Here’s an article about the different types of shirt cuffs.
Table of Contents
What Is A Shirt Cuff?
A cuff is a layer of material at the lower edge of the sleeve of a shirt, coat, jacket, dress, etc.). It’s usually at the wrist or the ankle end of a trouser leg. A tailor turns back or folds the fabric or sews on a separate band of fabric to make a cuff. There are also detachable cuffs that you attach with buttons or studs.
What Are The Different Types Of Shirt Cuffs?
These are the different shirt cuff styles:
Standard Cuff
A standard shirt cuff is a barrel cuff (a rectangular piece of fabric with square corners closed with a button). But, there’s a second buttonhole on the other side of the cuff that is unseen when worn buttoned. You can open up the cuff and wear cufflinks.
The standard cuff style is common for most business and casual shirts. You can choose a one-button or two-button style. Two buttons allow you to adjust how snug the wrist fits. Other names include straight cuff or square cuff.
Two Button Cuff
The two-button cuff style is perfect for casual or semi-formal occasions. If you want a relaxed look, leave the second button open. These types of shirt cuffs can have square corners, mitered corners, or rounded corners.
Mitered Cuff
The mitered cuff or angled cuff style has two buttons and cuts across the corner at a 45-degree angle. These types of shirt cuffs are more formal than the standard cuff.
Rounded Cuff
Rounded cuffs have rounded arc-like outside corners. These types of cuffs are casual and comfy. But, they’re more for informal settings and look nice with button-down collar shirts.
French Cuff
The French cuff or double cuff is best for formal settings. These cuffs are perfect for dress shirts or a dinner suit. They have twice the length of regular cuffs and can have square or rounded corners. Usually, you use a cufflink to secure the French cuff.
Convertible Cuff
Convertible cuffs allow you to wear cufflinks or regular buttons on the same shirt. You can use these types of shirts to dress up or dress down. Convertible cuffs have square corners and a single layer that does not fold back.
How Should A Shirt Cuff Fit?
- Shirt cuffs should neither be too large nor too tight.
- If you can fit a hand through the cuff without unbuttoning it, that means it is too big.
- If the shirt cuff wrinkles when you button it, that means it is too small.
- French Cuffs fit a bit larger than barrel cuffs, and the difference varies depending on the type of cufflink used.
- Custom shirt makers should always make room for a watch.
- This way, your cuff can button over the watch but not slide onto your hand.
How To Wear A Shirt Cuff?
- If you’re wearing a shirt with a sport coat or suit jacket, only show 1/4″ to 1/2″ of the shirt’s cuff.
- If you’re short, you can show a bit more to make your arms look longer.
- For tall men, show a bit less to make your arms look shorter.
- Never “hide the cuff.”
- Hiding the shirt cuff makes you look unsophisticated.
- Never show too much of the shirt cuff.
- Showing too much cuff makes you look like the jacket is too big for you.
Also on My Fashion Galore:
- Types of Shirt Collars
- Types of Tuxedo shirts.
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