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The cornerstone of the fashionista's style-savvy is the knowledge that fashion rules are made to be broken. The unlikely marriage of French cuffs and jeans is a perfect example. French cuffs used to be the exclusive realm of tuxedo-clad men on their way to a wedding. Now, the shirts have jumped the gender gap to the women's side of the closet and received a bracing shot of hipness in their pairing with jeans. Dressed up or dressed down, there are plenty of ways to wear your French cuffs and jeans with confidence and style.
Vary the Colors
When you think, "French cuffs," chances are the first image that leaps to your mind is one of a flawlessly crisp white shirt. That's one option, certainly: you can't beat blue jeans and a white shirt with French cuffs in the Casually Sophisticated department. But why limit yourself to that pairing? French cuff shirts for women come in a dizzying array of colors, from lime green to turquoise to shield-your-eyes red. Vary the colors of your jeans as well. Try that ubiquitous white shirt with purple or black or pink denims. Just say no to baggy jean cuts, though -- your shirt will look best paired with a sleek, form-fitting pair. If you're super-confident, mix and match complementary colors for your French cuff and jean combo. Use accessories in matching colors to pull the look into a complete whole.
Cufflinks
Cufflinks aren't just for the guys anymore. French cuffs are made for showing off cufflinks, so if you're going to wear these shirts with your jeans, ladies, don't turn down this opportunity to display your personal taste with some sweetly feminine cufflinks. Stretch out from the obvious gemstone choices to cufflinks featuring hearts, flowers or your initials. They'll provide a sparkly contrast to the more casual denim and crank the overall sophistication-score of your outfit up a notch.
Shoes
Whether you're combining your French cuffs with jeans in hot or cold weather, don't forget that your shoes are essential when it comes to rounding the entire look out. During the spring and summer, opt for high heels or attention-grabbing wedged strappy sandals in a color that jives with your shirt or accessories. When the weather is nippy, go for high-heeled boots. Try mid-calf high-heeled boots worn under boot-cut jeans or -- if you're a sexy, daring sort of lass -- go for heeled thigh-highs worn over skinny jeans.
Accessories
The French cuff shirt-and-jean combo is an excellent palette for stylish accessory experimentation. Looking to bend some gender rules? Wear a loosely knotted skinny tie, clip-on suspenders and a rakishly tilted hat with white French cuffs and blue jeans. Want to soften up the look? Wear a neck scarf, a wide belt and sparkly bangles on your wrist. If you're in a hurry and can't be bothered fooling with scarves or ties, leave the shirt's top several (or more) buttons unfastened and layer on several necklaces.
