Men's Jewelry: Tie Bars, Collar Pins and Cufflinks

Mention the word “jewelry” to most guys and you are likely to conjure images of earrings, gold or platinum chains, rings and any number of body piercings. While some of these are fine for the workplace, some of these definitely require some consideration when wearing them to the office or shop. That’s a conversation for a later time. Instead, let’s talk about three pieces that are great wardrobe enhancements.

First up is the collar bar or collar pin. This seldom seen number is worn with a collared shirt and necktie. It connects the right and left collars and goes under the tie knot. The collar bar helps provide symmetry by keeping the collar flaps steady and helps push the tie-knot up for great presentation. It should go without saying that these collar bars are never worn with button-down collars or tab-collars.

There are three basic types of collar bars. The first is seldom seen in 2011. It is a bar with screw-on ends that are worn with specially constructed collars that have eyelets for the collar bar ends. As this version requires a special collar, it is most often seen on bespoke shirts but some urban clothing labels have occasionally put out pre-made shirts that feature collar bars.

The second version is designed to pierce a collar with a pin on either side of the collar bar. This version is rarely seen as the pins quickly destroy the collar with multiple punctures. The third version is the most commonly seen in 2011. It uses a clip on each end to grasp, but not pierce, each collar flap.

The next piece is one that has been quite popular for the last few years. The tie bar has waxed and waned in popularity over the years, never quite going out of style. It is a spring-loaded clip that clips one’s tie to one’s shirt. Placement of the clip varies by preference and necessity. I have known a manager of a print shop who wore a very long clip to ensure his tie did not pull him into the printing press. In general, the clip serves a more decorative function. It should be worn somewhere above one’s jacket closure and I find it looks best slightly askew. I definitely do NOT recommend wearing both a tie bar and a collar bar, as that would be more than a tad fussy. Available in a seemingly endless variety of metals, designs and finishes, a simple design will give you the most flexibility. The shirt and tie-clip pictured above are from Indochino.

The last piece is one most men have seen on a fairly regular basis, the cufflink. The cufflink is descended from the strings used to tie a man’s shirt cuff closed several centuries ago. Not too many decades ago, the cufflink was once exceedingly common, with few men’s dress shirts having button cuffs. Of course, now that they are no longer the standard cuff closure just gives you an opportunity to use them to express yourself. Of all the pieces in a man’s jewelry wardrobe, the cufflink has the ability to be nearly anything you need it to be. It can be silly, serious, subversive or even nostalgic.

Whether its simple silk knots, monogrammed silver ovals or the legal profession inspired examples above from Cufflinks.com, having a few cufflinks at your disposal will keep your wardrobe unique. A simple white shirt with French cuffs and a great set of links make any suit that much more “you”. My final piece of advice is that you should limit your jewelry to 3 items. A wedding ring definitely counts. So do earrings or a wristwatch. As I suggested above, don’t combine a collar bar with a tie bar. You may be tempted to showcase your collection of jewelry, but a little restraint will keep you with the three C’s: Classic, Clean and Contemporary.