The Anderson & Sheppard house cut: Comfortable and non-restrictive.
Natural shoulders, higher armholes, bigger sleeves - all hand stitched with silk threads (that provide the elasticity) for maximum movement & comfort.
Definitely worth a visit.
Your first pocket square
If you’re building up a pocket square collection, try to start out with the basic white cotton/linen squares. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a white linen pocket square.
There are 3 main fabrics used for pocket squares:
- Silk
- Cotton
- Linen
Also, check out the stitching of the pocket square. Is it hand-rolled or machine stitched? Hand-rolled edges also give the pocket square more life and a 3D feel, which in turn looks better when used.
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hand-rolled edges vs machine stitched edges
hand-rolling / stitching explanation in a diagram
Folding a pocket square
There are many ways to fold a pocket square, the 1, 2,3 point and so many other ways.. too complicated and troublesome for me. These are the only 2 methods I know and use: the tv fold (aka don draper) and the puff fold. Puff folds are usually better for linen / silk pocket squares.
TV fold:
Pretty straight forward, but make sure you adjust to fit the width of the pocket)
Puff fold:
- Lay your pocket square flat.
- Pinch the middle of the pocket square and pick it up.
- As you pick up the pocket square tuck the sides in
- With one hand firmly holding the pocket square, use your other hand to gather it together.
- Gather up the bottom of the pocket square, stuff into pocket.
Where to get them
1. Wickham House - $9 for one, $20 for a 3-pack, (USD) excluding shipping
I came across this a few days ago. Wickham house is run by a Floridian couple, more famous for their bow ties - which cost around $30 on average. I’m thinking of getting one or two of them sometime in the future.
Hand-rolled edges, 100% linen at $9 a pop, $20, for 3? Get them if you’re on a budget!
2. The Tie Bar - $8 excluding shipping
These are made of cotton. I like the contrast border, it gives some form of subtle detailing for your outfits. They come in various colors (navy, black, silver, red, brown, green, etc). I own a few of these in different colors, but the quality of the cotton is not there. feels very china-made, which they are. But for $8… it’s a steal. They have a whole range in all sorts of colors and patterns in silk or cotton.. but honestly I’d save the money, and get less in quantity but more in quality.
3. Kent Wang - $20 (white), $25 (contrast)
My personal favorite and recommendation. I own two of these, and the quality is definitely there. hand-rolled edges, 100% linen. Not too expensive either, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Once you find a good, basic pocket square that you like, STOCK UP!
