Have you ever looked at one side of a quarter and thought to yourself, “Wow … that looks pretty cool?” Each U.S. minted quarter displays an intricate design commemorating a specific U.S. state. When these new quarters were first issued, it was fun to look at the change in your hand and observe each design on the back of the quarters. Every time you got a new state, it was exciting to view the design. These commemorative quarters are so incredibly popular that some people have even begun collecting them. But creative cufflink designer Penny Black Forty has outdone everyone.

They took these same unique quarter designs that have become so popular and imprinted them on the face of cufflinks with beautiful accents of color. No matter what state you live in, there’s a quarter cufflink to match. One of the first commemorative quarters ever released was in honor of North Carolina. These Hand Painted North Carolina State Quarter Cufflinks depict the famous Wright brothers and the invention of flight. The sky blue background jumps right out at you, as does the famous first flight of the Kitty Hawk. If you’re a coin collector at heart, or you’re just looking for a new pair of cufflinks, these quarter cufflinks would be a great addition to your cufflink collection. Take a look at all of the quarter cufflinks designed by Penny Black Forty that we have to offer. There’s a pair of quarter cufflinks for every state!

Have you ever looked at one side of a quarter and thought to yourself, “Wow … that looks pretty cool?” Each U.S. minted quarter displays an intricate design commemorating a specific U.S. state. When these new quarters were first issued, it was fun to look at the change in your hand and observe each design on the back of the quarters. Every time you got a new state, it was exciting to view the design. These commemorative quarters are so incredibly popular that some people have even begun collecting them. But creative cufflink designer Penny Black Forty has outdone everyone. They took these same unique quarter designs that have become so popular and imprinted them on the face of cufflinks with beautiful accents of color. No matter what state you live in, there’s a quarter cufflink to match.

Hand Painted North Carolina State Quarter Cufflinks

One of the first commemorative quarters ever released was in honor of North Carolina. These Hand Painted North Carolina State Quarter Cufflinks depict the famous Wright brothers and the invention of flight. The sky blue background jumps right out at you, as does the famous first flight of the Kitty Hawk. If you’re a coin collector at heart, or you’re just looking for a new pair of cufflinks, these quarter cufflinks would be a great addition to your cufflink collection. Take a look at all of the quarter cufflinks designed by Penny Black Forty that we have to offer. There’s a pair of quarter cufflinks for every state!

It’s about the music, right? American Idol Season 10 is beckoning to be a hit this season. With 37 million viewers in the premiere episode, we think maybe…style had something to do with it?

Piano Blues Mother of Pearl Cufflinks, Daniel Dolce

Of course Jenny from the Block has a better taste in wardrobe since her days from way back in the Bronx and Steven Tyler’s makeup job is much better than Ryan Seacrest’s, but really, style is just as important as singing. JLo said so herself in the first episode, “it’s about the package.” And not Steven Tyler’s package..

THIS PHOTO IS NOT JLO. REPEAT, IT'S NOT. IT IS STEVEN TYLER, WE PROMISE

Ed Hardy Love Kills Slowly Square Cufflinks

In addition to botox and spanx, we think some cufflinks can add a little something to this season. For rock star icon Steven Tyler, these Ed Hardy rocker cufflinks would work well with his cleaned up look and overly large mouth. For Mrs. Jlo (oh, and contestants cannot call her JLo or Jenny. Tis forbidden), some star studded cufflinks would look nice if she ever sports a blazer this season. She rarely covers up, but a more polished professional side would be refreshing to see…she is 41, isn’t she??

Jenny’s “Bling” at Cufflinksman

Poor girl, doesn’t realize how old she is, but she does have some style to talk about. In case you don’t know what style can do for you, here’s a closer look:

A "Stylish" Transformation

As for Randy, he always has it going on. The oversized, black rimmed glasses are juxtaposed nicely with his reverberating “yo yo’s.” Yo, yo dawg cufflinks would be right up his…dog alley.

