Men's Pocket Square Guide: Colour, Fabric, Folds and Pairings
A jacket without a pocket square looks finished. A jacket with the right one looks considered. This guide covers the decisions that get you there: which colour for which suit, what silk and polyester each give you, which fold to learn, and the one rule that does most of the work.
The rule: the pocket square doesn't match the tie. It offsets it. Everything else follows.
Quick answer: what to wear with what
| Your jacket | The safe pick | The bolder pick | More detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navy suit | White silk | Burgundy, pale blue or soft pink | Best pocket square for a navy suit |
| Grey suit | White silk | Lighter greys take softer colours; charcoal takes richer, deeper ones | Pocket square with a grey suit |
| Blazer | White silk | A patterned silk in a puff fold | Best pocket squares for blazers |
| Black tie | White silk, the traditional choice | Black silk, from our evening wear range | Black tie accessories |
If you own one pocket square, make it white silk. It's £8 and it works with all four rows.
The one rule: offset it, don't match it
A square cut from the same cloth as the tie looks like a set from a shop window. A square that borrows one colour from the tie, or adds the colour the tie is missing, looks like you made a decision.
Three ways to offset:
- Pick up one colour. Find a minor colour in the tie and lead with it in the square.
- Add the missing colour. If the tie runs cool, bring in something warm.
- Go quiet. If the tie is busy, let a plain square rest the eye.
Here is how that looks with pieces from the range. Every tie below is £15 and every square £8, so each pairing is £23.
| Tie | Pocket square | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Grey Blue tie | Maroon, Blue & White Floral square | Silver-grey runs cold on its own. Maroon is the warm note the tie doesn't have, and the blue in the square ties it back. |
| Green, Blue & Navy tie | Red, White & Blue Paisley square | Red is the opposite of green, and the square's blue keeps it in the tie's family. |
| Grey & Rustic Orange Paisley tie | Navy Blue & Mustard Quadrant square | Mustard is orange's calmer cousin. The navy gives the grey somewhere to rest. |
| Blue & Orange Paisley tie | Silk White square | A busy tie wants a quiet square. White does that without competing. |
There are still moments for a closer match. A wedding party in a set palette is one. We cover when to match and when not to in matching a tie and pocket square properly.
What £8 and £6 actually buy
We sell two kinds of pocket square, and they are not the same thing.
| Silk | Polyester | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8 | £6 |
| Material | Woven silk | Polyester |
| Size | 32cm × 32cm | 25cm × 25cm |
| How many we sell | 18 | 4 (the newer paisleys) |
Silk drapes better and holds a crease better, which matters for the sharper folds. Polyester is the cheaper cloth and a smaller square, so there is less fabric to work with. It folds fine for a flat fold or a simple puff. It won't hold a crisp line as long, and a rose fold will look thin.
At £8, this is a good silk square. It isn't £60 designer silk, and we won't pretend otherwise. If you're folding daily or buying for a wedding, buy silk. If you want a patterned square for the occasional smart-casual day, the £6 polyester is a reasonable way to try a pattern.
For more on silk, see our guide to silk pocket square fabrics.
Which fold? Learn two
You don't need fifty. Learn the Presidential (flat) fold for anywhere formal and the puff for everywhere else, and you've covered most of the year. Add the one-point fold once you're comfortable.
Our pocket square folding guide has step-by-step instructions for six folds, each paired with a tie and cufflinks.
No tie? The puff works without one. Keep the collar open and let the square do the work.
Plain, bordered or patterned?
- Plain squares (white, black) go with almost anything and suit the flat fold best. They are the base of any collection.
- Bordered squares have a contrasting edge that frames the fold. We have ten bordered. The border is an easy way to pick up a colour from the tie without copying it.
- Patterned, unbordered squares (twelve of them) work best with a plain or quiet tie. Keep one patterned piece in the outfit and let the other be calm.
One loud thing per outfit. If the tie is bold, the square steps back. If the square is the star, keep the tie simple.
By occasion
Work. White silk or a restrained pattern, in a flat fold. It adds polish without pulling focus.
Weddings. More room for colour and pattern. Silk photographs well. If you're coordinating a party, our wedding accessory styling guide covers matching an accent colour across a group without everyone looking identical.
Black tie. White silk, neatly folded, is the traditional choice. Keep it plain and keep the fold clean. Our black tie accessories guide covers the rest of the kit.
Smart-casual. A patterned silk in a puff fold, with or without a tie.
Keeping it in place
If your square slides down during a long day, or you can't get a fold to sit, a pocket square holder shapes the fold for you and holds it. It's felt, £8, and has a card pocket. It isn't cheating, it's practical on a wedding morning. We cover whether it's worth it in pocket square holder for a suit: is it worth it?
A starter set for £24
If you're building from nothing, three squares cover nearly everything:
- White silk, £8. Work, weddings, black tie.
- Black silk, £8. Evening and smart-casual puffs.
- One patterned silk, £8, in a colour from your most-worn tie. The burgundy, light blue and black paisley is a good start with navy and grey.
Finish the look
A pocket square works hardest as part of a set. Pick the tie first. Everything else follows. Then the square, then cufflinks that pick up an accent colour (our cufflinks guide covers how to choose), and a ratchet belt to finish. Browse ties and the full pocket squares range to see how they pair.
Pocket square questions
Do I need a pocket square with a suit?
No. But a jacket looks more finished with one. It's the cheapest way to make a suit look considered.
Which pocket does it go in?
The breast pocket on the jacket, the one on the left chest.
Should it match my tie?
Not exactly. Offset it: pick up one colour from the tie, add the colour it's missing, or go plain if the tie is busy.
Can I wear one without a tie?
Yes. A puff fold in a patterned silk works with an open collar.
Silk or polyester?
Silk if you'll fold it often or it's for a formal event. Polyester is the cheaper, smaller option and fine for simple folds.
How do I stop the fold collapsing?
Use silk for structured folds, or a pocket square holder to hold the shape.
How should I store it?
Flat or loosely rolled, rather than balled up in a drawer. Creases relax out of silk within a day or two.
Keep reading
- How to fold a pocket square: 6 folds for every occasion
- Best pocket square for a navy suit
- What pocket square with a grey suit
- Matching a tie and pocket square properly
- Best pocket squares for blazers
- Best silk pocket squares
- How to style a pocket square well
- Can men wear pocket squares?
- Are pocket squares outdated?
- Best tie colours for blue shirts