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French cuffs, silk knots and khakis/chinos (for those who like French cuffs)

josepidal

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This is a question for the people who like to dress down French cuffs (I already know what the people who wouldn't wear FCs without a jacket will say, and I am not polling that crowd, with due respect), particularly people whose personality makes their wardrobes lean towards a touch of the formal each time.

Would you wear a French cuff shirt with silk knots and khakis or chinos?

I ask because the topic of French cuffs and jeans comes up a lot, but I haven't seen much on French cuffs and khakis. I thought it works if you dress down the French cuffs (that is, no plain white poplin shirts with sterling silver cufflinks). If they work with jeans, then they should work with khakis, right?
 

jkw

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I wear them regularly with jeans. I prefer to be wearing a coat as well (corduroy is good), but it doesn't bother me when people see my "naked" cuffs. Silk knots make the look a lot more casual, although I don't mind real links. I think that here in Europe it is acceptable to wear FC shirts with a woollen top or with some coloured trousers - think stylish older Italian guy.
 

Doc4

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Originally Posted by josepidal
I ask because the topic of French cuffs and jeans comes up a lot, but I haven't seen much on French cuffs and khakis. I thought it works if you dress down the French cuffs (that is, no plain white poplin shirts with sterling silver cufflinks). If they work with jeans, then they should work with khakis, right?

Depends on the shirt.

Like you say, no white poplin. I'd steer clear of most shirts that could be considered at least semi-conservative dress shirts that you'd wear with a suit, but the bolder stripes and checks? Go for it! I think you'd want the shirt to look like it was designed with non-suit-and-tie-wear in mind.

I'd think about where you'll be wearing them too. (Duh.) Anywhere the shirt/outfit would be appropriate if it were a button-cuff shirt, you're good to go.
 

greekonomist

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Originally Posted by jkw
I wear them regularly with jeans. I prefer to be wearing a coat as well (corduroy is good), but it doesn't bother me when people see my "naked" cuffs. Silk knots make the look a lot more casual, although I don't mind real links. I think that here in Europe it is acceptable to wear FC shirts with a woollen top or with some coloured trousers - think stylish older Italian guy.

I don't think I've ever seen an Italian wear French cuffs. Maybe I just haven't noticed.
 

dl20

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I wear silk knots if I'm wearing twill trousers. However, I routinely wear silk knots because I find metal cufflinks scratch my watch.

dl
 

Manton

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Originally Posted by greekonomist
I don't think I've ever seen an Italian wear French cuffs. Maybe I just haven't noticed.

They don't. I never see it either. I asked one of the guys at Battistoni about that once, and he said, "In Italy, only for weddings." Or something like that.
 

itsstillmatt

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Originally Posted by Manton
They don't. I never see it either. I asked one of the guys at Battistoni about that once, and he said, "In Italy, only for weddings." Or something like that.
Here is an email my shirtmaker sent me on the subject a while back.
In italia i gemelli si usano ma non come in america e in inghilterra perchè il bottone gemello viene visto per le camicie molto eleganti e perchè non è molto pratico da mettere al mattino per un popolo di ritardatari come gli italiani . Ma molti avvocati ingegneri o comunque persone che per lavoro devono usare una camicia elegante e che frequentano feste o serate di un certo livello spesso portano il gemello .
In Italy French cuffs are worn, but not like in America or England because the cufflink is seen as being for very elegant shirts, and because they are not very practical to put on each morning for a populace of stragglers (or always late people) like the Italians. But, lots of lawyers, engineers, or people who wear elegant shirts for work or go out at night at a certain level often wear them. FWIW, I have no clue what Italian engineers do which would require french cuffs.
 

TheDroog

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Originally Posted by josepidal
Would you wear a French cuff shirt with silk knots and khakis or chinos?

I do this on occasion and it looks just fine. Several of my favorite shirts are French cuff, and since I work in a business casual office, I don't have the opportunity to wear them with suits all the time. Rather than just let the shirts hang in my closet, I'll wear them with silk knots and khakis, as you mentioned. No one has ever freaked out about it, and it's a quiet way to add some color to your outfit.
 

TintinATL

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I wear this all the time. I agree, the silk knots make the cuffs slightly less formal, which seems more appropriate with khakis or jeans. I wear french cuffs almost every day and often with khakis, jeans or odd trousers - frequently without a tie, again to be less formal. This admission has raised eyebrows in horror on this board before, but I get many compliments on it and it has become something of a signature look for me.
 

pecoranera

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I think that if you wear a French-cuffed shirt with jeans or casual pants, you look like your bottom half is going to a different event than your top half. French-cuffed shirts were never meant to look effortless.
 

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