Women and Cufflinks

Quick Question
When I mention someone wearing cufflinks, who comes to mind? Were you thinking of Daniel Craig as James Bond or George Clooney on the "red carpet"? That's the stereotypical association with cufflinks, a man in a tuxedo or a suit going to a fancy event. Automatically we connect the word cufflink with a well-dressed man in a suit. You may think that women only recently started wearing cufflinks. Not true.

Cufflinks, Not Just for Men
First appearing in the 1600's, cufflinks became more commonplace dear the end of the 18th century. From the mid-19th century on, almost everyone in the middle and upper classes wore cufflinks as few shirts were made with attached buttons. It was very common for women to wear cufflinks. Cuff links were very common for women, too," says Susan Jonas, co-author of "Cuff Links" published by Harry N. Abrams, co-authored with Marilyn Nissenson, "Gibson Girls, suffragists and clerks wore them. Cooks like Mrs. Bridges on 'Upstairs, Downstairs' used cufflinks in their starched shirts." Women continue wearing them including Coco Chanel wearing cufflinks with her suits.

Cufflinks Don't Have Gender
At pranga & co we've always thought of our product as gender agnostic. Our cufflink ankers aren't designed with the masculine or feminine in mind. That being said, some pieces do skew towards one gender of the other, but not glaringly so. Two different people will wear the same design, but "carry" them entirely different based on personality, clothing and style. Women wearing cufflinks is an up and coming trend that will eventually become a mainstream fashion choice.

Tops for Women
There are several retailers who stock shirts that can use cufflinks, but remember that cufflinks can be used with different shirt cuff types. You can review in our blog post here. Alternatively, you can always take your shirt/blouse to a tailor and ask for extra button holes on the cuffs. Below is a list of retailers who carry cufflink tops for women. If you know of others, please include them in the comment section below.

Anna Quan - www.annaquan.com
Brooks Brothers - www.brooksbrothers.com
Hawes and Curtis - www.hawesandcurtis.com
Nordstrom - www.nordstrom.com
Oxford Shop - www.oxfordshop.com.au