Wear It On Your Chest

Hello again! Today we return after many posts, to the topic of the pocket square. I've touched on pocket squares before, but have never covered the basics of proper square selection and decorum. The pocket square was for years a forgotten accessory, and I'd still consider it to be one of the most underrated. The breast pocket in a jacket was designed to display one, and having an added dash of color on your chest can do wonders for your overall appearance.

Now, with the advent of the Mad Men era, style is returning to the days of old, and many men are rediscovering the pocket square. Some choose to go for a crisply folded white square (Mad Men style), which always works well for providing contrast to an ensemble, allowing one's collar, cuffs, and square to break the visual monotony of the jacket. When straying from white, however, many men execute the wear of the square poorly. Mistakes are easily made, and I'm hoping that my two cents can help some folks avoid the pitfalls of square wear.

First of all, if you ever end up buying a pocket square and tie that come as a set, do not wear the two together. I would recommend refraining from buying these sets all-together, because in most circumstances, the ties are poorly made. A square/tie set always screams bargain basement to me, and those who know clothing and see you wearing an obvious set will think the same thing. Choose a square that is complimentary to your tie, but different (photo 1). In the pictured example, the colors are the same, but it is obvious that the tie and square are cut from different cloths.

Another method involves choosing a square to compliment a pattern in a suit (photo 2). In this example, the blue and gold pinstripe in the suit are echoed in the pocket square. The green base color of the pocket square is in the family of both the blue and the gold. The tie is complimentary here as well, with blue and orange accent colors.




















Finally, the most daring approach involves pairing your pocket square with neither the tie or jacket, but with a color in the shirt (photo 3). In this case, one needs to look at the pocket square as a sort of second necktie, independent of the actual necktie. You follow? If you didn't have on the tie that you are wearing, would the colors of the pocket square serve in a necktie. In the pictured example, the actual tie compliments the cranberry colors in the jacket, and the pocket square compliments the undercheck of the shirt. Not everone will be comfortable with this type of pairing, but when you are able to put an outfit together in this manner it shows that you are looking at dressing as an artform, and not simply as a means of covering your rear end.

This post could go on and on; this is a simplified explanation of wearing the pocket square, but I am hoping that it's just enough to get you thinking and to jump-start the creativity of the man and his wardrobe. Try it out, take some risks, and be creative!

Until next time,
Cheers!
-Paul