Men’s fashion: Different types of cufflinks

There are variety of cufflinks, go for the type that greatly complements your style (Shutterstock)

Cufflinks are a powerful fashion accessory for men. They are used to secure the cuffs of dress shirts; they are an alternative to the buttons that are commonly sewn onto shirt cuffs.

Cufflinks reflect ones attitude by adding a personal touch to a style by complementing ones fashion sense. With the so many fashion trends taking over, cufflinks can be worn to show support for favourite teams, display unique sense of style, or simply to complete a nice look.

They can be worn to almost any event, be it an important interview or a dinner date. Nonetheless, there are variety of cufflinks to choose from and all you need to do is go for the type that greatly complements your style. If you like collecting cufflinks, you might consider getting a cufflink case to keep them organized.

Here are some of the types you can consider:

Bullet back cufflinks

These are the most common type of cufflinks. They are categorized by a small cylinder (bullet-like, hence the name), set between two short bars, that is flipped 90 degrees to secure the cufflink into place.

Bullet backs are ideal for formal styles and they are also called torpedoes or toggle closure cufflinks.

Fixed-back cufflinks

The interesting bit about these cufflinks is that they have no moving parts. While they can be somewhat tricky to wear, they are a lot more durable.

They are also called stub cufflinks or button style cufflinks.

Chain-link cufflinks

These are more classic. The two ends of the cufflink are joined together by a small chain. Mostly, both ends are reversible and either side can be worn on the outside.

Well, chain links might not be the easiest cufflinks to wear properly as they need some work to fit perfectly. However, once in place and correctly fasted, they are attractive and are best for any formal wear.

Knotted Cufflinks

Knotted Cufflinks are quite common and they are worn the same way as the chain-link cufflinks. They have a short code connecting the two heads.

Knotted cufflinks are mostly suitable for informal occasions and they provide pops of colour (they are mostly coloured) and are easy to use.

Whale-back cufflinks

These are similar to the common bullet backing. Whale back cufflinks have a flat head and a whale tail that flips flat against the strait post connecting the ‘head and the tail.’ They are quite simple to use thanks to their closing mechanism.

They are also called whale tail cufflinks or swivel cufflinks.