Sterling American Idol “Randy” Bulldog Cufflinks

Yo Yo Dawg

And Ryan Seacrest…we have made these Slap Tickle Cufflinks by Sonia Spencer available for you anytime, because, we know what you’re about…wink wink

Slap Tickle Cufflinks, Sonia Spencer

Stay tuned to find out who else made it to Hollywood and if Steven Tyler lands one of the those 16 year olds before they get kicked off!

Around this time, you may be bombarded with Christmas music. At first they are wonderful melodies– they bring out the good cheer in everyone, make you want to sway around the tree while you wrap your little presents, and all that good stuff. But after a while, the songs become unbearable and you consider moving to China, where they’ve never heard of Santa Claus (….actually they probably have). The point is, no matter where you go, you can’t get a way from it. But for now, that’s okay.

Wouldn’t these …look great with Mariah Carey’s outfit here? Nothing like a blazing red designer accessory to transform your dated suit jacket:

Ice Cube Red Cufflinks, by Tateossian

America has produced some of the all-time best Christmas songs. And not just “Jingle Bells” and “Dashing Through The Snow,” but really memorable songs that you look forward to listening to once a year. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” is one of them, among others, but especially Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song.”

Hey, a classic is a classic. Mr. King Cole has that “classic” title and so do these classy designer cufflinks, made by Tateossian. Plus they would make a great Christmas present for dad this season:

Tateossian Round Cushion Blue Cufflinks

And one more CLASSIC for you. (Don’t laugh) Here it comes….you ready? Okay, for all you 90′s lovers out there, there is one song, or one album I should say, that shook us to the core. Okay, not really, but most people at least know the lyrics to these “new” Christmas songs from…drum roll…NSYNC.

Cheesy video, yes. But don’t act like you don’t remember NYSYNC. We know you are bouncing your head to this song like you are 13 again. Or 25 maybe? Either way, songs like this make you remember you “inner boy” and so do these Cyberman Cufflinks, which would make great stocking stuffers:

Cyberman Robot Cufflinks

Christmas Songs make you feel like you are a kid again in many ways. And well, we have an entire collection of cufflinks devoted to your inner child:

Mr. Tickle Cufflinks

So go play in the snow today! Have a snow ball fightl! Or if you live somewhere exotic, um… hug a palm tree?

Thanksgiving is only a day away, so if you need some extra help in the kitchen for ideas on how to impress your guests (or simply indulge yourself), here are some of our holiday favorites:

1. Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider

Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider

Ingredients

• 2 quarts apple cider
• 6 cups cranberry juice
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 granny apples, unpeeled, cut from the core, and chopped into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup walnuts (optional)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/3 cup of marshmellows

Cut up 3 or 4 of the apples, until you get about 2-1/2 or 3 cups of chopped apples. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the apples. The acid in the lemon juice prevents the apples from turning brown. The raisins will taste best if you plump them first. Do this by measuring them into a cereal bowl and adding enough warm tap water to cover them completely. Allow them to sit for a few minutes, absorbing the water, and softening up. Drain them very well when you need them.  Chop up the celery, it should take about 2 stalks or so. Add walnuts. Mix everything together in a medium sized bowl with the mayonnaise and sugar, coating all of the ingredients with the mayonnaise. It is now ready to serve, or you can chill it overnight and serve it tomorrow instead. This recipe serves 6.

Big Apple Cufflinks, Designed by Sonia Spenser

3. Sugar Coated Pecans

Sugar Coated Pecans

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 pound pecan halves
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Grease one baking sheet.
2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake at 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

*Recipe from allrecipes.com*

4. Hot Crab Dip

Hot Crab Dip, Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• paprika, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, crabmeat, lemon juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer to a shallow 9×13 inch baking dish. Garnish with paprika.
3. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

*Recipe from allrecipes.com*

Hand-Painted Crab Cufflinks

5. Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole, Recipe by allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped pecans

  Designer “Potato of Doom” Cufflinks, by Sonia Spenser

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, salt, 1/3 cup butter and vanilla. Mix together and pour into a greased 13×9 inch baking dish.
2. To prepare the topping, combine in a separate bowl the brown sugar, flour, 1/3 cup melted butter and pecans. Mix together and crumble over sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 45 minutes.

