1. Style Icon Number 1: Tom Waits

Known for his raspy, deep voice, which has been described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding “like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car,” Tom Waits is an iconic singer, actor, and composer. He always plays these seedy, shady characters in films such as “Down By Law” and Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” but is also known for his immense cult following:

Tom Waits, Photo by Henry Dlitz

Tom has been a trend setter for years, especially for Brooklyn Hipsters, with his cigarettes, whiskey, old beaten hats, and worn suit jackets. He is experimental in both his music and his fashion choices. Waits recorded Small Change (1976), which is more lyrically cynical and pessimistic than his previous albums, l with many songs such as “The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) (An Evening With Pete King)” and “Bad Liver and a Broken Heart (In Lowell)”.

Tom Waits, Photo by Adrian Boot

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In response to the heavy drinking that ensued while making the album Small Change, Waits said that he “tried to resolve a few things as far as this cocktail lounge, maudlin, crying-in-your-beer image that I have. There ain’t nothin’ funny about a drunk [...] I was really starting to believe that there was something amusing and wonderfully American about being a drunk. I ended up telling myself to cut that shit out.”

Tom Waits, Photo by Danny Clinch

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Style Icon Number 2: Al Pachino

Al is best known for his horrifying role in Scarface as Tony Montana and Micheal Corleone in The Godfather Trilogy. He showed a much softer side in Frankie and Johnny, alongside his former co-star in Scarface, the beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer. Throughout the years, we’ve seen Pacino evolve as an actor, taking on the best of roles and giving it his all. Trained as a Method Actor, under the guidance of the famed Lee Strasberg, Pacino developed a passionate intensity in just about every role he played.

Photo of a younger Al Pacino

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A native New Yorker, Pacino dropped out of school at 17, and took on a series of mundane jobs in order to pay for his acting classes. At the Actor’s Studio, Pacino studied method acting, which is a phrase that loosely refers to a family of techniques by which actors try to create in themselves the thoughts and emotions of their characters in an effort to develop lifelike performances.

Al Pacino, playing Tony Montana, in Scarface

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Director Francis Ford Coppola took a risk in casting the relatively unknown Pacino in The Godfather, yet Pacino’s acting earned him an Academy Award Nomination, which he boycotted because of his anger at being labeled a “Supporting Actor.”

Al Pachino (Michael Corleone)

So “Say hello to my little friend…” with these Pistol Cufflinks:

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Throughout all of his films, the man has a certain simple, yet poignant style that we all secretly admire. Women love him and men want to be him. He has played those dominant character types that men around the world wanted to imitate, and they loyally re-played their favorite scenes on VCRs at home, reenacting many famous lines and scenes.

Michael Corleone, and his transformation

The fascination with the mafia/mob world had become exponential after Pacino’s performances. He brought the underworld and grime of Mafia life out in the open, added a touch of sophistication and swagger; namely he glamorized the life of a mobster- something no one else could do.

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Al Pacino in NYC (1992) Photograph by Herb Ritts

Stay tuned folks for more icons..

Bob Dylan has been a style icon since, well, the day he was born. He is the epitome of an artist, constantly evolving in his musical style, and never looking back. He is known for his lyrical, poignant poetry, paintings, and drawings as well as his music. His autobiography, “The Chronicles,” has sold millions, and spent 19 long weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list for non-fiction.

Bob Dylan’s famous hits, like Tangled up in Blue, Blowin’ in the Wind, Tamborine Man, Just Like a Women, Don’t Think Twice, I’m not There, A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall, and so, so many more, have made their way into our lives over the years, and we have adapted them as a part of our “life soundtracks.”

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Most of us have poignant memories attached to these tunes, replay them over on our ipods,  and every time we listen we find something new, something different, something that reminds of us of so many yesterdays. In short, his music has a power that is continuous, ephemeral, and yet lasting. It lingers in our ears, weighs over us like a rolling stone, all while the times are a-changing.

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And when he switched over to the electric guitar, it caused a big scandal. People frantically asking, or booing, “Is he forgetting his roots? Is he leaving folk music behind? Is he caving in for corporate America?” No, the music only evolved and so did the man.

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Influenced by the poetry of the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas, Bob’s writings focused on oppression, the American dream, war, love, despair, protest, and spirituality. The Pulitzer Prize jury in 2008 awarded him a special citation for what they called his profound impact on popular music and American culture, “marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.” Frankly, the man is a musical force and poetic genius.

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He is one of the only true voices we’ve had to represent the true American spirit. He fought through music, cried through music, celebrated through music, lived through music; all this accumulating to an giant American force, using only that strange voice of his, raspy and electrifying, and a guitar, piano, and/or harmonica.

