After their peak use in the 1960’s followed by near extinction during the informal 1990’s and early 2000’s, the cufflink is back.
During the dot com era/ computer revolution, between the 1980’s 2000’s, Corporate America made significant advances in production and technology. With this shift from a manufacturing based economy to a service economy, came the introduction of more casual workplace attire and the ushering out of cufflinks. Jeans and button downs became especially popular as well as polo and t shirts. This resulted in decreased demand of French cuffs and increased production of men’s dress shirts with buttoned cuffs. But thanks to the current retro inspired fashion trends, the cufflink is coming back with exponential popularity across the fashion industry. The market for vintage and antique cufflinks is growing as well.
Some may ask, “What’s the big deal? They’re just cufflinks, right? Wrong. There’s more to the story than just cufflinks. Studies conducted by several universities suggest that the shift to casual attire has led to a decline in work performance. Historical research on this topic also points to relaxed work environment/dress codes as one of the factors of poor productivity in the early 20 s as well as the subsequent stock market crash in 2008.
It’s common knowledge that the way we dress affects the way we feel and seemingly our work ethics. Research indicates that more casual attire means more casual behavior; unfortunately this is also true for the workplace. The correlation between work performance and work attire is undeniable as many respected professors and universities have concluded. Therefore, the re entry of the cufflink into the workplace and men’s attire in general means more than mere fashion, but potentially a shift in the relaxed attitude and work performance of Corporate America and other sectors vital to America’s economic recovery.
As the world progresses, the use of cufflinks is making a huge comeback. Cufflinks are an essential accessory to add polish to a well designed tuxedo shirt or French cuffs. Not only are cufflinks appropriate for weddings and formal affairs, you’ll find many bankers, insurance agents, sales professionals and others sporting cufflinks. One could say that cufflinks have become a form of men’s jewelry—offering the same variety and even more personalized possibilities as the market for women’s jewelry. From a platinum pair that is set with diamonds to those sold by crafters on Etsy created by computer keys, you can find the right one for you, your lifestyle and your personal style at a variety of price points.
High end retailers are also taking advantage of this trend by manufacturing more shirts featuring French cuffs. Cuff links are also sold by these retailers. Cufflink vendors offer thousands of styles from classic links to individualized pairs. Considering the variety, and accessibility of cuff links across the fashion industry, their reentry in the workplace could lead to a better attitude and better performance. Prepare for the return of the cufflink and hopefully a more sophisticated and formal workplace.
Author Resource:
Brad Howard is the Founder and CEO of CuffCrazy, LLC owner of http://www.cuffcrazy.com hostgator promo code
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")