GQ magazine recently featured some invaluable resources for men in regards to fashion. Calling it their “Fall Report,” they have carefully selected the hottest trends, accessories, and looks for the modern man of 2010. We have a picked out a few that we especially love. First up, the Three Piece Suit:

Three Piece Suit, Design by Simon Spurr

What’s great about the three piece suit is the added touch of class, found in a single element: the vest. Yes, these suits may cost a bit more than the standard two piece suit, but like GQ mentions in their feature, “it keeps you looking sharp when you remove your jacket.” And these Black Dial Cufflinks are some basic, inexpensive accessories that could bring the look full circle:

Black Dial Cufflinks

The next look we love is the Small, Lightweight Turtleneck. Turtlenecks are great for the fall/winter season for obvious reasons (they keep you warm…if we have to spell it out for you), but they go great under suit and sport jackets. Plus they are a warm substitute for that stifling collared shirt. Make sure the turtleneck you choose isn’t too chunky, but fine-gauge and fits high around the neck, like this one:

Lightweight Turtleneck, as featured in GQ, design by Gucci

The man bag and sunglasses don’t hurt the look either: we especially love the extra finishing touches that really bring together an ensemble, like a stunning pair of Silk Knot Cufflinks:

Camo Time Silk Knot Cufflinks

The next little accessory that is not to be shunned, is the Plaid Necktie. No, we’re not talking about Paul Bunyan plaid here, and we don’t expect you to go on a wood chopping rampage in your overalls…but really plaid is back this season and may be here for the long run. These new plaid ties have a slimmer cut,  a smaller tie knot, and are unlined to give a “draping effect.”

H&M Necktie

Black Watch Plaid Cufflinks

David Hart & Co. Neck Tie, $130

And lastly, for this week’s style update, we want to mention once again, our love of TWEED. (And please don’t substitute out the “T” and think we’re talking about something else…but you can if you want…) For those of you who follow this blog, you might remember a post focused on texture, one of which was tweed. Well GQ has also exhibited their love of tweed and it’s storming runways around the world:

Tweed Suit, by Billy Reid

Amber Quilted Cufflinks

And to quote Jim Moore on this subject, he says that “[tweed] looks good over and under everything. It’s got that mannish personality to it, where it stands up well to an elegant shirt and tie, or looks good with a fisherman’s sweater.” And Mr. Moore, we completely agree.

]]> http://www.cufflinksman-blog.com/cufflinks-by-color/trend-report-four-basic-essentials/feed/ 0 http://www.cufflinksman-blog.com/cufflinks-by-color/men-of-architectural-style/ http://www.cufflinksman-blog.com/cufflinks-by-color/men-of-architectural-style/#comments Sun, 31 Oct 2010 02:04:13 +0000 Amber S. http://www.cufflinksman-blog.com/?p=778 When one goes to Europe, one takes an instant notice of the architectural grandeur, the intricate designs and details, and the awe-inspiring buildings that are hundreds of years old. In America, our architecture is lacking those ancient intricities and the eye for detail. Our buildings seem to be made for one purpose only: functionality. European [...]

When one goes to Europe, one takes an instant notice of the architectural grandeur, the intricate designs and details, and the awe-inspiring buildings that are hundreds of years old. In America, our architecture is lacking those ancient intricities and the eye for detail. Our buildings seem to be made for one purpose only: functionality.

One can look the same way at cufflinks. Yes, they are used to enclose the gaps on shirt sleeves and be used in place of a button, but they also represent something aesthetically supreme (like European Architecture). They are not simply worn for functionality, but are used to represent individualism, eccentricities, and character. It always comes down to the details. These Enamel Tracery Cufflinks are reminiscent of the same architectural details we love:

Enamel Tracery Cufflinks, by LOMA

Designed by LOMA, they evoke the detail oriented style that completely brings together an outfit.

