Q. I enjoy dressing up now and then instead of always wearing casual clothes. Your column about wearing a pocket handkerchief got me interested. I think I'm ready. Can you help me with some actual directions for how to fold it correctly?
A. The whole idea of a white linen handkerchief or a colored silk pocket square in the breast pocket of a man's jacket is to add a decorative flourish of style and perhaps color to the combination he is wearing. Attractive folding and placing is called for.
There are three ways (well, actually only two that I like) to fold a pocket square or handkerchief before tucking it into the breast pocket. You will often see a white handkerchief inserted with the ironed and squarely-folded edge showing (a rectangular white sliver with no points). While not everyone agrees, I don't like this look. It is too stiff, and looks as though it is being stored there for actual use.
The two ways that I like are "points up" or "points down." Either way, allow it to peek out only a slight bit: Too much floppiness has a dandy effect. A jaunty, slightly casual air, rather than a stiff look, is the result you are trying to achieve.
Here's how:
First, open the square and put your finger in the center. With your other hand, grasp the square at this center point and allow the four corners to fall naturally.
Fold this in half.
Poke it into the pocket with the fold down so that the points are up and showing slightly, but not too much. Do not work too much to arrange these points precisely. (It should not look like a picket fence.)
OR, after step 1, place the square into the pocket with the points facing down; then fold in half.
Then poke the single-point center into the pocket, allowing the soft, slightly puffed part of the square to show. This method has a bit more of a casual air than the points-up version. It is a tasteful way to wear a patterned square when the border is too plain or when you particularly want the center colors to show.
While these two methods take a minute or two more time than merely inserting a flatly-ironed white handkerchief, they create a softer, more fashion-aware effect. Try them both to see which you prefer. You might find that a white linen handkerchief looks best with the points up, and a colored silk pocket square looks best with the puffed part up and the points down.
Incidentally, an ironed handkerchief that you're actually planning to use should be stashed away unseen in another pocket, not in the breast pocket.
Send men's fashion queries to Male Call:
lois.fenton@prodigy.net
High Profile on 04/30/2017