In an age of instantaneous and increasingly mobile online shopping, party photos being spread across social media eights times a weekend, and blogs where we can wear our wares for a DSLR and all the world to see, it is becoming almost a feverish necessity for many people to constantly possess new, shiny things to show off and one-up their peers. Perhaps, as opposed to trying to wrap your brain around where tomorrow’s trend will insert black leather next, take a look to yesterday? Is “going retro”… retro now? I digress.
Men (and women who enjoy rocking menswear, holla!), would you consider cufflinks? Besides the fact that they may seem slightly antiquated to our generation, and that it is impossible to find a shirt at H&M or American Apparel that has French cuffs, the variety and cool-cred that comes with a nice pair of gold, diamond or designed cufflinks makes them a sophisticated way to shiny up any outfit.
Robert Tateossian, a man whom, as the founder of über-lux British accessories brand Tateossian London, can be confidently called the “king of cufflinks,” was recently in Toronto to launch his company’s first North American mini-store within a store at Harry Rosen’s gorgeous new Yorkdale location. Among the bling buffet (that includes pieces that are anything but “retro”) was the Tateossian Rare Stone Collection, featuring one-off pieces such as 50-carat raw diamonds with 18-carat gold detailing valued around a cool $16,000. If just thinking about that price tag makes the pair of cuff links in your pants draw up a little, don’t worry. The seasonal Tateossian cufflinks collections price-point begins at a very reasonable (or “democratic,” as Robert says) $150 per pair. We caught up with the monarch of wrist-bling at Harry Rosen and asked him three reasons why we should rock cufflinks as the next trend:
1. They finish a look. You can be the sportiest kind of person or a completely casual person but if you want to create a statement that’s discreet, just with the way you dress, the way to do it is with cufflinks. You could be wearing jeans, a shirt, and a jacket but you don’t want to wear a tie because it’s constricting, uncomfortable, and old-fashioned. Don’t worry, you can look sharp by wearing cufflinks instead.
2. They make you feel good. It’s simple: You look sharp, you feel good. Jewelry should always be worn to make you feel good. Why do you buy anything? To make you feel good. Think of cufflinks as yet another accessory you put on your wrist.
3. It’s a reflection of your mood and an occasion. For instance, if you’re going for a job interview and want to make a good impression. If you’re wearing a pair of clean, sober cufflinks, it gives the impression that you’re willing to go that extra step to [look good for] the interview. On the opposite side, it’s also a great way to celebrate. If you’re going to a party, you can wear something outlandish like cufflinks with Swarovski crystals or whatever works with your budget.
If Robert has convinced to give cufflinks a chance, you can check out the whole Tateossian Collection (along with other accessories for men and women) here or visit Harry Rosen’s newly-renovated, almost completed, already gorgeous location at Yorkdale Shopping Mall.