Calvin Klein Fall 2010

Walking down the street, people notice the tiny accessories that make up an outfit. Cufflinks are that eye-catching and architectural “wow factor” to an outfit. Designer Italo Zucchelli’s new designs for Calvin Klein exhibited exactly that: crisp, sharp, and detail oriented clothes. Calvin Klein’s new fall 2010 line is representative of the masculine man looking sharply forward in a lusterless world; And similarly, these Orange Enamel Tracery Cufflinks are breaking the lackluster mold:

Orange Enamel Tracery Cufflinks

And to add even more color and texture to your palate, these Black and Red Quilted Cufflinks are yet another great choice for that fashion forward attitude and architectural vibe:

Red and Black Quilted Cufflinks

A classic suit should simultaneously borrow the sophistication of the late Victorian period, the glamour of the Parisian 30’s, and the meticulous style of the 60’s.

But there’s always room for a new twist on a classic look.

The Hermes collection for fall 2010  hinted at an urban countryside look, with relaxed fit suits. Here’s a more urban version below, but click on the Hermes link to view the entire collection.

For 2010 it’s all about the texture. Who says you have to weigh yourself down under heavy clothes? For fall 2010, lightweight, textured suits made of breath-able cotton, flannel, and linen are sprouting up everywhere. We especially like the countryside look with an urban flair that is apparent in the tailored silhouettes, which make use of light browns, beige, and soft black.

Granite Cabochon Cufflinks

To make the MOST of this “country boy meets big city” style, pair these textured suits with a natural accessory, like these Granite Cabochon Cufflinks designed by Ike Behar. These designer cufflinks evoke the soft hues of vanilla and caramel, while still maintaining the hot runway themes of nature, stone, and texture. The Granite Cabochon Cufflinks add a touch of elegance and flair to this laid back look.

Blue Floral Cufflinks

Going along the lines of texture, these Blue Floral Banner Cufflinks designed by Robert Graham are a perfect addition to that textured suit. Featuring an authentic shirt fabric that will spice up any tweed, light brown,  khaki, or gray material. We love absolutely them.

And what are these “new” fabrics? Well let’s just say they are a modern re-vamping of classic fabrics: Harris Tweed, Pinstripe, Plaid, and Herringbone.

Need ideas for a laid back suit? GQ featured a classic cotton Khaki suit by Michael Bastian that would look great with the Blue Floral Banner Cufflinks. Click on the Michael Bastian link to view the entire collection and our favorite look, the Khaki suit.

Persian Rug Cufflinks

All of these textured looks of the season will look great paired with the Blue Floral Banner cufflinks, the Granite Cabochon cufflinks, the Persian Rug cufflinks, or these Banded African Jade cufflinks.

While it’s true that Karl Lagerfeld canceled his runway show in Paris, things are still looking up for fashion. Instead of the un-ornamented, somber styles that we have been seeing over the last few years at Fashion Week (undoubtedly to reflect the state of our economy), we’re seeing more color on the runways, coupled with a nostalgic air of past eras.

Vogue recently featured a spread for their 2010 September issue inspired by a sophisticated Mad Men look.

Mad but stylish men: Inspired by the cast of the hit 60s-based show, we take a look at the returning fashion of the decade.

This 60’s era style is here for many decades to come and we love the slim-fitted suits, skinny ties (but please, not too skinny!), and these elegant Silver knot Cufflinks. Simplicity always wins (especially in a recession) and like Chanel, these cufflinks will never go out of style.

Silver Love Knot Cufflinks

And for a slightly bolder look coupled with that antique feel, try these Midnight Star Cufflinks.

Intricate Midnight Star Cufflinka

What better way to compliment the glamor of your fashionista lady then donning a navy colored suit with these intricately designed, silver plated, designer cufflinks. They are definitely symbolic of that “nod to the past,” but with a keen eye on the future. Not only will your lady love them, but we think fashion King Lagerfeld would definitely rock them. And if Coco was still around, she’d probably wear them too.

We especially like Dolce and Gabbana’s new line featuring a darker, more contemporary version of the Mad Men era, which would look great with these Rectangular Art Deco Cufflinks.

Classic Rectangular Art Deco Cufflinks