Pocket squares add a great touch of personality and colour to your outfit, drawing attention upwards to your face. But how do you stuff one in convincingly? 

There are countless ways to wear a pocket square, but we find the simple TV fold and puff the most useful ones. We suggest a puff for lighter fabrics with more drape (like silk twills), and a fold for more structured fabrics (like linen or cotton).

Need to look smart for a formal event? TV fold. Prefer a fancier look for everyday use? Puff.

Here are our guides to properly puffing or folding your pocket squares, without having to readjust them constantly through the day. A video version for puffing can be found on this Instagram post.

 

How to puff a pocket square in 5 easy steps:

1. Form an open circle with your the index finger and thumb of your non-dominant hand. 


2. Placing the middle of the square over this circle, gently POKE the square into it with your right index finger, as deep as your finger goes.


3. GRAB the top of the square with your right hand.


4. TWIST the bottom half of the square with your left hand and the top of the square with your right hand in the opposite direction, in order to form a nice tight puff on top. You want the twisted length created here to help anchor the square in your pocket, so that the puff is less likely to collapse through the day due to gravity.


5. Stuff the square into your breast pocket, ensuring just about 1-2cm of it shows. Alternatively, turn it upside down and show off the edges of the square instead.

Poke, grab, twist - easy peasy!

Pro tip: If you’re looking to display a particular part of the square when worn, you’ll want to poke about a finger’s length away from that so it shows up at the top of the puff.


 

How to fold a pocket square in 4 easy steps: 


1. Measure the depth of your breast pocket. An estimation is fine, but this precise method ensures that the folded square is not going to sink throughout the day!

2. Fold the square in half.


3. Fold the square in half again, so that the width of the top edge fits just right into your breast pocket’s width. You may need to fold it a little more or less if your breast pocket is smaller or bigger. The handrolled edges will eventually be on the top edge.


4. Fold the square vertically, such that the eventual length is about 1cm (3/8”) more than the depth of your breast pocket. The extra 1cm ensures that the square will not sink into your pocket throughout the day. If you have deep pockets, you may need to fold it another time as you don't want the excess sticking out from the top. 


5. Place the square into the pocket. If we’re nitpicking, I prefer to place the corner of the pocket square on the side of the pocket closer to the left shoulder.