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Now Mr. Dylan, with all his revolutionary success, concentrates on his own personal spiritual journey, and occasionally makes trips to his son’s school to play some guitar and sing for the children. They all stare and wonder who the hell this strange, rough looking man is in their perfect classroom, banging out chords and belting out lullabys…asking their teachers afterward, “Who is that guy?” If they only knew…

Katie Holmes was just a young girl when Tom Cruise starred in “Risky Business,” where he showed the world his dancing skills (if you could call it that) and barely- there tighty-whities. We’re thinking Kat fell in love the “old Cruise,” the dreamy man-child of the 80′s–not the Scientology thumping, couch hopping, modern day Tom we know today.

Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise at recent charity event in Holywood.

But let’s face it, the young Tom dancing around a living room to “Old Time Rock and Roll” in Risky Business is a classic scene, one that will continue to remind us of the good ole days of his sanity.

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The scene not only featured a great actor in his prime, but also represents classic music. You know that kind of music that everyone in the bar will sing along to? The kind of music that brings people together, makes friends out of enemies, and might even contribute to a little embarrassing karaoke (think: Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” You know you’ve been that person before). And there’s nothing wrong with acting a little crazy to the rhythm of a favorite bar song, the kind of song that makes your voice sound a little better after a few drinks…

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Humans have a natural inclination to music, it’s almost hardwired in us- rhythms, beats, harmony. Some of us are musical genius and some of us are just connoisseurs. But if you don’t like music, no offense, do the world a favor and go live in a cave. Seriously.

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Here at Cufflinksman we understand the need for music- the desire to bring people together, to make connections, to make life more bearable through rhythm and dance. We also understand band loyalties and the importance of supporting artists and their legacies. There are just some musicians that are just as  important as their art. So in response to that band/musician loyalty, we know just the way to pay homage to your favorite band. These cufflinks are a great example:

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Hopefully this arm jewelry will take you back to a time when Scientology was non-existent (and aliens were only science fiction), a time when people didn’t name their children after food, and zombies didn’t completely take over Hollywood.

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So remember the young Tom Cruise and his dancing shoes. We can all learn something from him.

WEEKLY TIP: Put one of these cufflinks on your favorite shirt (the electric guitar ones are pretty sweet),  strip down to your underwear, and give your lady a little dance when she comes home. We promise, you’ll thank us later.

Elvis Presley never died.

In our hearts, he was still the King of Pop. If you want something to remind you of his rock ‘n roll moves, then cufflinksman.com can help you remember Elvis Presley’s royal days in the music industry.

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We know the whole world loves the King of Pop that’s why offer the world our Elvis Presley Stamp Cufflinks! A part of our collection of cool cufflinks featuring Martin Luther King Jr. Stamp Cufflinks, Marilyn Monroe Cufflinks, Ronald Reagan Cufflinks and many more that we can offer if Elvis is not the only one that you want to remember and honor as well.

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While the music industry made Elvis the King of Pop, we also offer you our very own little music industry, our Music Cufflinks! Enjoy music and show your support to recording artists like Elvis. Just don’t buy pirated CDs and DVDs. And Speaking of piracy, the good thing about our music cufflinks is that we are legal and we don’t have any legal problems with our music related items. How’s that to satisfy an Elvis Presley fan?

With our Elvis Stamp Cufflinks, you are resurrecting the King from his death and from being forgotten by his other fans. Wear your stamp cufflinks and show everyone who your real inspiration is. A self proclaimed frustrated pop singer? Then, wear our music cufflinks and think of yourself as the next pop singer that will take the world by storm!

To be a civil rights activist is to be Martin Luther King Jr.- either you’re talking about political leaders or merely just some cute cufflinks.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a god to every civil rights activist. And while other Luther loyalists who are close to the King Center in Atlanta are visiting his tomb, it’s a good thing to know that loyalists from all over the world can still show their support to the great leader and towards civil rights movements in their own simple (yet sweet) ways- wearing the Martin Luther King Jr. Stamp Cufflinks.

Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr - Stamp Cufflinks

The Martin Luther Jr. Stamp Cufflinks are specially created by Cuff Links Man to promote unique cufflinks collection in its motivation to add a personalized touch to every customer’s interest, belief and character. In the case of the King Stamp cufflinks, we have one strong argument for you- sometimes you don’t need to scream in the streets to consider yourself a political activist.

So whether you take pride in fighting for what you believe is right, still have some arguments left inside your head as to why US attacked Vietnam (we knew very well that King was against the former president’s decision to send troops to Vietnam), or simply just another human being who loves to collect NBA Basketball Cufflinks, getting the chance to wear the Martin Luther King Jr. cufflinks is actually not such a bad idea after all. Long live the King!