Punctilios: Dressed-Down French Cuffs

 

I've dug myself a fine hole, buying only French-cuff shirts as my old barrel-cuff shirts have slowly gone out of commission (stains, mostly).  That's when these white knot cufflinks from Brooks Brothers come in handy.  $9, cheap! They do a 4-for-$20 sale from time to time (which Mater took advantage of last Christmas to get me several), which is a great deal if you ever see it on.

People can still tell that you're wearing French cuffs if they're paying attention, but there's something much less showy about them when the occasion calls for it--occasions where you want to look your best without coming across as blingy.  Some such occasions: court hearings; any time you feel like it; and any occasion when you're wearing a dress shirt without a tie.  Don't let me catch you wearing big metal cufflinks with your neck showing.  It makes you look really unbalanced, like you're wearing those wrist-weights that power walkers wear.