Must Have Accessories: The Pocket Square
Posted on July 21 2019

(2 minute read)
Have you ever noticed a well-dressed man, wearing a tailored, charcoal grey three-piece linen suit, over a neatly starched white dress-shirt, a pair of cherry double monk-strap shoes and a matching belt to go along with it? How about a well-dressed man, wearing a tailored, charcoal grey three-piece linen suit, over a neatly starched white dress-shirt, a pair of cherry double monk-strap shoes, a matching belt to go along with it AND a silk, royal orchid, pocket square tucked in his breast pocket, contrasting yet accentuating the whole attire? I’d bet it’s the latter you’d have noticed more closely.
As much as I would like to think that men these days have a deep appreciation for this 8x8 piece of cloth, I just don’t see many showcasing that pocket square to enrich what otherwise is a perfectly put together attire. The pastels to the vibrant hues, the cotton to the silk fabrics, the bold to the paisley patterns, the presidential square to the three peak folds; the possibilities are endless.
There are many-a-blog posts that instruct on the grandeur of pocket squares; the motley of ways to wear them, the occasions that call for them, and the type – color, fabric, pattern - to augment different choice of clothing. I, in my humble opinion, and with years of experience wearing squares, would like to share what I have found to be helpful tips on Don’ts of wearing this accessory:
-
Do not wear a dark pocket square with a dark suit – it won’t do much in serving the main purpose of accessorizing, that of standing you out
-
Do not contrast the pattern of the pocket square with that of the shirt or the suit – a paisley square, for example, will be too distracting on a window-pane sports jacket
-
Do not match the pattern of the pocket square with that of the tie – just don’t
-
Do not underestimate the color white – when in doubt wear a white pocket square, it’s universal and goes well with any and all attires and occasions
-
Do not over accessorize - feel free to lose the pocket square when other accessories may be doing a better job at enriching the attire
Gents, pocket squares seem underrated and with that pose a tremendous opportunity for you to stand out. So be adventurous, experiment with this age-old accessory, but be intentional.
0 comments