Schoenen
Style guide
How to fold a pocket square
How do you fold a pocket square? There are scores of different guides and tips out there on folding pocket squares, ranging from the simple to the complex. We believe that there is no wrong way to fold a pocket square. Instead of following these rules, follow your personality. The only thing you need to bear in mind when it comes to folding pocket squares is the formality of the context in which you intend to wear it. Placing a pocket square in your jacket pocket is an easy way of adding variety to your suit and giving your look a refreshing facelift. The more often you wear a pocket square in different contexts, the more comfortable you will be to showcase more daring ways of folding pocket squares. However, as with many other things, ‘less is more’ is often the winning concept here. Watch the video below to get some tips from John Henric and our friends on how to fold a pocket square effortlessly or scroll down to our step by step guide on how to fold a pocket square in the most classic ways.
Learn how to fold a pocket square – Step by step
In the following illustrations, we present our favorite ways of how to fold pocket squares. These classics are not only the most common but also basically the only ones you need to master. We hope and believe that with this guide you will become and expert and stop asking the question, how do you fold a handkerchief? Good luck!
The Puff Fold
Folding a pocket square this way is the most common and useful. This fold should look relaxed in a casual way and works with most fabrics, but silk is our favorite here. Folding a pocket square in a puff fold is suitable for almost all events and situations, with a jacket, blazer, or even a vintage denim jacket.
- Lay the pocket square on a flat surface with the outside facing up.
- Lift the pocket square gently off the table, letting the edges and corners hang down.
- Fold the base with the edges and put the cloth in the pocket so that the edges are not visible.
- Adjust it so that it fills the pocket and sticks out a bit. It should look as if you very casually just pushed it in.
Presidential Fold or James Bond Fold
Folding pocket squares in this way gives a clean and sober feeling and works perfectly with a dark suit or a tuxedo. The presidential fold also known as the straight fold is considered to be formal but as you can see in the video above, we like to apply this fold with casual outfits and it works fine as long as your motto is "less is more". Folding pocket squares the James Bond style is a straight across approach that guarantees a simply and clean look.
- Lay the pocket square on a flat surface.
- While emphasizing symmetry, horizontally fold the cloth in half.
- Conduct another symmetrical fold but make this one vertical.
- Tuck into the pocket. A strikingly noticeable square rectangle should pop out from the top.
The JFK Fold or Crown Fold
This fold is the most formal and works perfectly at weeding’s and similar formal dinners. Although this fold would suit formal attire, we also love it when paired with a blazer, jacket or sports coat. The structured nature of this fold can be done with almost any material: silk, linen, or cotton.
- Lay the pocket square on a flat surface.
- Fold it double by placing the left corner of the right.
- Fold the lower corner so that it ends approximately 1 cm to the right of the corner at the top.
- Fold the right corner so that it´s just a bit to the right of the other two corners.
- Fold in the lower edge so that the pocket square fits in your pocket.