Image by the justified sinner via FlickrDuring the 1960s, the British invasion took place in America. It was not a colonizing act but there was an influx of British pop bands in the USA. This event gave rise to new music trends and dress styles that flooded not only the Americans but everyone across the Atlantic. It was actually the first time that England was able to produce a sound that was uniquely British and original.
It was more than just an awakening. It was what most people call a "holistic conversion" of what the Americans forced upon the population of the music lovers all over the world. The Beatles music was introduced complete with its own hair style, clothing and language. There were other bands that were introduced as well. They were naturally introduced and they became memorable in their own right.
During this era, there was a huge diversity of sounds from the Hollies, Eric Burden and the Animals, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Tom Jones, the Troggs, Moody Blues and a whole lot more. Each was easily recognized with their own "sound."
America was not able to resist the British invasion. They could do nothing about and instead of fighting it off, they simply capitalized on their style and mass produced everything that the British introduced. Eventually, record companies realized that a band with the right sound and individual personalities (even without that much talent), if marketed effectively, could turn huge profits.
Other than the music scene, the British invasion also infiltrated other aspects of American life: a diverse group of designers were already branding a different range of cufflinks that were all distinct from each other. This huge wave of British influenced cufflinks started two decades after the death of the American cufflinks designer, Swank, that produced twelve million pairs of cufflinks annually and they peaked during the latter part of the 1960s.
On the other hand, the English flavour was focusing more on mass production and they produce funky, flamboyant and loudly designed cufflinks which was in perfect contrast to other cufflinks being produced by other designers. And people who have kept abreast with the development of cufflinks would surely know the difference between the Brit designed cufflinks and those that are not.
Dandy styles were reinvented and produced by Beau Brummell. He, George Bryan Brummel, was the arbiter of men's fashion in England and he was a very close friend of the Prince Regent. He was the one who introduced men who wore understated, but nicely fitted, tailored dark suits and full-length trousers with an elaborately-knotted cravat to finish the entire look.
To this day, Beau Brummell is always remembered for his modern man's suit with necktie. He was the one who introduced and established it as a formal man's wardrobe. His original style was often referred as dandyism although Brummell, surely, would not have agreed to the description.
As for cufflinks, no one really knows when men started wearing cufflinks in the United States. However, what was clear was that it was often worn by high-class men and they were accessories reserved exclusively for the wealthy classes.
Adam English invites you to take a look at the latest mens cufflinks offered at Cufflinks.co.uk. Specialists in sterling silver cufflinks, men's unique gifts and accessories - you're certain to find something to your liking.
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Nice perspective, I wasn't aware of the British influence on cufflinks in the US. Perhaps this is why cufflinks can be seen as pretensive when worn here.
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