French Cuff Shirts: When to Wear Them and How to Put On Cufflinks
A French cuff shirt has extra-long cuffs that fold back on themselves and close with cufflinks instead of buttons. It’s the dressiest cuff you can wear: standard with a tuxedo shirt, sharp with a suit and a little much with chinos. Below: when to wear one, and how to put cufflinks on in under a minute.
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French cuff vs barrel cuff
| French cuff | Barrel cuff | |
|---|---|---|
| How it closes | Cufflinks or silk knots | One or two buttons |
| Layers | Folded double | Single |
| Formality | High | Everyday |
| Best with | Suits, tuxedos, formal events | Everything else |
| Variant | Convertible cuff: buttons or cufflinks |
When to wear French cuffs
- Black tie: expected with a tuxedo.
- Weddings and formal events: a great choice with a suit. See wedding attire and cocktail attire.
- Office: fine with a suit and tie, but dressier than what most people wear.
- Business casual or no jacket: usually skip them. A barrel cuff fits better. See business casual.
How to put on cufflinks
- Put the shirt on and leave the cuffs open.
- Fold the cuff back on itself so the buttonholes line up. The fold should sit right at your wrist.
- Pinch the cuff edges together so the two outside faces touch (the “kissing” style), with all four holes lined up.
- Push the cufflink through all four holes from the outside, with the decorative face on the side people will see.
- Close the back. Flip the toggle, or fasten the chain or post, so the link can’t slip out.
- Repeat on the other side. The second cuff is harder one-handed: rest your wrist on a table to hold the cuff steady.
Types of cufflinks
- Bullet or toggle back: the most common and easiest to put on.
- Chain link: two faces joined by a short chain. Traditional.
- Stud or fixed back: no moving parts, a little harder to push through.
- Silk knots: inexpensive, colorful and more casual.
For formal events, simple silver, gold, onyx or mother-of-pearl links are hard to beat. Match the metal to your watch and belt buckle if you can.
Sizing a French cuff shirt
Sleeve length matters even more with French cuffs because the cuff is meant to show. Aim for about a quarter to a half inch of cuff past your jacket sleeve. Measure your sleeve as shown in our measuring guide or use the size calculator. Some brands cut French cuffs slightly wider to fit over a watch, so check the brand’s chart.
French cuffs are meant to show, so sleeve length matters. Find your collar and sleeve size, then compare brands that sell it.
Where to find cufflinks and French cuff shirts
Simple links are inexpensive, and silk knots cost even less. If you only own barrel-cuff shirts, you’ll need a French cuff shirt first. Check that the listing gives collar and sleeve sizes, not just S, M and L.
Quick answers
What is the difference between a French cuff and a barrel cuff?
A barrel cuff is a single layer that closes with buttons. A French cuff is twice as long, folds back on itself and closes with cufflinks. French cuffs are dressier.
Can you wear French cuffs without a jacket?
You can, but they’re meant to be seen just past a jacket sleeve. Without a jacket they look dressier than the rest of a casual outfit, so they work best at formal or business events.
Can you wear French cuffs without cufflinks?
Not really. A French cuff has no buttons, so it needs cufflinks or silk knots to close.
Which way should cufflinks face?
The decorative face goes on the outside of the cuff, the side people see when your arms are at your sides.
Are French cuffs too formal for the office?
In most modern offices they’re fine with a suit, though they read as dressy. With business casual, a barrel cuff is usually the better match.
Related: Tuxedo shirts · Collar types · Wedding attire