Paul McGregorIt is a well known fact that accessories make or break any outfit; this is something you’ve probably heard before.
So what if the accessory is so small and simple that it is more often overlooked than over thought?
Sometimes it is the simplest things that we forget about, the important finer details, and this time around it is the humble pocket square.
With a daunting amount of articles and video tutorials on how to fold a pocket square already out there, I thought it was important to simplify it.
No man want’s to spend more than 30 seconds folding and placing their pocket square into their jacket pocket… so how do you stylishly fold a pocket square without wasting time?
I’m going to show you 4 simple ways to fold your pocket square, alongside showing you a more ‘technical’ fold that creates more of a statement at the end of this article.
The pocket square shown in the video above is from The Dark Knot.
The Dark Knot is dedicated to providing the market with luxurious product at an affordable price, all while helping gentlemen dress better. Each of their hand made items comes presented in an elegant black gift box along with a card with recommendations for matching attire.
You can get 25% off all of their pocket squares and accessories using the code: MFM25
Folding Your Pocket Square
I remember the day I sat there in my hotel room getting frustrated because I couldn’t get the point on my pocket square to look right.
I was watching YouTube video after YouTube video but whatever I did… I just couldn’t get it to look right.
As I left the hotel room to meet with a stylish friend of mine, I asked him… “can you fold my pocket square?”
He pulled the handkerchief from my pocket, laid it flat on his hands and within seconds had it placed in my pocket looking stylish.
I didn’t get it, what took me forever to master he just did in a few seconds. I asked him, “how did you do that?” His reply still makes me laugh, he turned to me and simply said “don’t overthink it”.
When you try to become an Origami expert at folding pocket squares it simply looks like you’re trying too hard. We’re all time poor, we don’t want to spend forever folding our handkerchief into a flower to place into our pocket.
These 4 folds are the only 4 I ever use.
The good news is they take less than 30 seconds to do…
Important Pocket Square Fold Tip
This tip is simple but it makes folding your pocket square a lot easier.
Take off your jacket, hang it up facing you and then place your pocket square in. Why? When you try to place the pocket square in your jacket pocket whilst wearing it you don’t get a good perspective, you look down on it.
Taking your jacket off and having it face you will give you more control and perspective.
Yes it’s simple, but it makes the process a lot easier.
1. The Puff Fold
This is easily my favourite fold, it’s my go-to. It shows the detailing of the pocket square but doesn’t create too much of a statement.
It looks effortless, it doesn’t look like you’ve spent hours folding your pocket square but it still looks stylish.
It’s a fold you can do in your hands too which makes it faster and something you can do on the go.
2. The ‘Dandy’
Looking to create more of a statement with your pocket square? Go for this fold.
You may have to play around with the points slightly to get them to look how you want but this fold is again easy to do and something you can do on the go.
What I love about this fold is it shows off the detailing of the pocket square, so if you’ve got a brighter pattern and you want to inject some colour into your outfit opt for this one.
Yes, it’s literally a reverse of the ‘puff’ fold.
3. The Square Fold
Nothing looks more elegant than the square fold. It’s clean, simple and something James Bond would sport.
Personally I prefer to do the square fold with a cotton or linen pocket square as you can find with silk, it’s sometimes harder to get the fold straight.
Use the square fold with a white pocket square and place it into your jacket for a classic, elegant look.
4. Another Variation of the Square Fold
Again simplifying the process, this is a spin off from the square fold above. What I love about this fold is it’s similar to the square fold but it looks less ‘polished’.
For me style is all about looking your best but not looking like you’ve tried too hard. Effortless elegance. This fold has that in abundance.
It’s going to show detailing in the pocket square, it’s going to be elegant but it also makes it look like you know what you’re doing.
Remember that different folds can have different effects on your outfit. A puff pocket fold adds more of a relaxed feel where as the straight square fold adds more of a tailored, elegant element to a outfit.
Use the pocket square wisely, and it’s going to compliment your look.
Choosing Your Pocket Square
So what pocket square should you choose?
Also known as a handkerchief if you want to look at it from a functional perspective, was originally created for the sole purpose of wiping your hands, face, or the most obvious association of blowing one’s nose.
It may seem ludicrous now to think that something that was initially intended for function has a very different role today.
Back in the day, the material your handkerchief was made of was seen as symbolic of the social class of the wearer, primarily down to the fact that some materials are significantly more expensive than others.
Now we don’t really take into consideration status in regards to fabric, we simply judge a man by how bold his pocket square is (alongside the way its folded).
Pocket squares are getting bolder in design and style, and this is a wonderful thing because it gives you an almost limitless choice.
When deciding on what pocket square to buy, think about design, fabric and colour.
Remember, accessorising is all about adding something to a look when it’s lacking, and a pocket square is perfect for this.
If your outfit is lacking colour, inject a pop of brightness with the pocket square you’re wearing. On the other hand if your outfit needs to be formal, go for a classic white pocket square so you don’t overdo it.
A silk pocket square gives you more freedom with the folds you do but it can also be the hardest fabric to fold. Silk looks more luxurious and it’s obviously a more expensive fabric than cotton. But cotton or a linen pocket square is easier to fold and can add a tailored element to an outfit.
Bonus Fold: The Stairs Fold
As promised here’s an additional fold that’s slightly more technical but can make a great impression.
What I love about the stairs fold is it’s still something you can do on the go but it shows more of the detailing in the pocket square.
It’s almost like a ‘fancier’ puff fold…
Get Folding
So there we have it, some simple but stylish ways to fold your pocket square.
How do you fold yours?
Remember you can get 25% off all of Dark Knot’s accessories by using the code MFM25.
Here’s another favourite of mine…
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