Handkerchiefs and Pocket Squares

[Mr. Jason]

I wear it differently depending on what I'm up to.

If I'm going to do something calm, classy, and quiet I'll go with folded neatly and just a little showing, as described above.
If I'm going to do something fun I just throw it in there.

Really does look nice no matter how you wear it.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Pocket Squares... Help...

I just got a new tie with a pocket square... and I think it was folded kind of wrong, and I'd like to know if anyone might be able to tell me how to fold one? I honestly have no idea....

High Regards,
Daryl.

 

[Wild Root]

Well, I never really fold mine, I just iron it, then hold it in the middle, then shake it down, smooth it over, then fold the bottom up about half way, then stick it in... I believe it's called a "Fluff Fold" and if I recall, Fred Astaire wore his pocket squares as such... you don't want it to look too planned, it's better to have it just kind of stuffed in with the ends poking out... that's how I do it and it works, it's period correct and was the fashion of the 30's and 40's.

Hope that helps,

=WR=

 

[scotrace]

Some Good Tutorials Here

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Thanks guys

 

[MK]

.

That is the best link I have seen on the subject, Scotrace.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

That is the best link I have seen on the subject, Scotrace.

Absolutely. I must've been picking up vibes about it or something because I was just logging on to see if there were any posts on how to fold a pocket square with the 4 points and there it is! Thanks!

 

[adamgottschalk]

Some Good Tutorials Here

GREAT stuff. I particularly like the "Straight Shell," the "Diagonal Shell," and the "Winged Puff."

 

[Matt Deckard]

Check out the current sticky in general attire section!

 

[InspectorMorse]

I've been wearing pocket square in my jackets for several months now and i am amazed at how people notice! It even breathes new life into some of my older suits. They are harder to find than I thought, but there are some nice materials out there if you look. "Real" quality mens stores have them, plus the Polo Ralph Lauren stores have a nice collection of silks. My local Joseph Banks even has some bright & subdued silks in stock plus boxes of starched whites pre-folded! I googled the tutorials when I first got "into it" to get the folds down and I now do a mix of folds- the silk squares are best used as a casual puff while the starched whites need the correct fold to get the 50's look- notice on Turner Classic Movies how EVERYONE with style wore pocket squares when the world still had style! Once you start wering them you will wonder what's wrong with eveyone else's lack of fashion sense!

 

[Tomasso]

I just got a new tie with a pocket square... and I think it was folded kind of wrong, and I'd like to know if anyone might be able to tell me how to fold one? I honestly have no idea....

High Regards,
Daryl.

Hey Daryl, If you are referring to a matching tie/square set then I would advise against wearing them together as such. IMO the matching look is a bit too studied, better for the tie/square to complement each other. Also, part of the enjoyment of wearing a pocket square is being creative in its application, so I don't think it will ever really look bad regardless of the folding technique employed. Enjoy!

 

[221b]

Mens Wearhouse has a variety of colors. I either wear a white one or one that compliments my tie. I dont like a matching one.

 

[Mr. Rover]

I have a huuuge pile of white cotton hankies on the shelf inside my closet. I like the cotton ones because I use them to wipe sweat in the Taiwanese humidity and they're washable. For some reason, my parents always buy a bunch for me whenever they go back to the States. I probably have twenty plain white hankes (excluding a few un-opened boxes with monogramming and stuff).
I usually use the pick up/stuff in with the edge out technique.

 

[Cobden]

With pocket squares, I've always preferred a "functional" look in silk. Basically, use it to clean your glasses, then stuff the blighter back in!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The 4-POINT Handkerchief Fold

Paddy asked me about this one. (He colorfully calls it the "Sydney Opera House" fold.) It's almost never shown on handkerchief-folding charts. Try it!



Lay your handkerchief flat and fold it in half DIAGONALLY. Your new triangle should have two thin points (at the sides) and one fat point (at the top). The fat point is in fact composed of two sheets of fabric, one on top of the other.

Now, take the top sheet of the fat point, pull it out slightly, and pinch it VERTICALLY. You've just created a new verticle fold in the fat point (or rather, the top sheet of the point). Holding the pinch (or fold) intact, drag it over toward the thin point at the right side of the triangle. Lay it to rest on top of (but slightly to the left of) that thin point. You should now have two thin points on the right side.

Now, take the thin point on the far left side (which by now has been dragged slightly toward the center), pinch it, and move it to the right, placing it over and slightly to the left of the other two thin points. You now should have three thin points on the right side.

Finally take the remaining fat point (at top center), pinch it, and move it to the right, placing it over and slightly to the left of the other three thin points.

You now have a "Sydney Opera House" handkerchief fold!

 

[Matt Deckard]

What about the scotch tape?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Um ... no. No scotch tape necessarily, or even allowed.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Guess that would explain the discoloration after 10 years of being folded on my part.

Really... no tape?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Really. And no spitshine, either.

 

[ufguy11]

Pocket silks

Okay. I go to church every sunday, and to whatever nice dinners and formal things that I can....and some of the reason I go to these things is because I want to wear my nice clothes. But I do have a question about why many people that wear suits don't have a pocket silk or square in the upper left pocket? And also, is it better with a pocket square or worse?