4 Ways to Fold to a Pocket Square, Peaks Edition

Fashion Fades, Style is Eternal - Yves Saint Laurent

The pocket square has steadily made appearances as it pleases, always leaving its wearer with unmatched sophistication. If your breast pocket is empty, your suit is naked. 

A Brief History

In Ancient Greece and Rome, wealthy citizens displayed their prominence by carrying a perfumed handkerchief. Knights wore handkerchiefs as a token favor from fair ladies. English and French noblemen carried around perfumed handkerchiefs to cover the stench of poor hygiene.

The modern-day pocket square is unscented and used to wipe the sweat from a man’s brow on warm days and catch sniffles during the cold seasons. True gentlemen would carry a square in his chest for style and a square in his pocket for use. However, once Kleenex was invented, the pocket square fell out of favor. 

 Popular culture's influence has made the pocket square in fashionable once again. In 2007, AMC premiered Mad Men, and reinvigorated the notion of the dapper gent. 

Bertram Cooper is sporting a 4 Point Fold

source: AMCTV Mad Men

Roger Sterling is donning a 3 Point Fold.

source: AMCTV Mad Men

Pink Pocket Squares for Breast Cancer Awareness Month! 

Don't forget to join us for our fundraising event on Tuesday, October 29th @5:00 - 7:00 PM

Featuring Stella & Dot Jewelry and VienneMilano Hosiery

*Event Special - Buy 3 Shirts, Get 1 FREE restrictions apply

*A portions of the proceeds will be donated to The Noreen Fraser Foundation and The Susan G. Komen Foundation

1 Peak Fold

Appropriate for all occasions

1. Bring the bottom point up to meet the top point

2. Fold the left point almost all the way to the right, stopping 3/4 of the way

3. Fold the right point over in equal amount, folding the point around to the front

4. Fold the bottom half up to the bottom of the peak. 

5. Place pocket square in pocket with folds facing your body and peak showing

2 Peak Fold

Appropriate for casual wear

1. Bring the bottom corner up to lay next to the top corner

2. Fold the left corner in 2/3 of the way

3. Fold the right corner over in equal amount and bring around to the front

4. Fold the bottom half up to meet under the peaks

5. Place pocket square in pocket with folds facing your body and peaks on display

3 Point Fold

Suitable for formal wear and business (conservative & casual)

1. Bring the bottom corner up to sit next to the top corner

2. Fold the left point diagonally up to sit next to the second peak 

3. Fold in the left peak

4. Bring the right peak straight across and around to hug the front

5. Fold the bottom up about 1/3 of the way

6. Place pocket square in pocket with folds facing your body and peaks on display

4 Point Fold

suitable for business conservative

1. Fold in half, setting the points next to each other

2. Bring the left point up and over the two central points

3. Bring the right point up and over the three points

4. Fold in each of the corner sides 

5. Fold the bottom peak up 

6. Place pocket square in pocket with folds facing your body and peaks on display

Bottome line - don't leave your suit naked. 

Cameron is using his pocket square to bring out the stripes in his shirt while Mitchell is left un-ornamented.
Source: abc, Modern Family


Interested in what other pocket squares we carry? Interested in our event or upcoming events with special promotions? email us at info at info@9tailors.com.

Meet Christopher. Pocket Squares: A Simple Accessory, A Bold Statement

Meet Christopher Cuozzo, fashion-forward client, style entrepreneur, and an all-around swell guy. 9tailors caught up with this dashing young lad recently to discuss his philosophies on menswear and his pocket squares, available for purchase in mid-June right here in our studio! Take it away, Mr. Cuozzo.


Occupation: 
Founder of Dressed By Christopher Cuozzo, a clothing e-tailer 


Hometown:
Born and raised in Woburn, MA


Current Residence: 
Woburn, MA 


Age:
30

Tell us about your philosophy on pocket squares.

Details, details, details!   It’s what gets you noticed in all the right ways. Something as simple as a $20 pocket square can make the difference between looking awesome and looking just okay.  You don’t have to spend a ton of money to look like a million bucks.

Do you have a favorite pocket square that you are sending to 9tailors?

Yes, the navy/white 1/8" gingham, 100% cotton. It's so classic, it goes with so many shirt and tie combinations, and gingham is so New England. You simply can't go wrong with it. Simple, yet makes a statement that you're aware of details and make a small effort in dressing yourself. 

Why choose custom clothing over off-the-rack menswear?

