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Introduction
Accessories are well known to be a separator of the good and the great. A well-accessorised look is the mark of a truly stylish gent and the pocket square is chief among the accessories at their disposal.
The pocket square (or handkerchief) has its origins as a practical accessory, although in the modern day it is principally used for a more decorative purpose. Trust me, blowing your nose or wiping champagne with a silk handkerchief is not going to end well or have you in good stead.
As a decorative accessory, the pocket square adds an undeniable touch of elegance and individuality. It can be used to spruce up even the most drab of suits.
A flash of gold paisley against the backdrop of a navy blazer brings an extra dimension to your party wear as much as a simple white handkerchief can bring together your white shirt and charcoal suit in the boardroom.
What makes the pocket square most appealing is not just its ability to elevate an outfit, but in the manner in which it does.
Elegance aside, the humble pocket square garners attention without being flashy, drawing nods of approval from those who know and satisfying compliments from those less sartorially inclined.
The Pocket Square Look Book
How to Fold A Pocket Square
Of course knowing how to utilise and fold a pocket square is your first hurdle in reaching this bastion of refinement.
Don’t panic if you’re a novice when it comes to the folding – our basics boss Mr Matt Allinson has once again preached words of wisdom on this subject in Part 33 of his essential guide.
Paul McGregor, our good friend from Brighterman.com and regular FashionBeans contributor, has also had his say on this must have and prepared a great video guide on how to master some simple folds that will get you started:
Pocket Square Picks
- Asos Paisley Pocket Square
- Reiss Mayfield Polka Dot Handkerchief Chocolate
- Topman Toffee Pocket Square
- Reiss County Floral Print Handkerchief Latte
- Austin Reed Navy Daisy Silk Handkerchief
- Ar Red Navy And White Handkerchief
- Topman Blue Geo Print Pocket Square
- Drakes Polka-dot Silk Pocket Square
- Forzieri Ken Scott Paisley Printed Silk Pocket Square
- Richard James Wavy Print Silk Pocket Square
- Drakes Paisley Print Pocket Square
- Z Zegna Paisley Pocket Square
How to Wear: Blazer Pocket
Look 1
The natural home for any pocket square is in the breast pocket of your blazer or suit jacket. It finishes off the uniform of the modern gent with aplomb and brings with it a touch of sartorial excellence.
If your line of work is one that requires the wearing of a suit, a pocket square shows that you’ve taken that extra bit of care in your appearance and that you’re ready for business. For work, try not to get too bold with your pocket square, unless you own the place in which case feel free to exhibit a bit of panache with your pocket.
A blue or navy suit is a great go-to and also opens up a world of possibilities to play with pocket squares. Pale pink can be a little daring but exhibits confidence and is not overtly flashy – perfect for the office. A navy tie works well with the pink and the subdued blue of the suit, again sticking to the conservative side of things.
Finally finish off with some bold polka-dot socks and some classy brown lace-ups.
- Topman White Smart Long Sleeve Shirt
- Asos Slim Fit Check Suit In Blue
- Richard James Classic Silk-satin Tie
- Drakes Silk-twill Pocket Sqaure
- Paul Smith Accessories Navy Polka Dot Socks
- Lanvin Classic Stitch Lace-up Shoes
Look 2
A pocket square should never be confided to the office. Work a blazer into your casual wardrobe and make use of your pocket squares on the weekend. Tweed is a great choice for an off-duty blazer and gives you an opportunity to mix up textures.
Layer a tweed blazer over an on-trend navy roll neck and pair with some classic stone chinos. Finish off your look with some suede boots and accessorise with a red print pocket square and a flat cap for that extra bit of country chap.
- Chucs Cashmere Rollneck Sweater
- Topman Camel Tweed Skinny Blazer
- Dockers Stone Classic Twill D1 Straight Chinos
- Asos Geo Print Pocket Square
- River Island Flat Cap
- Red Wing Tan Suede Work Chukka Boots
The Alternative Pocket Square
Your pocket squares don’t have to be left solely for when you break out the blazer. They are much more versatile; anything with a breast pocket is a target.
From shirts to denim jackets, waistcoats and even your overcoats can all be brought up a style notch with a bit of pocket decoration. The trick is to simply be wise with your choice of fold.
The lookbook below can give you some help and inspiration on which folds to use and when.
