Pocket Square Review: an Ongoing Series

[TheFoo]

The background or predominant color of your pocket square should not be the same as your shirt.

Recent posted examples:

A pocket square is just another layer of your outfit--on top of your shirt, tie and jacket. Moreover, it is the most superfluous of them all. So, if you're going to include it, it really needs to be sufficiently distinct. If you can't come up with a happy balance between matching your shirt (or tie or jacket) and incohesive randomness, just don't wear one. The lack of a pocket square has never ruined an outfit.

 

[TheFoo]

Better, but the shirt could stand to have more white in it:

The colors work together, but everything (shirt, tie, square) is too dark and saturated.

 

[DerekS]

Id tend to agree on the exception of white...a white PS with a white shirt will never look bad.

 

[Mr. Moo]

Cream then, right?

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by DerekS

Id tend to agree on the exception of white...a white PS with a white shirt will never look bad.

I think the principle applies equally well to white-and-white. I personally can't stand a white shirt paired with a white square. Too sharp and searing. Even mild variation would be a vast improvement. A cream square would work wonders. The little bit of added warmth softens the outfit and marries the white shirt to the other things you're wearing, which are probably not white.

 

[GBear]

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

Cream then, right?

Actually, yes. In most instances, cream works very well. It's not the only square worth wearing, and it's not always optimal, but it is very often better than whatever people strain to wear.

 

[DerekS]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

I think the principle applies equally well to white-and-white. I personally can't stand a white shirt paired with a white square. Too sharp and searing. Even mild variation would be a vast improvement. A cream square would work wonders. The little bit of added warmth softens the outfit and marries the white shirt to the other things you're wearing, which are probably not white.

whew. ill have to disagree. completely. In my opinion (just my opinion mind you) a white PS with a white shirt is standard. Kinda like saying black captoes just dont go with a charcoal suit.

 

[acecow]

In the first two examples I'd go with a solid white instead of a pink one and I like Orgetorix's pocket square. You are overthinking this.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by DerekS

whew. ill have to disagree. completely. In my opinion (just my opinion mind you) a white PS with a white shirt is standard. Kinda like saying black captoes just dont go with a charcoal suit.

Yes, it is arguably "standard," but that doesn't mean it looks good--unless of course you've had the misfortune of being warped into AndyLand.

 

[Threadbearer]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

Cream then, right?

Originally Posted by mafoofan

I personally can't stand a white shirt paired with a white square ... Even mild variation would be a vast improvement. A cream square would work wonders.
It seems to me that whenever I try to pair a cream item with a white one, the cream item no longer appears to be cream; instead, it appears to be a dingy white item.

 

[DerekS]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Yes, it is arguably "standard," but that doesn't mean it looks good--unless of course you've had the misfortune of being warped into AndyLand.

well i suppose cary grant, fred astaire, steve mcqueen, and thousands of others are just warped into AndyLand.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by acecow

In the first two examples I'd go with a solid white instead of a pink one and I like Orgetorix's pocket square. You are overthinking this.

Au contraire. I think you all are underthinking.

The pocket square is inherently superfluous. If you're going to wear it, you should do so with measured consideration. You don't randomly throw on a jacket or tie, do you? No. Yet, those are base components. Extra ornamentation naturally demands extra thought, as you should first consider whether it be used in the first place.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by DerekS

well i suppose cary grant, fred astaire, steve mcqueen, and thousands of others are just warped into AndyLand.

I'm not a fan of Cary Grant's or Steve McQueen's style. Fred Astaire wasn't infallible.

 

[Gus]

I think the following is a nice, classic example of wearing a white pocketsquare and picking up white in a shirt (left) and a tie (right).

HRH Prince Michael of Kent with Arnaud Bamberger of Cartier.