Founder & Creative Director of Men's Style Pro, Sabir has…
Any man can wear a suit, but, how does that man stand out in the crowd of other suited gents? One of the key components to adding that extra 10% to a suit would be the presence of a pocket square. You may have seen these pocket companions in magazines like GQ and Esquire and thought to yourself, “what’s the deal with this pocket square trend”? The deal is that pocket squares are not a fashion trend, but they are a men’s style staple.
The pocket square or “handkerchief” was created to act as a sweat removal piece as well as a sneeze guard that could be used often and washed. PS (for short) come in a variety of fabrics such as cotton, silk, linen, wool or cashmere and some blends of a few fabrics. Colors and patterns will vary by brand and personal preference to what you want to wear. Day to day most men will go with a plain, white, square folded PS for the suit jacket or blazer pocket. As you can see from the picture above that there is a range of colors and patterns that should be explored.
Depending on the rigidity of the fabric will play a part into how you display you pocket square. Traditionally, you will wear the PS the straight squared fashion (example: white cotton square in the picture) by folding your square to the right width and height for your pocket and putting the open ends down into your pocket. When wearing a silk square (usually for more formal/dressier outfits) you can play around with the shape of your square. Instead of the normal squared shape you can round it, flower it or just through it in your pocket without a care.
Something that I like to do is to wear a PS with an unconventional look, particularly in a shirt pocket. This look is not for everyone (especially the style timid), but, if you are feeling a bit more open with your style give it a go. Shirts that are made from heavier material tend to look better when you want to throw a PS in the pocket and go about your day. You will usually turn a few heads because people will say “what the hell is he doing”, but if you wear your clothes with confidence you can get away with it.
Stay tuned for my upcoming video featuring Armstrong & Wilson Pocket Squares and the “It’s Okay to be Square” contest!
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Founder & Creative Director of Men's Style Pro, Sabir has a deep passion for menswear and all things manly. Selected as one of the "5 Best Dressed Men In America" by Esquire Magazine in 2010 & as #GQFall 2013 Best Dressed Man. As of 2014, Sabir serves as a freelance brand ambassador & executive stylist for GQ Magazine & GQ Report. Outside of that partnership, Sabir serves as an independent brand consultant as well. Reach me directly at SABIR@MENSSTYLEPRO.COM