Pocket square puff causing bowed lapel?

ss90 · Apr 20, 2012

So i recently got some larger pocket squares to experiment with puff folds. In an attempt to perfect the art of puffing a pocket square i tried it on my blazer while it was on the hangar, and the puff worked out fine. However when i wore the jacket i realised that the pocket square was creating a bulge in my chest pocket that caused the left lapel to bow out significantly. Am i doing something wrong? Any of you had this problem with your PS's?

benjclark · Apr 20, 2012

How big are these "larger" squares?

GBR · Apr 20, 2012

Photographs? Not something I have ever experienced.

ss90 · Apr 20, 2012

benjclark said:
How big are these "larger" squares?

they're 16" by 16" silk from thetiebar. that doesn't seem ridiculously big to me...

SpooPoker · Apr 20, 2012

This happens to me.

ss90 · Apr 20, 2012

SpooPoker said:
This happens to me.

Thank you, I thought I was doing something wrong somewhere =\

Surprisingly it's really hard to get pictures of this even though it looks really obvious in person. Here are a few attempts at capturing it:

This is the view from the top, as if i were looking down. the arrow points to where the lapel fold is supposed to be.

Comparing the left and right lapels:

Another closeup. The grey line on the right shows where the lapel fold is, anything to the left of that line is the inside of my jacket.

btw i just put my blazer over whatever i'm wearing lol

ss90 · Apr 20, 2012

here's a side-by-side comparison of the lapels if it helps:

Gdot · Apr 21, 2012

happens to me as well. particularly with jackets that are on the very snug side to begin with. it used to bother me. now I ignore it.

CousinDonuts · Apr 21, 2012

Try to smooth down the part of the square that is down in the pocket as much as possible, i.e. poof up top not down below. I find that helps a bit.

ss90 · Apr 21, 2012

so you guys just pat it down as much as possible and then live with it? mine feels like there's a mouse in my pocket trying to claw its way out =\

although i just realised that the 15" PS i'm having problems with has silk that is thicker than usual. might be part of the reason why it's bulging so badly.

ss90 · Apr 22, 2012

well i just tried handwashing it, seems to have made it slightly softer. folded it better too but it still bulges a little.

is this acceptable? do you guys just get used to the feeling of having one lapel bowing out? =\

SpooPoker · Apr 22, 2012

It helps to stuff the square as deep down in your pocket as possible.

ss90 · Apr 22, 2012

so after washing the PS and folding the bottom so it's flatter and stuffing it nice and deep into the pocket, it bulges out about half as much. still noticeable though, or maybe me (and my suit) are not used to a PS yet...

ss90 · Apr 22, 2012

would it be good to leave the ps in for a few days and see if it flattens further? i spent a lot of time getting it this flat and i'm gonna wear it in 3 days, but i'm concerned it would stretch the pocket and distort the canvas/chest piece.

CousinDonuts · Apr 23, 2012

OP it sounds like you just need to get a different PS if you're so worried about this.

Pocket square puff causing bowed lapel?

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