear cuff links to work regularly... how else am I supposed to keep my french cuffs buttoned??

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Certainly safe to stick with button cuffs. I like cufflink shirts but If i had to forgo wearing them it wouldn't be the end of the world.

I certainly wouldnt want to be know as a garish junior employee.

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Originally Posted by landshark

I've been driving a BMW to work even when I used to make minimum wage.

I guess it depends where you work.

Who the hell drives a BMW on minimum wage?

 

[Aaron01]

Why not use silk knots?

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Originally Posted by SkinnyGoomba

Certainly safe to stick with button cuffs. I like cufflink shirts but If i had to forgo wearing them it wouldn't be the end of the world.

I certainly wouldnt want to be know as a garish junior employee.

Again, I guess it depends on the workplace. Wearing cufflinks as a junior employee at a bank or a law firm would probably look incredibly pretentious.

 

[tacobender]

It is a catch 22. You are on style forum. Stylish people gather here. I wear Cufflinks (I sell mens clothing in a luxury retailer) frequently. Many of the posters wear them regularly. When is it actually called for? Close to never.

I have sold cufflinks to 22 year olds getting teller positions at a bank. They seemed to think that since it is their first job and now that they are a "banker" it is a requirement. I tend to chuckle a bit about the thought of a 10 dollar an hour teller buying cufflinks that will cost a weeks pay, and probably with an ill-fitting hand me down shirt.

You should always dress for the job/position you want, the down side is that you are going to find slobs in positions equal and above you. You might see someone in a more senior role than you who has a BMW, goes to Hawaii every year and couldn't care-less that he wears pleated k-mart khakis and a company polo. Good luck with him hating you because you wear cufflinks. I got news for you - that guy is misreable for a whole other host of reasons, probably starting and ending with his fat wife, and bratty kids.

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Originally Posted by tacobender

It is a catch 22. You are on style forum. Stylish people gather here. I wear Cufflinks (I sell mens clothing in a luxury retailer) frequently. Many of the posters wear them regularly. When is it actually called for? Close to never.

I have sold cufflinks to 22 year olds getting teller positions at a bank. They seemed to think that since it is their first job and now that they are a "banker" it is a requirement. I tend to chuckle a bit about the thought of a 10 dollar an hour teller buying cufflinks that will cost a weeks pay, and probably with an ill-fitting hand me down shirt.

You should always dress for the job/position you want, the down side is that you are going to find slobs in positions equal and above you. You might see someone in a more senior role than you who has a BMW, goes to Hawaii every year and couldn't care-less that he wears pleated k-mart khakis and a company polo. Good luck with him hating you because you wear cufflinks. I got news for you - that guy is misreable for a whole other host of reasons, probably starting and ending with his fat wife, and bratty kids.

Which is why I think "dressing for the position you want" is bad advice. You should dress nicely for its own sake, because it should make you feel good and look good. That way, the fact that some bufoon who wears square toed, pleather shoes, pleated pants, and the a novelty tie with Loony Tunes characters is higher up than you won't bother you as much.

 

[Hatchy]

I love wearing cufflinks and I don't even have a job anymore (in grad school). I never wore them to work that I can remember (was very business casual), but I wear them to weddings / any other occasion I find to dress up. I've never had anyone say anything negative about it but have had many compliments because it's something a lot of people just don't do anymore. :shrug:

 

[tacobender]

The guy with the pleated khakis - square toed - loony toons tie falls into one of several categories:
1. doesn't know any better
2. doesn't care
3. doesn't have the money to change his attire (or at least feels he doesn't)

how much you get into each of the 3 categories is up to you.
1. If that's the environment they work in (it was that way when I worked IT) how are they ever going to learn?
2. If they'd rather have xbox 360, new BMW, 3000 sq foot house and shop at goodwill - good luck telling them to trade down to an Accord, 900 sq foot apartment so they can wear Tom Ford / Kiton
3. If you make under a certain amount and have no access to a retail discount, it can be pretty discouraging to try to dress stylish. How many teachers post here with no outside help from spouses and parents can really afford to shop luxury retail? Name your best SF, Ebay or thrift store deal it would still be more $$$ than an express shirt for 19.99, a BCBG tie for 19.99, and gap jeans for 29.99. No one is saying that the outfit I just described can't be nice, and hopefully well fitting but it is a far cry from our excessive spending that we do here.

People some times just arn't prepared for the backlash of style and looks. A wealthier friend of mine graduated college at 22, was living at home, got a job as a teacher earning 30k a year. With no debt, being single, and having no expenses, he went out and bought a lotus elise for 40 grand. Even though he was making the monthly payments, and chose to drive that car rather than move out, buy nice clothes, put the money in the bank etc, he was universally hated by his co-workers as that young rookie teacher - presumably with the trust fund. And lets face it, how fun could it have been for the 10 year veteran teacher driving a 15 year old beater and parking next to him every day? Fair or not - you have to be prepared for all work place politics, silly or not.

 

[Metlin]

Originally Posted by Lord-Barrington

Wearing cufflinks and other sartorial accoutrements usually linked (pun intended) with the executive class is a lot like driving a BMW to work -- you can probably afford to do it wayyyyy before it's actually acceptable to do so.
+1. But of course. Wearing the likes of cuff links is used to differentiate the wizards from the muggles and the proletarians.

 

[gorgekko]

Originally Posted by Achilles_

Has anyone here found that? Or do most of you wear cufflinks and say "to hell with what everyone thinks," has this ever come up for anyone while wearing CL?

Im not saying weddings etc, but is it ok for everyday life/work?

Never thought twice about wearing them to work. No one has ever busted on me for wearing them and the few that noticed seemed to like them. Either way, I could seriously give a damn less if people have an issue with me wearing them...like someone who buys their shoes at Payless can even talk to me.