Pocket squares = dying fad?

[danz24]

Originally Posted by ManofKent

As a guideline (rules are for the unstylish

):

Avoid directly matching the shirt (or sweater) unless white.

Don't exactly match the tie, but choose a colour that compliments or contrasts with the tie. If the tie is patterned picking out one of the tie's secondary colours with the PS works well.

Experiment!

See thats the part I dont get. How come the dress shirts that come with tie/pocket squares are always matching exactly. Are we right or is the industry right?

 

[Zenny]

Originally Posted by danz24

See thats the part I dont get. How come the dress shirts that come with tie/pocket squares are always matching exactly. Are we right or is the industry right?

We are

 

[barims]

Originally Posted by NinthCircle

The fact is, women think pocket squares are cool, which renders the fad/no fad consideration irrelevant.

+1

I always wear them, casually and formally, except for work - they're practically dead in the City, and they've vanished from most of the UK anyway. But they go over great at social occasions. I met a cool Italian gentleman last night and we bonded pretty quickly because we both sported at least one eccentric garment (him - a textured striped shirt; me - purple cotton jacket). Certain he's easily SF-material. We started dicussing pocket squares as we both had one on and now I'm about to hit up Brioni and see if his is still on sale

He also told me that the crazy girls who sometimes steal my squares out of my pocket at random events (don't worry - they never get far) aren't criticising me as I've always thought - apparently, it's flirting

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Originally Posted by Tardek

Can someone give a little pocket square advice? What's the rule - they should match with the tie, shirt, or shoes?

i go with complimentary colors, for example if i'm wearing a navy jacket and navy tie with a light blue shirt, then i'll wear a pattern square, i have a plaid in black and white and this plaid square has a purple POW check. The purple check is what i feel works with navy and allows me to wear it with my navy jacket.

If its an event late at night and i want to appear more formal, i'll wear the same look with a white silk square.

If its a more formal event during the day and i want to appear more subdued, then i switch to a light blue linen square.

Sometimes i'll wear the same look with a purple silk square, sometimes a a light grey.

so you can alot with a few squares.

basically if you wear navy, light grey and charcoal jackets and suits, then i would buy these squares:

White linen, light blue linen, white silk, light color pattern silk, burgundy pattern silk, and a gold or yellow pattern silk, and you'll be able to have basically all of them work with the looks you put together.

 

[Doc4]

Originally Posted by danz24

See thats the part I dont get. How come the dress shirts that come with tie/pocket squares are always matching exactly. Are we right or is the industry right?

that's made by the same segment of the industry as makes square-toed shoes and fused, unvented suits with 4 button fronts.

 

[barims]

Originally Posted by SkinnyGoomba

i go with complimentary colors, for example if i'm wearing a navy jacket and navy tie with a light blue shirt, then i'll wear a pattern square, i have a plaid in black and white and this plaid square has a purple POW check. The purple check is what i feel works with navy and allows me to wear it with my navy jacket.

If its an event late at night and i want to appear more formal, i'll wear the same look with a white silk square.

If its a more formal event during the day and i want to appear more subdued, then i switch to a light blue linen square.

Sometimes i'll wear the same look with a purple silk square, sometimes a a light grey.

so you can alot with a few squares.

basically if you wear navy, light grey and charcoal jackets and suits, then i would buy these squares:

White linen, light blue linen, white silk, light color pattern silk, burgundy pattern silk, and a gold or yellow pattern silk, and you'll be able to have basically all of them work with the looks you put together.

Excellent advice. When you get to grips with it and want to branch out, most other colours can become available to you if they're mixed well and you've chosen wisely. Dark blue squares work with light and medium grey, beige, tan and even white jackets if you're feeling daring. Green squares can work with those also, but it's best to stay away from bright green, unless it comes with patterns that take the edge off

You can use a colour in the pattern of a jacket to influence the colour of the square (yes, I read A Suitable Wardrobe). Check jackets can support boldly coloured, patternless squares - for example, a family member wears his grey wide-check jacket with a simple deep purple one

You can also wear a patterned square with a patterned jacket and balance it out by making the rest of your ensemble simpler, though the other pieces can still vary in colour (just not too strongly)

 

[NakedYoga]

Hmm, bump.

Question: what is the "standard" size for a pocket square? (which, I presume, correlates to the "standard" size of the breast pocket in a jacket)

I almost always wear a pocket square, but exclusively use a white linen in a TV fold. I had one, and I ironed it as needed. Unfortunately, about a week ago someone spilled something on it, and it's now ruined. I quickly bought another one just like it (or so I thought). I've found that this new square is too big to fit correctly in any of my jackets and coats. The old one is gone now, so I can't compare the measurements. The new one is 17"x17". A friend suggested folding it in half one extra time, but that doesn't help.

 

[contaygious]

I don't wear ties because my work is very informal, but I do wear pocket squares in a TV fold usually so it's not too loud and either silk white or burnt orange. I want to get some linen ones from Kent Wang as all of mine are from him. I find the check ones to be great for casual attire as well.

I bought this for my brother who has never worn a pocket square before and he loves it now:

http://www.kentwang.com/product_info...roducts_id=150

 

[GBR]

Not a fad but dieing presently. They may well make a come back.

 

[Icarium]

I can't remember seeing anyone wearing a pocket square in public in my life. Except me. Not much of a fad.

****** has good advice though. You can get by with just a few colors. However, now that I have a little collection going, I can't help but want more. And more.

 

[StopPolloition]

Originally Posted by barims

He also told me that the crazy girls who sometimes steal my squares out of my pocket at random events (don't worry - they never get far) aren't criticising me as I've always thought - apparently, it's flirting

It's annoying enough when girls do this to be flirty. It's infuriating when another man does this. I was about to choke this guy once because he grabbed my pocket square and twirled it around in the air trying to be funny. His friends saw that I was not happy and told him to return it. I wish it were lawful to shoot these people in the knees. Messing with another man's hat or pocket square is just so rude.

 

[Standard Toaster]

The first time I wore a pocket square I was wandering through town with what retrospectively probably looked like pompous swagger, when two good looking girls walked past me and grumbled "alright Charles!", presumably referring to Prince Charles, then walked off pissing themselves.

Being 21, I felt like a right mug.

 

[mkarim]

Originally Posted by StopPolloition

Messing with another man's hat or pocket square is just so rude.

I know. Just like messing with another man's woman...

 

[JFKJean]

Originally Posted by StopPolloition

It's annoying enough when girls do this to be flirty. It's infuriating when another man does this. I was about to choke this guy once because he grabbed my pocket square and twirled it around in the air trying to be funny. His friends saw that I was not happy and told him to return it. I wish it were lawful to shoot these people in the knees. Messing with another man's hat or pocket square is just so rude.

I was gonna go for shins but I guess as long as they get the point, eh?

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by Standard Toaster

The first time I wore a pocket square I was wandering through town with what retrospectively probably looked like pompous swagger, when two good looking girls walked past me and grumbled "alright Charles!", presumably referring to Prince Charles, then walked off pissing themselves. Being 21, I felt like a right mug.
The most I get is a comment that someone likes my pocket thingy but shouldn't it be a different pattern or color? I wonder what people do with all the pocket squares? They get made every year in abundance but I suppose people buy them and never wear them?