Since the days of King Richard II of England to the lands of 17th Century Japan, and even to the far reaches of 60s business life, the handkerchief was a common everyday item. The handkerchief has been used by all sorts of people throughout the ages, from rich to poor, both young and old. From calling forth knights in shining armor, to being a companion in tear-jerkers or simply as one stylish accessory, the story of handkerchiefs go on. In this issue we look more closely at that common handkerchief turned into an iconic accessory, the pocket square!
So what is a pocket square? Quite simply, it’s a handkerchief that is used as an accessory to a suit or a jacket. Often they are made of more expensive and finer materials than your usual pocket handkerchief. The pocket square can be made of many different fabrics, the most common being cotton, synthetic fabrics, silk or linen. The more expensive of the line are usually silk or linen.
Pocket squares are used to add a bit of personalization to a suit or jacket. One is worn on the left breast pocket of a suit or jacket and aims to compliment the tie. In many cases of modern casual wear, people forgo the tie and instead accessorize with just a pocket square. It can be used to liven up an outfit and give a bit more flare to an otherwise conservative or toned down suit or jacket.
Many types of folds for the pocket square exist, but the most common are three basic folds that are easy to learn! When people think of pocket squares they often remember a simple fold with the handkerchief edge sticking out of the pocket. This is known as the Straight Fold, which is the simplest of the three. This fold reveals a small rectangle that peeks out of the suit pocket.
Another fold that people often associate with pocket squares is the One Corner Fold. The fold is named exactly for what it looks like, a simple peak that is shown on your pocket. The fold reveals the corner of the handkerchief and often provides a bit of a contrast to the lines of a suit or jacket.
Finally, there is the Puff Fold which require little to no folding at all! A pocket square is bunched up inside a pocket to produce what looks like a little puff sticking out of the suit pocket.
The history of the pocket square brings us back to the days of the original handkerchief into the land of the Ancient Greeks. The handkerchief was often used for hygienic purposes, serving the needs of a sweaty brow or a runny nose! Not much changed throughout time, until the Medieval Ages when it was common to use kerchiefs to cover the head. King Richard II of England is often credited to have invented the modern cloth handkerchief that we know today. Time saw the handkerchief travel side by side with people as a functional accessory.
Up until the 1800s handkerchiefs were often carried hidden away, tucked in a coat or jacket pocket. The 19th century saw a change as suits and ideas about hygiene changed. The handkerchief travelled from the pant pocket up to the breast pocket of people’s suits and jackets. Thus the pocket handkerchief was born! In the 1920s a popular trend arose where people revealed folds of a clean (and often expensive) handkerchief tucked in their breast pockets. This trend soon became an iconic style that led to the creation of the fashion-dedicated handkerchief known as the pocket square.
The pocket square became an essential accessory to suits and jackets, sparking a mentality that a suit without one is never complete. Until about the late 60s pocket squares were sported across Europe and North America. A decline in the classic accessory occurred in the 70s and the pocket square was neglected by many and labelled as outdated. The next 3 decades saw little use of the pocket square, it wasn’t until the last few years that a resurgence in the pocket square appeared.
In recent years a new found interest in pocket squares emerged from all age groups. Pocket squares have slowly become a mainstream trend once more with the general population. From casual sports jackets to business suits the pocket square has once again returned!
Should you ever decided to sport one yourself here are few quick go to tips:
Be creative! – Pocket squares come in all sorts of styles that fall under two categories: patterned or solid. A good rule of thumb is for you to wear a pocket square that compliments some colour on your tie if you’re wearing one. It is often said that you should not wear a square that’s exactly the same as your tie.
Avoid matching patterns – Try to stay away from wearing pocket squares and jackets that have identical patterns. Ideally, the pattern on a pocket square should be different from jacket, but similar. This avoids looking too busy or too plain.
Similar with the jacket, pocket square patterns should complement the tie pattern, but not match entirely.
Simplicity Goes a Long Way – Having simple, relaxed colours and patterns help in making the matching process easier. Solid colours are often the easiest to match with your entire outfit!
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