• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Pocket Squares: A Discussion Thread, Questions, Opinions, Suggestions.....

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,072
It is remarkable to me how many people come to SF to ask about pocket squares. The following is a good basic summery by Alan Flusser from his book Clothes and the Man.


A simple white handkerchief is all that is necessary to complete the business ensemble. It is also the least expensive way a man can quickly elevate his level of style. The handkerchief, like the hose, gives a man one more opportunity to do something a little out of the ordinary, something a bit more inventive. A white handkerchief placed in the breast pocket of a dark suit offers a touch of elegance and is sure sign of a confident and knowledgeable dresser.
The finest white handkerchiefs are made of linen with hand- rolled edges. While they are difficult to find today, they are worth searching for. The virtue of linen is that because of its inherent stiffness, it retains its starched quality throughout the day. It is the only handkerchief fabric that looks as fresh in the evening as it did in the morning, when it was first folded.
While a white linen handkerchief is the easiest choice for many, since it is always proper, for those more adventuresome dressers, there are handkerchiefs in colors and patterns. In this case, it is generally the tie that is the determining factor in choosing the proper pocket square. The pocket square must complement the tie, though it should never directly match it in pattern or color. Another possibility is silk. These come in a wide array of solid colors. But instead of solids, wear silk in the traditional English ancient madder patterns, such as paisley or foulard. The colors in these are muted and give a more subtle effect.
If your tie is of silk, a handkerchief of a dry linen fabric looks best, while if your tie is of wool or cotton, silk in the breast pocket will add the proper textural balance to the chest area.

matteo_marzotto_et_naomie_campbell_reference.jpg


I like how the white square compliments the silver (or grey) colors in his tie. Subtle yet elegant.
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,072
Here are a few suggestions for wearing a pocket square:

1)\tWhen in doubt, skip it.
2)\tOn the fence? Wear the white linen one.
3)\tThere is more to wearing pocket squares than a TV fold. That too shall pass.....again as it did in the 60's and look dated. Enjoy the look now, but work on other folds. Try them all and enjoy the variety.
4)\tThere are ugly pocket squares out there. If not sure if you own one see #1.
5)\tWear colors that are in harmony with the season. Some, not all, look their best in spring/ summer or fall/winter. Put them away with your other seasonal ties, socks, etc. Of course, some colors and patterns are appropriate year-round and keep those in regular rotation.
 

DerekS

Guyliner
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
8,338
Reaction score
4,743
I must obviously agree on the white square. Hahahaha
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,072
I like a white shirt and white pocket square. But it washes me out in the midst of winter so I usually wear it in Spring and Summer.

Here, Luca Montezemolo, Chairman of Ferrari is wearing the solid white pocket square and white shirt and looking elegant as always.

dolcevitalucamontezemoloferarri.jpg


1027090672-luca-montezemolo9.jpg
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,072
And, a far more casual way to wear a white shirt, white linen pocket square with a linen/cotton blend inky blue jacket sans necktie.

borrelli2-1.jpg
 

SpooPoker

Internet Bigtimer and Most Popular Man on Campus
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
43,889
Reaction score
73,311
Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy
I've been waiting for you to show......

Ill have something of value to add shortly... just catching up
smile.gif
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,072
Originally Posted by SpooPoker
Ill have something of value to add shortly... just catching up
smile.gif


Did your 300 clip electric powered pocket square rack arrive today?
 

SpooPoker

Internet Bigtimer and Most Popular Man on Campus
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
43,889
Reaction score
73,311
To keep it short and sweet, I see absolutely no problem with a white shirt and white PS, and while texturizing a silk tie with a linen PS and vice versa is interesting when it works, I think about the texture maybe 1 time in 25, and focus more on color. Anyway, love em or hate em, heres a few of some of my recent combos I liked:
2971a7e1.jpg
05f17e52.jpg
44877e26.jpg
8f258576.jpg
5ddf0404.jpg
f09d8228.jpg
47e72c17.jpg
8722b089.jpg
7afed5f7.jpg
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,072
Moving beyond white shirts and white linen pocket squares (we can come back at any time
smile.gif
)

I like the way this guy is adding a whole new color of green. Yet the polka dots tie in nicely by matching his shirt color for a coordinated look.

If you are new to pocket squares, consider small polka dots in white or light/medium blue so they will coordinate with your most common shirt colors in a subtle way.

61510Sunglasses_1725Web.jpg
 

Will C.

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
218
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by SpooPoker
To keep it short and sweet, I see absolutely no problem with a white shirt and white PS, and while texturizing a silk tie with a linen PS and vice versa is interesting when it works, I think about the texture maybe 1 time in 25, and focus more on color. Anyway, love em or hate em, heres a few of some of my recent combos I liked:
^^ Looks good, especially the first. The last two are a bit more matchy than what I would have opted for.
 

aj_del

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Messages
6,673
Reaction score
128
1. I like my PSs to be light to medium in color as my suits are generally medium to dark in color. A burgundy PS with a navy / charcoal suit does not work IMO

2. With a bold patterned SC I prefer to not wear a PS
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,162
Messages
10,579,077
Members
223,884
Latest member
mickspilloto
Top