Pocket Squares - I'm Tired of Boring Folds.

[RatherAnOddball]

Very handsome photos abound of men who've cultivated organic, flowing, blooming but restrained volumes with their silk squares - but I don't have much luck trying to freestyle that sort of thing myself. All the folding guides online lack any of those sorts of folds - nothing floral, nothing rippling, nothing very louche; it's all so mathematical and squared-off, except for a puff fold, but I can never get those to hold an interesting design for very long. Seems all I can do is continue to study photos and attempt to backwards-engineer the folds featured in them. Here are a couple I like in terms of technique but am not so certain I'd wear myself. Show some you like? Or, if you feel like it, share some tips? There are so many more, but I can't find particularly good pictures to link to at the moment: the rumpled horseshoe, the four-point ocean wave, the tulip... And all of them just a bit beyond my ability to successfully render. No formless "waterfalls" devoid of technique, please.

Are these entirely different methods of folding, or are they just variations on typical folds that I'm not insightful enough to comprehend?

 

[JLibourel]

I think the consensus is that the square should not make itself the primary focus of attention, which is certainly the case in the photos above.

There is also a school of thought--I don't particularly adhere to it, but it exists--that no more than a half-inch of square should be visible above the pocket.

 

[RatherAnOddball]

JL -

I don't disagree with those sentiments. As I wrote, I like the technique pictured, but wouldn't wear them myself.

I suppose it would've been more accurate for me to write that I am bored with the way I fold pocket squares (than I am with the folds themselves.) If I knew better how flourish is accomplished, I reasoned, then I could subtly incorporate the principles into my method without carrying them to the same extent.

There are undoubtedly better pictures to illustrate this than those which I posted - I just didn't have any at hand and wasn't having a lot of luck searching.

It might just be that the silk isn't of sufficient quality, or maybe my pockets are too loose, but my folds tend to flatten out and droop after an hour or so.

Right, thanks for the reply.

 

[yfyf]

I met the illustrious member pictured in real life so I have a little bit of insight into his rather excellent pocket squaring.

Barims, you will have to forgive me for letting the cat out of the bag.

If you use a fairly large pocket square in a soft, supple silk, you should be able to achieve the first one. Knowing the poster in question, it is most likely a pretty nice vintage find, the age of the silk may help a bit too in terms of softness.

For the second one, a lighter silk pocket square with rolled edges will do that quite easily.

If you want to see another impressive pocket squarer, have a look at Chorse as well, they are quite superb in real life.

It also depends a little bit on your jacket, there is a bit of leeway in how much "slack" there is in the pocket in the design. A real tailor like Despos or A Tailor could probably tell yo much more. A little bit of slack is a lot better for the big puffy types. My suits' chest pockets are pretty tight, most larger squares are a nuisance. On the plus side, my TV folds are really ... straight.

However these are just technical gaps. The actual art of folding ... well it's a mystery.

 

[barims]

Bloody hell I mean, I'm getting used to being thought of "that guy whose stuff I like but wouldn't dream of - or couldn't in my profession get away with - dressing like," but being used as an instructional is a different level indeed For what it's worth, like anything that I'm capable of doing even remotely well, it's utterly instinctual. I wouldn't spend more than 30 seconds on my square ordinarily - I just stuff it in, arrange the shape and then get going. I don't consistently break the rule that Jan cites but that does depend on my mood (and I'm impressed that, give the way I look and dress, the square is taking all his attention) The jacket pocket, as yf describes, is the real deal breaker. For example, although the second blue jacket has a tight pocket, it is not particularly accepting of lighter, smaller squares or puff folds, as far as I can tell - I've not worn it too often, having bought it last month - and the pocket square as shown is actually "escaping," which was not pointed out to me when the picture was taken, the photographer having a reasonably laissez-faire attitude to his own squares The first pocket is cut small and is reasonably tight, which precludes most TV fold attempts, but results in a puff like the one above - and bear in mind that the photo was taken simply to demonstrate a new jacket rather than an actual outfit. The PS is vintage, albeit a hand-me-down, and the funny thing is, I just dug it out of a jacket one day without having noticed it before. It definitely helps that it's aged - the "starched" feel of a newer square is rather joyless and even more unwieldy yf, I do forgive you. These aren't exactly divine secrets being shared, your comments are right on the money, and I appreciate the compliments too Oddball, keep us posted - I'd like to see how you get on, or if you have any other questions