Virtues of the Pocket-Square

[Bugbear]

What type of pocket-square should one wear with Highland equivalent black tie, and white tie attire?
From what materiel should it be made?
Is there a preferred or traditional way of folding the pocket-square?

What is your favorite pocket-square for daywear, and how do you like to fold it?

[JSFMACLJR]

For black tie, I usually wear a white linen handkerchief, but I sometimes wear a silk handkerchief of an "interesting" pattern. For white tie I only wear white linen, although the doublet I tend to wear for these events does not have a breast pocket.

My day wear handkerchiefs run the gamut from bandannnas, to silks, to linens.

I usually just "stuff" my handkerchiefs, but sometimes I do fold them. It just depends.

[Lime]

The same as for non-kilt wear: for White Tie a good quality plain white silk square, for Black Tie a white silk square or possibly a plain coloured silk square; patterns are a tad informal. For day wear I like a patterned silk square which sits well against the tweed of the jacket. You have to approach with a dash of confidence as you are probably mixing a few colours and patterns by the time you add a pocket square (kilt, shirt, jacket, tie, etc.) but this is preferable to adding the ubiquitous, and boring, "safe" sets of matching ties and pocket squares which, in my opinion, are only safe for the bin. It is all about adding interest and detail but without being too flash.

With regards to folding it: again, you don't want to look like you are trying too hard and you don't want a flat look. Try pinching the middle of the square between your thumb and forefinger, give it a bit of a shake, fold it roughly in half (with the four corners which will be hanging down) and pop it in your breast pocket.

Alternatively fold into thirds one way and then into thirds the other way and place in your breast pocket with the (hopefully) hand-stitched edges just showing.

[artificer]

I just use white linen. I have a few plain ones and a few with a very light 'windowpane' pattern woven in.

I don't tend to wear one during the day. As for folding, I tend to use the 'pinch and fold' method Lime describes sometimes called the "puff", as I like a slightly deconstructed look. If it's too square I feel like a TV newscaster from the 60's.

See HERE or HERE or even HERE for a few different folds and opinions.

[Macman]

Ted, thanks for this thread! I've been wondering the same thing, being new to the wearing of pocket squares. Thanks to those who've given advice, and especially the links, artificer. There is a wealth of information there.

[Lallans]

I'm a stuffer myself. I pretend this makes me devilish and carefree. In non-
Scottish attire it just dates me I suspect.

[MacLowlife]

I have a lot of cool pocket squares, but generally only wear white- and ones that used to be white. They are linen or hemstitched cotton, mostly. Maybe silk for weddings, though you'd better carry a cotton one for the weepy woman nearby. Sometimes a yellowed one looks better if the outfit otherwise avoids white-white white. You know, it is one thing if you are wearing a grey jacket and a crisp white shirt, but quite another if everything else looks cream-to-yellow and brown. I have one that will probably never be white again and it is perfect for such looks.

I think the casual placement of a pocket square is a good antidote to its inherent fussiness. If you are really worried about looking too put-together, pull the thing out and wipe your glasses with it, then nonchalantly crumple it and put it back in. If you try this at home a few times, you will learn to relax with whatever shape turns up.

There does come a time when you will want to wear that Hermes handkerchief or some incredibly suave paisley silk one. In those cases, you might as well admit what it is and let an extra inch or so flow out of the pocket, draping its way into the hearts of your admirers.

I believe the architecturally folded ones look like they are stapled to a card.

[Bugbear]

Well, MacLowlife, I have several white cotton handkerchiefs with stripes around the borders. I have a few silk pocket-squares; bought a nice red one for a navy blue suit last year. My mood determines the way in which I put the square in my pocket.

That's about all I can say.

[BoldHighlander]

I think this was posted on XMarks a little while back, but here is another site illustrating "how to" fold a Pocket Square, and it's variations:

How to fold a Pocket Square, Pocket Square folds, Hand-rolled Pocket Squares

[Elf]

Thank you all for this discussion. I bought a couple good handkerchiefs a while back but have been fumbling over how to fold them. The link is just what I need.

To elaborate a bit, I found some with initials while on mission trip to Panama. They had the full alphabet choices in fonts for men and women. I also learned that while men use the initial of their family name, ladies often use the initial of their given name. I would suggest if others have a hard time finding their initial in the antique store linens, they try a shop in an Hispanic district.