The Alternative Pocket Square Look Book
How to Wear: The Alternative Pocket Square
Look 1
A denim jacket is a great piece to add some individuality to with a pocket square.
Layer a classic wash denim jacket over a plain white t-shirt and dare double denim with some slim black jeans. Stuff a design pocket square into the left breast pocket, accessorise with a bracelet and top the look off with some classic desert boots.
- Asos T-shirt With Raw Edge Crew Neck
- Topman Denim Sanderson Western Jacket
- Austin Reed Burgundy Design Silk Handkerchief
- Nudie Jeans Grim Tim Black Slub Jeans
- Luis Morais Black Diamond And Beaded Bracelet
- Clarks Originals Sand Suede Desert Boots
Look 2
Another piece of outwear that can benefit from a dash of panache in the breast pocket is the wool overcoat. A camel overcoat is right on-trend and it would be rude not to take advantage of a spare pocket with your own stamp of individuality.
Navy polka dots compliment the rich camel colour and when layered over your work wear, you’re guaranteed to be the best dressed in the office.
- Burton Light Blue Slim Shirt
- Topman Three Piece Steel Blue Gable Skinny Suit
- Reiss Cutler Knitted Silk Tie Coral
- Charvet Polka Dot Silk Pocket Square
- J.crew Mayfair Wool-blend Coat
- Kg By Kurt Geiger Anton Lace-up Shoes
Conclusion
That just about wraps up our definitive guide to the pocket square and all that is left is for us to garner your opinion.
- Are you a pocket square pro?
- If so what is your favourite fold?
- Or are you new to dressing your pocket?
- What have your experiences been so far?
As always, let us know in the comments below and if the debate gets too heated, you can take it over to our forum!
Alex.
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Back To Top
Excellent stuff.
Big fan of the pocket square, liking the denim jacket and pocket square, suppose I’ll have to wait a few months and a few degrees warmer until I can start doing that
I’m a big fan, i think they look really cool and make a bold statement
Excellent, and perfectly timed as always as I prepare to put the finishing touches to my wedding suit… I like the Reiss one / as it adds that final weddingy flourish I’m after. Good work Alex
Surpised at the lack of consideration for edges in this article. Pocket squares should have hand-rolled edges. They should not be machine finished and they should not be replaced with an unfinished piece of material.
The video shows the gent taking his square fold and placing the edges into the pocket. This is poor form, the beautiful hand-rolled edges should be at the top, on display.
It’s strange that in an article about fine detail, this would be missed.
The other night I saw a gent proudly flashing around the ’100% pure cashmere’ sign on his overcoat sleeve (you know, that one you cut off the first thing when you bring a new purchase home). It might be more vulgar, but falls into the same category as purposely displaying the hand-rolled edge of your square.
Not even close
another excellent article. i was just wondering does anyone have any problem getting their pocket square to sit in place? mine always slips down. any tips would be great! thanks
I have a tip which works for some of the folds. Cut a piece of card – rectangular and slightly smaller than the size of your pocket. When you fold your square, tuck this descreetly inside. You will find you can now push the square right into the pocket and it will stay in place and in shape.
This is a better video that shows how to fold a pocket square properly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq8tHEChekc
Hi Mansy, I had this issue and resolved it by holding the square at the top whilst it’s sitting in your pocket and with a blunt object (butter knife or upturned spoon) gently tuck the lower part of the square into the bottom of your pocket!
Big fan of pocket squares. Shame my office sucks and I’d get laughed at for dressing sharp :(
Same problem here, mate. I put it down to other people’s ignorant and narrow-minded perspective.
Can you really wear a pocket square in a shirt just like that?
Edgey!
Not sure I’m feeling the square in the shirt, might grow on me!
Can you wear a pocket square with a leather jacket? I’ve tried this combination and for me, it has been an interesting one. Can you?
Must admit I’ve never seen it done before but I’d imagine if your jacket could accomodate one then it would be a very striking contrast and a great indiviudal look.
Feeling the pocket squares and much prefer them as an extra touch over neck ties which i’m not a fan of. Transform an outfit with a vibrant ‘puff pocket’ giving an burst of colour or just finish an oufit off with a subtle square fold!!
I really really like the check shirt with the white colour on the first photo at the top of this page. Anyone know what make it is or of anything similar??