The Pocket Handkerchief

[Paul]

Anyone wear a tartan handkerchief?

[JSFMACLJR]

I ALWAYS wear a handkerchief in my breast pocket. Usually it is white linen, although I frequently wear patterned silk ones. Here are several pics showing how I wear them:





















In the first four photos I am wearing the kilt...to keep it all on-topic!

[HarborSpringsPiper]

This may help:

Best,

Robert

Very helpful. Merci, Robert!

BTW, this is a very timely topic for me. I have a tweed lovat green daywear jacket and the breast pocket just doesn't lay correctly. I stuffed a white handkerchief in it the other day and it just didn't look right to me, so I tacked it in a couple of spots to close it up. Seeing what has been posted, I think the better solution is to use a coordinated color 'kerchief in the pocket.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Anyone wear a tartan handkerchief?

Not with a kilt, and for exactly the same reason I eschew tartan flashes-- it really seems to me to be just that bit too much!

With a dress Argyll jacket, or any evening coatee, I only wear a white linen handkerchief in my breast pocket.

With day wear, or informal* evening wear, I might wear a coloured handkerchief in my breast pocket (A la Sandford).

*for me, informal evening wear would be the Highland equivalent of wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and conservative tie to a nice restaurant.

[JSFMACLJR]

!

Okay, for those who might be worried if I've lowered the standards on the hunt field, let me say that this November hunt was 80+ degrees, and while livery usually is worn by hunt servants and those entitled to it, a stock or necktie is sometimes left at home when it is so miserable in the field! Good thing, though, that my father and grandfather now hunt with St. Hubert on another shore, or they might just have taken a whip to me seeing an open-throated whipper-in.

[Asser 1]

I am well acquainted with both books you are referring and have observed the Duke of Rothesay as well as his great Uncle Edward (Duke of Windsor) with their pattern mixing panache. As Flussler says Edward could kick about in combinations that no mere mortal could concieve of.

If I have jacket on kilted or not I have a silk in the pocket, what other purpose does that little pocket have? It also "never" exactly matches the tie but compliments the tie or shirt or all of the above. I might add experimentation is key, I have had a few disasters that have not been repeated.

One final word, the arrangement in the pocket must look unplanned, almost an afterthought. Much the same reason I eschew a pre-tied bow tie because they are too perfect.

My compliments to JFSMACLJR and his stylish wardrobe and great examples of wearing a silk properly. To quote Tom Hanks in Apollo 13 as James Lovell "Gentleman this is how we do that". Well done!

[hospitaller]

for your reference gentlemen,

http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpoc...quarefolds.htm

[Ancienne Alliance]

I ALWAYS wear a handkerchief in my breast pocket. Usually it is white linen, although I frequently wear patterned silk ones. Here are several pics showing how I wear them:





















In the first four photos I am wearing the kilt...to keep it all on-topic!

Congratulations sir. You wear them with style !


Best,

Robert

[Ancienne Alliance]

... It also "never" exactly matches the tie but compliments the tie or shirt or all of the above. I might add experimentation is key....
One final word, the arrangement in the pocket must look unplanned, almost an afterthought. Much the same reason I eschew a pre-tied bow tie because they are too perfect.

Yes , my point exactly. This is why I like silk so much. You can create some elaborate puffy structure with it.

Of course this can also be done with linen but I personally keep away from pocket handkerchiefs folded in a flat, crisp way. A bit to static for me.

An interesting point made in those books, is that opposed textures should be encouraged.
For instance a silk handkerchief on a tweed; linen on a shiny jacket etc.


Best,

Robert

[SFCRick]

I always wear a pocket hankerchief with my Crail day jacket