It’ll be here before you know it. Our annual 12 days of Dappered gift guide covers one item/idea each week-day for the next dozen days. All will be reasonably affordable, and at the same time they should (hopefully) appeal to someone who might drop on by this corner of the internet. So if you’re looking for ideas on what to give a decently dressed (yet budget conscious) fellow, or, if you’ve got friends/family struggling for ideas on what to get someone (you) who’s hard to buy for, check back in as this year’s 12 Days churns on. You’ll also find the growing archive here.
Unfortunately, the majority of cuff links produced rate high on the cheesy scale. Like, matching necktie + pocket square boxed set cheesy. Meanwhile, plenty of others are just plain goofy. Those that fall into the novelty category almost always prevent you from being taken seriously. While I would love to grab a drink in Ten-Forward, these won’t be getting you Seven of Nine’s communicator digits. And yes, that was a story-line continuity dumpster fire. No sense can come of it. I blame Q. When nothing makes sense, just blame Q. Right. Cufflinks. On with it…
Knot Cufflinks – $9.99 – $20.00
Hugely versatile and something you’ll find yourself wearing in the summer months. Cheap too if you hit ebay. All depends on how many pairs you want, in what color(s), and how low you want to go on price / potential quality. Pictured above is the 5-pack from Cuff Daddy for $12.99
.38 Special or .45 Colt Bullet Cufflinks – $23.99
Well executed versions of the now popular bullet casing cufflinks. These will sit flatter against your cuff, so as to not hook your jacket sleeve. Made in the USA from recycled casings and available through Cool Material. Technically “novelty” cufflinks, but they blend in. Available in Bang or Boom.
J. Crew Kissing Whale Cufflinks – $41.99 w/ GIFTNOW ($78)
Wait, are those moustaches? Nope, kissing whales. As in, “Whale you be mine?” valentine kissing whales. Got a nice vintage look to them. They ship free too.
Billy Reid Vintage Deer Cufflinks – $55.00
Seems like more than a couple of brands have started to post vintage, one of a kind goods on their websites. Who’s going out and finding these things at flea markets and estate sales? No clue. And yes, you could absolutely do some hunting around for vintage pieces yourself, whether it be on eBay, or at consignment shops / sales in your area.
J. L. Lawson Made in the USA 00VII – $72.00
Solid weight without feeling like you’ve got bricks at your wrists. Made in either Brass or Stainless Steel (sold out for now). Manually machined in Joshua Tree, California. As far as taking them off and using them as a top, that’s tricky. Requires a bit of talent and/or practice. Stunners all the same. Two more styles here and here.
Trafalgar Paisley Cufflinks – $75.00
Yes, they’re silver rectangles, but silver rectangles done right. The paisley pattern will help knock down some of the glaring shine while adding some visual texture.
Ledbury “Monroe” Mother of Pearl Cufflinks – $165.00
Dang. Those are all kinds of right. You could wear those with just about anything. Sterling Silver & Mother of Pearl Cufflinks made outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. Hand carved cedar box. The guys at Ledbury have put together a nice video about the maker as well.
Brooks Brothers Snapper Lace BB#2 Cuff Links – $225
Outrageously expensive, but pretty darn fantastic all the same. A wedding-day kind of splurge. Based on a classic style from the 1920’s. Silver plated and made in the USA. Will go on sale from time to time with site-wide promotions.
Any other suggestions for those who wear a pair of cuff links from time to time? Leave it all below.
I know we’re discussing non-cheesy cufflinks, but I just love these ones: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ef18/. They’re deliciously geeky, yet subtle enough to go relatively unnoticed by the uninitiated. http://a.tgcdn.net/images/products/frontsquare/ef18_portal_cuff_links.jpg
Those Brooks Brothers ones look great, but yes, expensive. Etsy is another good place to look. I just picked up a pair of these: https://www.etsy.com/listing/169701740/ but in the tuxedo set for my wedding in May.
The tie bar has some decent selections all for $20 except the Dwayne Wade Collection runs for $30. http://www.thetiebar.com/categoryPages/Cufflinks.asp
I’ve found cufflinks to be the best item in menswear to purchase vintage. I was lucky enough to inherit my grandfather’s and I wear those almost exclusively, but when I needed a tuxedo set I was able to get vintage MOP studs and links, NOS, for $60 on eBay. They looked brilliant and are probably better made than 90% of what’s on the market today
i just got silver knots from Kent Wang for 45$ for my wedding.
I do like these sorts of accessories. I have a pair of Rebel Alliance cufflinks. They look like a random design to all but the uninitiated. So they’re good on two levels.
Sorry Joe, I personally think those bullet casing ones are real gaudy. Honestly I’d only be seen in the Billy Reid, Ledbury and maybe the Trafalgar if I were trying for a Brit Mod or corporate look. To each their own?
Yeah, I can’t help but suppose that an outfit involving bullet cufflinks will also involve a lot of camo print.
I’ve never worn cufflinks or owned a shirt that needed them. As a student and emerging professional with an eye towards men’s fashion am I doing it wrong?
It’s a preference thing. Some of us personally prefer French cuff shirts over regular.
That said, as a student, you should probably avoid French cuff shirts for your interviews. So you’re doing just fine.
Having forsaken, some years ago, my graphic tees and other nerdy and/or geeky “sartorial” pleasures, I do like mixing in small nods to geekiness in places that are less bold than my chest. These really work well for that — you can integrate a touch of nerd into your wardrobe without sacrificing your style.
Socks are my other guilty, nerdy, sartorial pleasure — I have entirely too many pairs of socks adorned with moustaches.
Don’t forget Tokens & Icons: http://www.tokens-icons.com/collections.html
Game-used baseball cufflinks, cufflinks made with wood from real basketball arenas, historic coin cufflinks, etc. They’re expensive, but they’re pretty darned cool.
I was thinking that the bullets and the whales were both pretty cheesy
The whales are just laughable. I picture suits trying to cash in on artisinal cocktail speakeasy, Boardwalk Empire, and mustache wax and other dumb crap.
For reasons I cannot ascertain, the world is just full of ugly cufflinks. Given the a full 90% of the cufflinks I see qualify as either ugly, or cheesy, I gotta say you did really well, though I really don’t think the shell casing cufflinks qualify as non-cheesy. Still it’s subjective, and you flipped the ratio, so BRAVO. I like almost all of these, espcially the BB ones. Also those Whiskey barrel stave ones Paul shared are gorgeous!
The Kissing Whale Cuff Links are on sale at J.Crew for $59.99 and with GIFTNOW, the total is ~$35.99