When to Wear Silk Knots

Silk Knots are a traditional type of cufflinks made by tying thread in a monkey's first knot. The result is an elegant cufflink that makes for an understated alternative to a regular hard cufflink. There is however some anxiety over when you can wear silk knot cufflinks. In particular there is a misconception over whether silk knots can be worn to formal occasions.

Let me start by saying that you can wear silk knots to any occasion, what is a better question is what type of silk knots are appropriate for each occasion. Just as you would not wear bright flashy cufflinks to a black tie wedding, there are guidelines prescribing what silk knot cufflinks are tasteful.

Bright silk knots like a cherry red or yellow silk knot, along with the pastel silk knots are most appropriate for informal occasion or the dreaded business casual. These silk knots make a statement and are a great accent piece on an otherwise ordinary shirt. I favor bright colors in the morning as their brightness is often muted under artificial lighting. Pastels on the other hand work well under artificial light as well as natural light so are a little more versatile.

Primary color silk knots make a good everyday office choice. Primary colors are a great choice for the office because they project a sense of strength and reliability and can easily pair with an existing color motif you may have with your outfit. Equally importantly they do not attract undue attention, perfect for office wear.

Black and white silk knot cufflinks are perfect for the most formal occasions such as black tie. They match perfectly with a tuxedo and match seamlessly in a way that is in keeping with the traditional color rules for tuxedos.

So you see it is not so much a case of when to wear silk knot cufflinks as matching the right silk knots to the right occasion.