They're the pinnacle of elegance, and yet you won't find them in every wardrobe or every ready-to-wear shop: French cuffs. Some men are put off by their ultra-formal style; others love the refined flourish they bring, turning any high-end shirt into a smart, distinguished piece. There's no denying a French cuff shirt sits in that category of luxury items that tend to empty your wallet. Luckily, LE CHEMISEUR® has the perfect solution: an elegant made-to-measure French cuff shirt at the best price. Time to dare the look!

French cuffs: a style inherited from another century

Let's start with a bit of history. To understand where French cuffs come from, we need to go back to the 19th century, when mounted soldiers armed with a musket were known as "mousquetaires" — musketeers. These gentlemen in the King's service were known for two things: their taste for good wine, and their inimitable style!

Ever elegant, the musketeers wore a smart white shirt with long, stiff cuffs — what we know today as French cuffs. A genuine style statement, they're very often paired with cufflinks for an even more distinguished, original touch.

Cufflinks: a man's one accessory

The ultimate symbol of elegance, cufflinks dress up a shirt the way a necklace dresses up a woman's neckline. When it comes to jewellery, men have fairly limited options — which is exactly what makes cufflinks such a great way to express personality.

When to wear cufflinks?

It's the question a lot of you ask. Since cufflinks dress a shirt up so quickly, it's natural to wonder whether they're really appropriate for everyday wear. Here's some guidance: during the day, go ahead and enjoy them! Anything goes, as long as you keep the rest of the look fairly relaxed and cohesive. Try raw denim, a navy blazer, and pair it all with blue or red braided cufflinks on a white shirt. The main thing? Let your personality and mood of the day shine through!

In the evening, cufflinks take centre stage. For a polished look, match your cufflinks to your shirt or your jacket if you're wearing a tuxedo. For classic suits, the options are endless, since the cufflink becomes a real piece of jewellery. One tip: avoid piling on too much jewellery — leave the metal bracelets at home and go for leather instead, which pairs better with this kind of accessory.

Finally, for a ceremony, there's no way around it: cufflinks are an essential accessory! Match them to the colour of your wedding band for maximum effect. You can also coordinate them with the colour of your shirt or waistcoat. For the full look, LE CHEMISEUR® recommends a smart navy three-piece suit with a white twill shirt with a wing collar, and gold or silver metal cufflinks. With that combination, you're guaranteed to make an impression!

Cufflinks: how to choose them

In life, the more choice you have, the more complicated it gets — and cufflinks are no exception. That's why LE CHEMISEUR® makes it simple, so you can avoid any missteps. Gold, silver or coloured? It all depends on your other jewellery. If your wedding band is gold, go for gold-toned cufflinks. If your watch is silver, your cufflinks should match.

The different types of cufflink fastenings

You've probably noticed already: not all cufflinks are alike. There's a huge range of designs, and even more different fastening mechanisms.

The "T-bar" fastening: thanks to their small swivelling bar, T-bar cufflinks are quick to put on — a favourite for anyone in a rush in the morning!

The "torpedo" fastening: slightly more technical than the T-bar, torpedo cufflinks hold the cuff securely thanks to their swivel-back mechanism.

The "ball" fastening: their spherical shape makes them easy to fit through cuffs on shirts that have already been worn a few times, but trickier on brand-new shirts, since the hole hasn't been "broken in" yet.

The "chain link" fastening: a favourite among cufflink enthusiasts, the chain-link fastening makes it very easy to put on and take off.

The "reversible" fastening: here, it doesn't matter which side you use, since both are identical — though fitting them can be trickier, as both ends are the same size!

The "fixed-back" fastening: the same principle as the ball fastening, just in a different shape.

LE CHEMISEUR®, your made-to-measure French cuffs

Trying French cuffs means adding a genuine dose of style to your outfit. That's why LE CHEMISEUR® offers French cuffs on every one of its shirt styles. Whether your taste runs eccentric or classic, you'll find the perfect cuff-and-cufflink combination at LE CHEMISEUR®. Go timeless with a white shirt dressed up with mother-of-pearl cufflinks, or dare something more original with a chambray shirt and coloured cufflinks!

Either way, let your imagination run and design your own French cuff shirt to brighten up your wardrobe, with LE CHEMISEUR®.

To go further, read our article on how to accessorise your shirt.