The topic of your custom shirt collar was covered in-depth in a previous post, and now it’s time to decide how dressy the shirt will be. A dress shirt’s level of formality is determined in large part by the type of cuff you select, so let’s do a deep dive into some of the options available to you.

CUFF STYLES

• Barrel cuff: This is a very common cuff style. Most off-the-rack retailers sell theirs with two buttons placed horizontally across from each other, which allows the wearer to tighten or loosen the cuff according to his preference. In a custom scenario this button placement is obviously unnecessary, and our image consultants recommend either a 1-button cuff or a 2-button option in which the buttons are placed vertically across from each other. Pictured is a rounded-edge one-button barrel cuff:

• French cuff: Known in British English as a “double cuff,” this is the dressiest of the more common cuff styles. The addition of cufflinks affords a man the rare opportunity to add some jewelry and/or color to his ensemble, and wearing one of these shirts will lend quite a bit of elegance to the image you project. Like barrel cuffs, French cuffs are available in cutaway (think James Bond) squared, rounded, and angled models. Pictured below is an angled French cuff, our personal favorite here at the shop.

• Italian cuff: Want something off the beaten path? The Italian cuff is essentially a link cuff that fastens with a button and an extra tab of fabric that’s just as decorative as it is functional. Not for the guy who likes to blend in:

Only by going the custom route will you be afforded so many options. Take advantage of it next time you place an order and start building a wardrobe as unique as you are.