Though never seen in the Bond films, both Sean Connery and Roger Moore wear shirts with a unique button-down cocktail cuffs. Moore wears the cuff from Frank Foster on occasion in The Saint and throughout The Persuaders, and Connery wears it from Turnbull & Asser in Never Say Never Again. The earliest appearance of this cuff is in Vendetta for the Saint, the only time Roger Moore wears the cuff in The Saint. The cuff can pair well with sports coats, suits and even black tie.
Unlike the regular two-button cocktail cuff, this cuff only fastens around the wrist with a single button and pivots on the button. Two small buttons hold down the rounded corners of the cuff like a button-down collar.
Like a button-down collar, the button-down cuff should have a gentle roll. Thus, the cuff needs to be made with a soft interlining and should never be pressed with a fold. Because this cuff fastens with only a single button, the cuff is able to have a pronounced roll.
Below is what the cuff looks like unbuttoned and unfolded:
Regarding Moore’s the 1st sporting of this particular cuff; all of his shirts in the final colour Saint series were the regular (non button down) turnback cuff produced by Foster in a shade of cream except for a particular batch of these button down ones (also in cream colour) for only 2 episodes of the series (later released as a full length TV movie in 1968). No conclusions to draw from this as such. Just a little odd.
That’s a very interesting ostentation, it’s something unique that I’ve never seen anyone besides Connery and Moore wear. Cocktail cuffs in general are hard to find these days, which is a shame, I like them. I wish Bond would start wearing them again, that would be a nice homage to the earlier films.
Surely Moore’s early Saint shirts were by Sulka- especially the casual ones. Its even specifically mentioned.
Just so there’s no confusion, “Vendetta for The Saint” (which featured the cuff in question) was a 2 part episode in the last Saint series . The remaining episodes in this run featured the other style without the button down feature. All made by Foster.
Using the previous pattern you gave for the non-button-down cocktail cuff, I made up some examples in off-cuts of oxford cloth and it doesn’t turn out exactly like the cuff Connery is wearing in the post two above this one. There is some crossover where the two folds meet above the buttons. To be honest I quite like it that way, it holds the entire cuff in a neat position and I’m going to use some on a shirt.
If I were to exactly emulate the cuffs Connery is wearing I’d alter the pattern.
You’re right that the cuff isn’t the same, and I didn’t intend for it to be the same. Connery’s cuffs and Moore’s cuffs vary in each film. The cuffs in Dr. No have an overlap, though they are curved more than the design I gave you.
Yes, looking back at that post I see now that Connery’s cuffs are indeed different in Dr. No. I do prefer those cuffs to other versions of the turn-back.
I’m going to try some of the button-down cocktail cuffs.
It’s good that you put the patterns up because I’d never bothered with these before, but I like them much more than French cuffs; they give a bit of flair without the obvious look of full French cuffs.
I’ve been getting shirts exclusively with the turn back cuffs for a few years, and because they often get hung up on my jacket sleeves, I’ve tried the button down variation. They work well. Based on another pic of Moore, my tailor placed the wrist button higher than you indicate on the drawing. This works well, as there is an appropriate amount of crossover. It’s accurate to shirts circa Persuaders! and the basic drawing is the same for both button-down and non- variations.
Frank Foster does cut the two cuff styles differently. The button-down turnback cuff rolls over whilst his 2-button turnback cuff folds flat. If the button is placed higher it won’t roll as much.
It appears that the width of the cuff that Moore has is larger than the diagram you’ve provided. In fact, it looks like the turnback part is the same width as the “barrel” part.
The cuff starts to curve before it folds over. I’ve created mock-ups of the cuff and this is what looks closest. I didn’t specify a size in my diagram.
Have you had any shirts made up with this particular kind of button-down turnback cuff? I’d be intrigued to see photos if so.
I have one on the way from Frank Foster, though he prefers to cut them differently now. I asked if he could make it like this and he said he could, but I’m not sure if it really will come out the same. I’ll post it here when it comes.
I’ve had both the butto down and standard turnback cuffs made. I just got my first button down one:
http://i.imgur.com/FKekzGJm.jpg
I’m a huge fan
Looks fantastic. Who made yours?
In The Persuaders, one of the goons who watches over Brett and Wilde, seems to be wearing some sort of cocktail/french cuff.
https://ibb.co/i2Aaev
It looks like his cufflinks have a very long chain, and he’s not fastening his double cuffs in an ordinary fashion.
Hi, Matt, It’s been a really long time and I hope you’re well. Still loving your website. ….I’m watching an episode of The Saint – Series 6 – called “the Man Who Gambled With Life” and I noticed he’s wearing the button-down turn back cuffs. Not sure if it was on everyone’s radar screens.
I have noticed a ripple in the cloth where the button-down button might be in a few Series 6 episodes (such as this one), but I can’t see a button.
Definitely a button in this one (from 28’ 36”) I tried to take a screen shot, but iTunes blacks out the image. Ugh!
That’s where I was looking, and I sometimes see a hint of a button. Perhaps iTunes is better quality than what I have.
I’ve had my tailor make me a few of these, he used smaller buttons for the button down part but then the holes were full sized so they wouldn’t stay buttoned. having a tailor trim the holes down a bit.