Fashion Today: How to express your style despite a conservative dress code

Cufflinks and tie bars

Another great way to add some personality to your outfits is with some smaller accessories that most guys don’t give much thought to: cufflinks and tie bars. 

If you wear a tie, like most guys do, then a tie bar is a logical place to further express your style and personality. If you’re partial to French-cuff shirts, or want to begin wearing them, then look for some unique cufflinks. (You can even wear a tie bar and cufflinks in the same outfit to really up your game.)

A tie bar goes between the third and fourth button of your shirt, and fastens both ends of the tie to the placket of the shirt to keep everything in place. 

There are two different styles of tie bars to choose from: slide clasp and pinch clasp. Make sure to choose a tie bar that’s appropriate for the kind of tie you’re wearing; slide clasps, as a general rule, work well for thinner ties made of lighter fabrics, while pinch clasps are better suited to thicker ties made of heavier fabrics. In either case, make sure that the tie bar is about the same width as the tie. A sterling silver tie bar is a great place to start when you’re looking to add an accent to your outfit. 

Here are the basics on cufflinks:
They come in several styles, including double-panel cufflinks that have a short post or chain connecting two decorative faces, and other types that have one decorative face and a swivel bar on the back. You can find cufflinks in a wide variety of materials and designs, and because many more men used to wear suits (and double-cuff shirts), buying vintage or antique is a great way to find unique and well-made styles in base metals, precious metals, or with decorations like enamel or mother-of-pearl.