Luë Design / Curator Blog: Men's Jewelry

A wise man once said to me, "The only acceptable piece of men's jewelry is his watch." So I bought him cufflinks and he rocked it to work.

Of course men wear ornamental jewelry. I've not saying that they can't pull it off. For instance:

This is Aiden from Sex and the City, here with shabby hair and turquoise rings, pre-Big scandal.
Yah... I'm not crazy about that either.

What I am crazy about, are the utilitarian qualities of men's jewelry.

Cufflinks
My favorite ones are subtle and understated. Tiffany & Co doesn't disappoint:

Photo courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

Who knew that the architect also designs jewelry?

The classic silk knots are also a great look against french cuffs. One of my former colleagues wore cufflinks that were converted from old typewriter keys. Another had his initials engraved. There's something very special about the routine of removing your cufflinks when you get home at the end of the day.

Tie Clips
The tie clips/bars/tacks started popping up in GQs and Esquires all over the newsstand starting 2009 - thanks in part to the fashion momentum from the AMC series Mad Men. On a side note, I adore the fedora hats that men used to wear.

Channing Tatum

Sterling Silver Tie Clip, J.Crew

Note: Back in the winter, I went to all the J.Crew men's store for this tie clip in Manhattan and it was sold out EVERYWHERE. Very frustrating. I managed to find a vintage silver tie clip at the Pop Up Flea.

Unlike a money clip, the tie clip pinches together like a clothespin. I was quite surprised by that and wondered if it would make the tie stick too far out. Turns out - it doesn't. That's the way they work. The clip holds your tie back from your keyboard/ report/ lunch.

But I'm biased and have always had a soft spot for tie clips. My dad used to wear one to work.

Collar Pins
On my previous quest to find the J.Crew tie clip, I stumbled upon a vintage collar pin. They come in different styles - ones similar to safety pins or bars - but the one I saw looked like this:

Photo Source

Naturally, I was quite confused and baffled by its function. Apparently it is used back in the days to hold the collar up and create an aesthetically pleasing arc for the necktie knot to sit over.

Photo Source

Which then brings me to...

Collar Studs
Fastens a detachable collar onto a shirt.

Photo Source

But first - let me take a step back.

There is one style of shirt that I do not care for: the typical wall street power shirt:

I borrowed this image from Brooks Brothers

I only started to appreciate the style after learning its mythical origins. It has everything to do with the detachable collar.

Apparently, the detachable collar was invented in 1827. Like many great inventions, it was created out of accident. Hannah Lord Montague cut off the collar from one of her husband's shirts out of frustration to wash and starch them. While I can't understand how it is easier for her to sew the collar back on, her husband saw the commercial opportunities and started manufacturing them. This is back in the days of Bogart and Sinatra and Grant. The golden era of men's wear.

Collar Stays