The biggest most important word in menswear is that three letter F word – FIT.  This is where so many guys go wrong! You’re not rowing a boat in your suit, so it’s okay to have it not fit like a windbreaker. Your pant length should not have a full break, nor should the crotch go halfway down your thigh. Your jacket sleeves should not even come close to hitting your knuckles, nor should they be able to accommodate Hulk Hogan’s biceps, even if you’re built like Michael Phelps. And there’s no need for a man’s suit jacket to allow room for a pregnancy – men can’t get pregnant! Custom alleviates all of these ill-fitting attributes. Custom can separate you from the herd. About a year and a half ago, I had 9tailors make me a custom short sleeve French cuff shirt. To this day, I’ve never seen anyone else wear one, yet, I receive tons of compliments when I wear it.

Describe your experience with 9tailors.
Spectacular.  I first met Sam Shih in 2009 and was greeted with a glass of champagne and world class service.  Sam and her team have a wide range of knowledge and it shows.  Upon request only, they email me fabric swatches. If I see something I like, I book an appointment and go to their Boston studio to get a feel for it.  9tailors is fantastic service (without that annoying salesperson who follows you around the department store trying to push last season’s inventory).


What's your fashion advice to other guys out there?
Color.  Do not fear color.  Black is for funerals and formal events.  So many guys reach for blues, whites, and black because that’s what’s safe.  Stop being a wallflower and consider light pink, red, orange, purple, yellow, etc. You can start off slow with a light pink shirt or even a light pink tie or pocket square.  I’m not saying that guys need to wear fuschia colored shirts...start off with muted pinks to ease yourself into new colors.


Patterns. There’s more to fabric than just solids.  Consider a pinstripe suit, or a paisley pocket square, or a bold silk repp tie, or a gingham dress shirt.  Don’t be afraid to go pattern on pattern.  Rules were made to be broken.  Wearing a solid suit with a paisley tie on a checkered shirt is a great way to make an impression.  Not everything has to match.  As a matter of fact, steer clear of ties that come with matching pocket squares, or at least don’t wear them together.  You don’t want to look too “matchy” or as if you’re trying too hard.


Couldn't agree with you more, Christopher! 

                                               

                                     


To see more photos of Christopher's 9tailors cotton suit and photo shoot by our esteemed photographer, Channing Johnson, like us on facebook! 


As for pocket squares by Dressed by Christopher Cuozzo? We will begin offering them mid-June at $20.*


Is the pocket square still a foreign object to you? Skim this helpful blog for folding tips and find out what your technique says about you!


For all of your custom style and design needs, whether it be a new cotton suit or some colorful sports coats, just email info@9tailors.com and make an appointment with a style consultant. Get your summer on!

Shoot Details:

Location: Boston Seaport
Shirt:  9tailors  
Cotton Suit: 9tailors 
Tie:  Tie Bar 
Shoes:  Peal and Co. for Brooks Bros  

Pocket Square: Dressed By Christopher Cuozzo

*No refunds, returns or exchanges

Triangles, Squares, and The Pouf! How To Rock a Pocket Square

With pocket squares becoming more and more common we are in turn addressing more and more questions concerning the proper way to utilize the accessory.  How exactly do you craft that little square in your pocket to showcase your style?  Are you artfully disheveled?  Exacting and angular? Or, simply confused?

Lets break it down.  While some dandies have specific requirements on how a pocket square should be folded, we are proponents of doing it your way- hence the DIY (design it yourself) approach.

The Triangle- some men like the angular look and fold their pocket squares into triangles and have the points poke out at various angles.  This is a very sharp look.  Sharp in the sense it looks clean and exacting. Generally this would work out well for people who prefer razor sharp lines and no fuss.

Photo: Channing Johnson
Pocket Square: Salmagundi

The Square- oft referred to as a classic, this has somewhat fallen out of favor.  While it also has a sharp look like the triangle, this is easier to manipulate in order to only show the slightest sliver of silk. The square could be considered the beginners pocket square.

Photo: Channing Johnson
Pocket Square: Salmagundi

The Pouf- granted this is simply how I have labeled it, but the look, in reflection of the name, is playful.  This is great for patterned pocket squares so you get more exposure, as well as a more casual look in a friendly environment. It is pictured below as part of a more casual suit-with-no-tie combo.

Photo: Channing Johnson
Pocket Square: Salmagundi

These three options are the most commonly used but as always we love diversity.  Send us your way to sport a pocket square at info@9tailors.com and you might end up on the blog!