cuffs were once considered to be more formal than button cuffs, although they are seeing a resurgence in business wear, particularly in Europe. Even though traditionally French cuffs could only be worn with a lounge suit or more formal clothing (and not a sports jacket), this is now not followed by most, while some even wear these cuffs without a tie or jacket. They remain the preferred choice for formal and semi-formal occasions. French cuffs should generally be paired with cufflinks. Convertible cuffs may be closed with buttons or with cufflinks. Anatomy of the single or double cuff: The fabric is folded back onto itself, thus the inside of the shirt sleeve becomes the outside of the cuff and the outside of the shirt sleeve becomes the inside of the cuff. Trouser cuffs Most trouser legs are finished by hemming the bottom to prevent fraying. Trousers with turn-ups ("cuffs" in American English and elsewhere), after hemming, are rolled outward and sometimes pressed or stitched into place. The functional reason for the cuffs is to add weight to the bottom of the leg, to help the drape of the trousers. Parents may also use cuffs to extend the life of children's clothes by buying pants that are too long, cuffing the leg and then unrolling it as the child grows. Originally, however, it started as men rolling up their trousers to avoid getting mud splashed on them when roads were still unpaved. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, young people in some countries would tightly fold the pant leg longitudinally along the leg, then roll the bottom of the pant leg to "lock" the long pleat in place at the bottom. This was done to slim the appearance of the legs. Reportedly, this "tight-rolled pants" or "pegged pants" fad made a comeback in the 2010s, beginning in London. This was followed by a trend in tailored trousers for younger wearers no longer being made long enough drape and 'break' over the wearer's instep, but to stop at the top of the shoe, avoiding a break. Jacket cuffs The buttons and buttonholes at the end of suit jacket sleeves are generally decorative and non-functional. "Surgeon’s cuffs" can be opened at the wrist, and are traditionally associated with bespoke tailoring. References External links Sleeves Wrist