At the end of the 20th century the rapid rate of changes in society and the economy stimulated an awareness of new challenges and of course new risks. While there had long been ways to hedge against a disadvantageous future, new tools were proposed. For instance caps and collars became fashionable ways to manage the increasing volatility in daily transactions.

More than a century ago, namely in the 1890s there were also major transformations underway. The innovation took other forms. It was not the cap or the collar but the cuff that was about to change. Recall that the gentleman’s shirt was originally an undergarment, worn beneath a waistcoat or other closed— usually wollen item. The neck and wrists were exposed and this is where first the collar and then the cuff was dressed. Cuffs were initially separate elements rolled over the wrist just as the collar was wrapped around the neck, eventually with a scarf, cravat and later necktie.

Since the wrists and hands were most exposed to action, that was the point of contact for the most wear and tear on a gentleman’s attire. The body of the shirt could be preserved with regular washing. The cuffs however deteriorated from soil and abrasion. Hence they were detachable. These separate clothing elements were fastened to the sleeve of the shirt by buttons. The more formal or decorative the shirt was to appear, the more attention to form and shine was given. So a dress shirt had bleached and heavily starched cuffs to lend crisp form to the overall configuration.

At the end of the 19th century and leading into what was later called the Roaring ’20s, The detachable cuff gave way to cuffs like most shirts have today, the barrel or Italian-style as it was once known. These cuffs were sewn on the end of the sleeves and closed with buttons, making them practical for the emerging athleticism among young men of style. However, the association of formal elegance with stiff cuffs remained. So the French introduced — hence the name— the double cuff. The extended cuff could be rolled over to form a stiffer and more formal finish to gentleman’s shirt. Like the detachable cuffs of the past, this double cuff was then fastened with removable links, derived from those used for the shirts of the previous century.

The double cuffs today preserve the comfort of the Italian-style. However they rely on the sophisticated derivative from the historical reserves of classic clothing culture. Links are not just an accessory, they constitute continuity in the legacy of elegance.