Pocket square / scarf / handkerchief in left sleeve?

[Guy-Montag]

Something I've seen worn with formal wear way back when (1700's-1800's?) was the pocket square / scarf / handkerchief tied to the left wrist / protruding from the left sleeve. You might see it with some of the styles of formal wear shown here - http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fas...ogy/index.html

My question is 'how retro is too retro?'. Could that look be pulled off in this day age?

Is it along the lines of 'for something that was in style in a given period, it looks out of place unless worn with dress clothes from that period?'

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I have no idea what you are referring to. Which pictures are you looking at?

 

[Cary Grant]

That's very old world. Here's an example:

I can never recall seeing a man with a hany in the sleeve. I still see women do it, especially during weddings/funerals to have handy for the tears.

 

[Threak]

I don't think it was common because it was "in style."

 

[ZON_JR]

I think you might get away with it if you were John Gielgud, but you're obviously not so good luck with it.

 

[NinthCircle]

Originally Posted by Guy-Montag

Something I've seen worn with formal wear way back when (1700's-1800's?) was the pocket square / scarf / handkerchief tied to the left wrist / protruding from the left sleeve. '

I suspect this was 'in style' because men used snuff at the time and the hankie had to be ready for action at all times. Plus, you wouldn't want to stuff the nasty thing in your pocket...

 

[Guy-Montag]

Originally Posted by ZON_JR

I think you might get away with it if you were John Gielgud, but you're obviously not so good luck with it.

If he could get away with wearing that, he could have gotten away with wearing anything.

Mildly eccentric, esoteric or retro is the target. Don't want to go beyond 'mild' though.

 

[teddieriley]

^^that place looks scary.

 

[Guy-Montag]

Originally Posted by teddieriley

^^that place looks scary.

Faux Greek columns with Roman-style lintels, French furniture, British railings with a Romanesque ceiling? Yeah, that place would scare me too!

 

[luftvier]

Originally Posted by NinthCircle

I suspect this was 'in style' because men used snuff at the time and the hankie had to be ready for action at all times. Plus, you wouldn't want to stuff the nasty thing in your pocket...

IIRC, snuff hankies were generally dark and patterned, so as to obscure the tobacco stains.

 

[LabelKing]

At that time, men also scented their handkerchiefs and would pull them out to sniff as a kind of cultivated affectation.

 

[comrade]

Originally Posted by Guy-Montag

Something I've seen worn with formal wear way back when (1700's-1800's?) was the pocket square / scarf / handkerchief tied to the left wrist / protruding from the left sleeve. You might see it with some of the styles of formal wear shown here - http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fas...ogy/index.html

My question is 'how retro is too retro?'. Could that look be pulled off in this day age?

Is it along the lines of 'for something that was in style in a given period, it looks out of place unless worn with dress clothes from that period?'

Not just in the 1700s-1800s. I had a professor of literature at Cornell who was
British with a very plummy accent and kept a white handkerchief in his sleeve.
It was the 1960s and his name was Eric Blackall:

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/18/ob...l?pagewanted=1

 

[cross22]

...

 

[Guy-Montag]

Originally Posted by comrade

Not just in the 1700s-1800s. I had a professor of literature at Cornell who was
British with a very plummy accent and kept a white handkerchief in his sleeve.
It was the 1960s and his name was Eric Blackall:

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/18/ob...l?pagewanted=1

How did it come off when you saw it?

 

[Cary Grant]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

At that time, men also scented their handkerchiefs and would pull them out to sniff as a kind of cultivated affectation.

But also to hide odor, right? Gardyloo!