Men's Dress Shirt Cuff Types | Hugh & Crye (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a French cuff and a regular cuff? ›

Our most formal cuff, the French cuff is twice as long as regular cuffs and is folded back on itself and closed with cuff links. French cuffs have a very pronounced look and we usually pair them with our more debonair collar styles or formal shirts.

The corners of the cuff can be square (sporting a right angle), angled (or mitered: corners of the cuff are sewn at a 45-degree angle) or rounded (the top corners are rounded off). The cuff is fastened by the use of either one or two buttons (one button barrel cuff or two buttons barrel cuff).

A double cuff is formal because it folds over, hiding the seam at its end. As with black tie trousers, hiding a seam makes things smoother, and is therefore seen as more formal. That's great with a suit, or even a smart jacket, but it looks out of place with a woollen blazer or knitwear.

The two button mitered cuff is a popular dress shirt cuff that is dressier and more elegant than a standard barrel cuff. The two button placement makes this cuff a good match for wearing with watches. This cuff is fused to keep a crisp, dressy appearance and measures 2.875″ long.

French cuff shirts are the standard for black-tie eventing and a staple in men's formal business wear. That's if you want to stick to the strictest of rules.

These were traditionally and still are the go-to choice for formal black-tie, but there's been a resurgence in French cuffs for business wear and even semi formal and business casual as well.

Rounded cuffs have soft edges that form a curve near the button. It is the least flashy shape but is appropriate for varying events. 2. Square Cuffs — This option is dressier than rounded cuffs but is still appropriate for both casual and formal events.

A cuff should be snug enough that it won't slide more than a half-inch beyond the wrist bone even if the sleeve length is longer. A bit of excess sleeve length actually works to prevent cuffs from receding too far when the arms are raised, blousing slightly around the cuffs when the arms are at rest.

A proper fitting cuff is just as important as proper sleeve length to insure that the sleeve comes to the right point on the hand. Our general rule of thumb is that the cuff size should be ~1.75” larger than the measurement of your wrist tight to the skin.

Who still wears cufflinks? ›

Cufflinks are most commonly worn for formal events, weddings and with business attire. They should be worn when a full suit or a blazer is part of the overall attire.

A gauntlet cuff is a piece of protective material used to provide wrist and forearm protection on some types of safety glove. They are typically 4.5 inches in length, and feature an open design that allows the glove to be removed quickly if necessary.

As we already mentioned, French cuffs feature a length of fabric that is folded back upon itself and then fastened together with cufflinks, There are holes on both sides of the cuff going through all the layers of fabric. In other words, most French cuffs will typically have four holes in total to a cuff.

Swedish Cuff. The Swedish cuff has a horizontal panel around the circumference of the cuff, with two buttons. The cuff is piped in the Army Corps color. As with the other Regiments of the Army, NCOs wore silver or gilt lace around the collar and cuffs from the rank of Unteroffizier and above.

The traditional view on this subject is that French cuffs should really only be worn in more formal scenarios, such as if you're wearing black tie or if you're wearing a conventional business suit and necktie. Some will even argue that wearing French cuffs with a blazer or sport coat is a stretch.

Cufflinks have transcended their traditional role, emerging as a significant accessory for the modern gentleman who values personal expression and style refinement. These small but impactful pieces are no longer restricted to the realm of French cuffs and black-tie events.

You can turn any cuff into French cuffs by doubling the width of the cuff pattern, add on an additional seam width, and then add on a bit more so that if you need the extra fabric when you fold the cuff back you have it, and avoid a rush trip to the fabric shop.

There are two main differences between French cuffs and barrel cuffs: The French cuffs are twice as long as the barrel cuffs and can be folded before being fixed. The barrel cuffs are secured by wrapping around the wrist, while the French cuffs use cufflinks to form teardrops around them.