The French Cuff Connection

[Txmason]

Big and Tall French Cuff shirt and cufflink help
I am trying to find my first French Cuff shirt. I am a big guy and wear a size 22/36-37. Where is a good place to look for a reasonably priced dress shirt I could wear with grey slacks, khaki and black slacks? I was think a nice light blue or French blue shirt.


Also, I am interested in purchasing a pair of Masonic cufflinks but am not sure where to start looking. How do I find the right size cufflink?

Best,
Jerry

 

[Undertow]

Big and Tall French Cuff shirt and cufflink help
I am trying to find my first French Cuff shirt. I am a big guy and wear a size 22/36-37. Where is a good place to look for a reasonably priced dress shirt I could wear with grey slacks, khaki and black slacks? I was think a nice light blue or French blue shirt.


Also, I am interested in purchasing a pair of Masonic cufflinks but am not sure where to start looking. How do I find the right size cufflink?

Best,
Jerry

Jerry, sounds like a great idea! I think you're going to really like French cuff shirts as they imbue a sense of purpose to everyday office wear and semi-formal events. When you're wearing a set of cufflinks, you feel really put together. It's a good feeling.

I'm not sure where you're going to find a shirt in that size. I have enough trouble finding 17.5 37 shirts, let alone a 22 neck. You could try some of the "mall stores" like Jos. Bank, or Brooks Bros. I suggest them because you'll want a salesman to size you and then order your shirts. Chances are they won't have your size in stock. Jos. Bank is still having a sale for $29 a shirt, which is pretty gosh darn awesome in the way of dress shirts. Otherwise, expect to pay $65-100 per item.

Cufflinks don't have a size. Unless you have massive wrists, you should be okay wearing any pair. If you're worried about the price of shirts, you might also want to start worrying about the price of cufflinks. Therefore, hit stores like Macy's, Younkers (Herbergers, Bon Ton) or Dillards while they're having clearance sales. You might also try Burlington Coat Factory. Again, don't be surprised if you find a pair you like for $35 on sale. They can run into $90-100 pretty easy at some places. Don't be afraid to hit some vintage stores or thrift shops. Many antique dealers sell cufflinks for great prices!

 

[Shangas]

Surely you could buy some masonic cufflinks off of eBay?

What do you mean by "right size"? I wasn't aware that cufflinks CAME in sizes...As far as I know, there's ONE size. How well it will fit you is dependent wholly on how well the SHIRT fits you.

 

[Vampyre Master]

I have these they are stunning AND genuine not ebay
http://letchworthshop.co.uk/cat/product_details.php?p=275
VM

 

[Gin&Tonics]

You may also want to consider these two options:
http://www.paulfredrick.com/Catalog/PFCategory.aspx?rootcat=1|Dress%20Shirts&rcount=2&refinement1=STRING|Clearance|No&refinement2=STRING|Cuff|French%20Cuff

Or, if you want shirts made-to-measure, you may wish to try Maxwell's Clothiers out of Hong Kong:
http://www.maxwellsclothiers.com

I have never used either business, but I can say that rave reviews by word of mouth have convinced me to take the plunge and invest $595 in having Maxwell's make a suit and 3 dress shirts for me. That is a smokin deal if the quality is good, and I've been told by everyone I've spoken to about them that their quality is top notch. Hope this helps you as a good starting point!

 

[Wally_Hood]

If you are not too choosy, cuff links may be had in lots off eBay. I have purchased some, as well as tie-tacks, in lots now and then. Pricing is reasonable, and you can get a nice variety.

 

[Undertow]

In case anyone is interested, JCPenny's was running a sale for a French cuff shirt 100% cotton with contrasting cuffs and collar for $22. It was pretty thin material but might work well for summer wear. It's their "Signature Executive" series by Stafford. Besides a few Claiborne shirts, it was the only 100% cotton offering they had.

They were also offering cufflinks for $25. Nothing I liked in particular, and all very modern.

Oh, and there were some 100% wool sport coats in some nice check patterns for $40. I can't imagine they're the best constructed things in the world, but they were wool!

 

[carldelo]

Paul Frederick offers custom shirt tailoring online. They go up to size 22 neck, 40 sleeve, so it's worth a look if you can spend around $100. I have no experience with their shirts, but have several sport jackets that are reasonably good quality and were inexpensive on sale.