When putting together your suit, the options are end­less. The small­est details deter­mine its look and com­fort and ulti­mately, the impres­sion you make. Details are in the genius. Adding a pocket square will enhance your appear­ance, pro­vid­ing you some pop and a sub­tle elegance.

Recently, pocket squares have had a renais­sance thanks to our friends over at Ster­ling Cooper. AMC’s “Mad Men” has res­ur­rected a fash­ion sense from over 40 years ago. Slim tai­lored suits in somber tones are com­pli­mented with col­lar pins, cuff links, tie bars and of course, pocket squares.

So how do you wear one? Well, there’s quite a few options but its best to keep it sim­ple, not dis­tract­ing from your look and avoid­ing an origami project.  I like the basic flat pocket square fold.  For other fold­ing options, here’s an exten­sive list.

It’s rec­om­mended to match your pocket square with either your dress shirt or suit’s color and pat­terns. It doesn’t have to be a per­fect match but some­thing close. We pro­vide pocket squares using the same mate­r­ial as your dress shirt. If you’re uncer­tain, play it safe and go with white. It’ll work with most of your suits and still make a visual impact.

Exclu­sive pocket squares are made from silk, but linen and cot­ton are just as effec­tive. Some­thing to keep in mind with silk, is it can slip down out of site, giv­ing the impres­sion of stor­ing chest­nuts. To avoid this, go for a puff type of fold to main­tain support.

Due to its recent pop­u­lar­ity, it’s impor­tant to use a pocket square with some dis­cre­tion. There’s no need to wear one with every suit, just if the sit­u­a­tion seems appro­pri­ate. If you’re in a casual set­ting and don’t want to wear a tie, use a pocket square to add a touch of for­mal­ity. So use a pocket square when it seems right but don’t let it dis­tract from your over­all look, com­pli­ment­ing it instead.

Return to our home­page to learn more about cus­tom dress shirts.

Categories:Men's Dress Shirt Guide, Men's Style Guide, Style Trends For Men

Tags: how to fold pocket square, mad men style, men's dress shirts, men's fashion, men's style, mens suits, pocket square etiquette, roger sterling, types of pocket square folds, when to wear pocket square