Photo: Taylor Hill(Getty Images)
Check out any photo shoot of a male celebrity, from any branch, sports, business, politics, and if a man is wearing a suit jacket in it, he is also wearing a pocket square. The same applies for movie-stars on the red carpet. Yet, so few guys on the streets tend to wear one. Some don’t even consider it as an option, others think that they are reserved for extra special occasions, while quite a few wouldn’t like to stand out from the crowd.
If that isn’t you and you’d like to be unique visually, the pocket square is a perfect way to stick out from the sea of bland suits you might be a part of every day. They can even somewhat make the male turtleneck bearable.
So a question arises when to wear pocket squares, and the answer is really – everywhere. They are a necessity, but of course, that doesn’t mean you’ll wear one pocket square to every event and with each suit you own.
If you can’t afford enough suits to vary them as much as you would like, you can always afford pocket squares and with them make the outfits surprisingly different. Wearing pocket squares is also a great way to adjust to the vibe of the occasion.
How To Wear A Pocket Square
In order to maximize the gains of this small detail a pocket square guide is needed indeed. But it’s nothing too serious or constricting, after all, the point of the pocket square is to show case your individuality. But there are some guidelines.
The material of pocket squares should be cotton or linen, there are some from other materials, but these are the basic and the best options.
There are three most important aspects of wearing a pocket square – the colors, the patterns, and the way of folding it.
Probably the most important variable revolving around pocket squares is the occasion you’ll be wearing one to. So if you’re going to a business thing, meeting or a seminar, then absolutely go for the square fold, which is also known as the presidential fold. The colors shouldn’t be too wild, tropical, and weird, and nor should the pattern. Go for the more common spots or stripes. While you can’t really go wrong with a white one in these occasions.
For a wedding of one of your friends, be looser, go for the bolder patterns, and feel free to use the puff fold. As everybody there is to have fun, you’ll want to display your playful nature and a bit of personality. Of course, you can wear pocket squares in this style at your job if you’re working in one of the more relaxed industries.
When it comes to colors, the established rule in the fashion world is that you shouldn’t use a pocket square of the identical color as your shoes, shirt or tie. Especially not to utilize a monochrome pocket square. See the subtle pattern on the Jake Gyllenhaal’s photo above and the fact that the red is slightly milder than the one of the tie. Without it, even this Hollywood star would look like a valet.
Instead of duplicating the color of your ties and shoes, go for the colors that compliment them. So, slightly different shades of the same color, and patterns that are different from the patterns of ties. But don’t just try to match your clothes, see how you can compliment your other features like the color of your skin, eyes, or hair. So if you have blue eyes, wearing a blue pocket square will make them pop out and will definitely send the message that you’re not wearing a suit by accident.
Besides knowing how to knock out people, Conor McGregor is equally adept for his suit style, and the main point of why he looks so fly in them are the pocket squares. This detail can be the difference from a guy that has been forced to wear a suit and the guy that chose the suit. Confidence plays a big part in looking good in a suit, but you’ll achieve confidence just by adding one as you’ve spent some time thinking about the whole outfit so you’ll be certain of the choice. Therefore, the pocket square is often the only difference between looking like a uniformed waiter or a style icon.
Which kind of a pocket square do you like wearing the most?
