How To: Pick a Pocket Square for your Outfit | Sartorial Styles

Today I show you my favourite tips and tricks on how to find the perfect pocket square for your shirt, tie and jacket.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m Benjamin and you are watching Sartorial Styles. Today I show you my favourite tips and tricks on how to find the perfect pocket square for your outfit.
For me, pocket squares are the most essential accessory in menswear. When I wear a tailored jacket, there is no question whether I should also wear a pocket square or not. I just do. That doesn’t mean you also have to handle it like me, but even if you are not a frequent wearer of pocket squares, this video could be interesting for you.
First things first, pocket squares bought in a set with a tie do look tacky when worn together. I do not recommend to match the pocket square and the tie as close as possible, too. It’s just not a great look in my opinion.
When choosing a pocket square for your outfit, you have to keep three things in mind: Colour, Pattern and Fabric. Let’s start with colours and how to pick one that will work with your tie and shirt if applicable and your jacket.
The easiest choice of colour is white. A white pocket square works with every tie, jacket and shirt you could think of. I personally love white pocket squares with some colourful elements. The white base makes it easy to combine with the jacket and the shirt, the coloured thread can either match or complement the tie. In this look for example I wear a burgundy tie with yellow medaillons, so I decided to go for a white pocket square with some yellow elements that is classic and easy to combine yet able to pick up the colour of the tie. It looks well put together without being tacky or matchy matchy.
Generally it can be a good idea to not pick up the base colour of the tie but the colour or the colours included in the pattern. With this pink tie, a pink pocket square would be too heavy. But the blue micropattern allows me to easily go for a pocket square incorporating tones of blue.
With solid coloured ties on the other hand, I usually go for a pretty neutral pocket square with a pattern that includes the colour of the tie - basically the other way around. With this brown flannel tie I would wear this pocket square with a brownish micro pattern. Long story short, when you are somehow trying to match colours of the tie and the pocket square, do it in the most subtle way possible. In your face matching isn’t exactly elegant.
Complementing the colour of the tie is actually easier than matching it. Blue for example is perfectly complemented by yellow. Red is perfectly complemented by green - just ask Luca Rubinacci.
The second important thing when matching ties and pocket squares is Pattern. The rule of thumb is quite easy and can be applied to pretty much every combination: If your tie features a pattern with a large scale, go for a pocket square with a smaller scaled pattern. And the other way around. Solids work with large and small patterns. This tie for example has a pretty large medallion pattern. Matching it with a paisley pocket square or a similarly sized medaillon pocket square would look off and way too busy. Trust me, I tried it. With a solid pocket square like this or a smaller scaled pattern it works very well though. With this polka dot tie on the other hand, I could easily go for a paisley pocket square. The polka dots are a small scale pattern and do not clash with the large scale paisley.
The third important thing to keep in mind when picking a pocket square for your outfit is fabric. A solid white silk pocket square with a black tie ensemble? Awesome! But with a smart casual look it would probably not work very well. With formality decreasing, linens, cottons and even wool are the way to go. Sure, there are less formal silk pocket squares, but due to the sheen it is a more formal fabric after all that might not work with denim jeans for example.
Thank you very much for watching this installment of Sartorial Styles. What do you think about pocket squares? I would love to hear about your thoughts in the comment section. If you are not subscribed yet, please consider doing so and also check out my Instagram account, it’s linked in the video description. Have a nice time and see you next week!

[@DogStar84]

Very helpful. Thank you

[@corisco93]

Very valuable content! I have just discovered your channel today. I ll stay tuned.

[@SartorialStyles]

Thank you very much and welcome! ;-)

[@89wm1]

I don’t wear a tie when I wear a sport coat, but I always wear a pocket square, which makes it even harder to match.

[@omerfaruktacyldz6986]

Omg I just found out this channel and it is amazing

[@SartorialStyles]

Thank you! :-)

[@davidwhigham5907]

Thank you sir

[@SartorialStyles]

Always happy to help! :-)

[@martaintitan]

I am going with a navy blue blazer, white shirt, black trousers and black formal shoes. Which colour pocket square should I go for ?

[@arjunaryana5401]

I have black jacket, navy blue shirt, and white silver tie, what pocket square color do you recommend for my set?

[@jashonharris]

Awesome video! If I'm wearing a light gray blazer, navy shirt, black jeans, and camel suede Chelsea boots, what pocket square color would you recommend?

[@SartorialStyles]

I would maybe go for a pocket square incorporating blue and/or yellow tones. Something with a brown shade could work as well, even though it can, but does not have to clash with the jeans. Yellow is a safe bet when you're already wearing blue though.

[@jashonharris]

@@SartorialStyles awesome! Thanks a ton!

[@lolollolol5654]

For my valedictorian party (architecture master) I need to look perfect, I will wear a darkblue suit, brown chelsea boots, white/blue vertical striped dress shirt with white contrast collar and a blue tie with yello stripes. What color should the pocket square be, what pattern? geometric, paisley - yellow, white, or light blue or completely other color like brown?

[@beeps689]

Black suit, white shirt, solid maroon tie, any suggestions for pocket square colors?

[@SartorialStyles]

White would work for sure, off-white / ivory as well. When it comes to more colourful options, the black suit is the limiting factor in my opinion. You could try to go for a pocket square with white as base colour, but also incorporating some yellow and/or blue. Going for another colour similar to maroon, for example burgundy or red, would probably be too much.

[@rob3rt891]

Hi, I'm wearing a dark grey suit, white shirt, solid forrest green tie to match my girlfriends dress, could you recommend a square please?

[@mohdsaadalikhan7209]

mid blue suit with white shirt, pocket square suggestion?

[@SartorialStyles]

Are you wearing a tie? If so, how does it look? You could absolutely wear a white pocket square for a very streamlined look, but depending on the other accessories you wear it could be boring. If you go for a necktie, I would maybe choose something incorporating blue and go for a pocket square with some yellow elements - or the other way around. Similar to what you see on the thumbnail of this video actually.

[@RameezRazaRiaz99]

Dark purple suit, white shirt and light purple or pink tie. What pocket square would you recommend?

[@45scienceproject]

Not the creator, but honestly a white square would match your shirt and contrast against the purple SUPER nicely. If you want to dig deeper though, you probably could just as easily rock a black square with some sort of purple or pink pattern and pick the opposite of whatever color tie you choose. So a black base with a purple pattern if you wear a pink tie, or black base with a pink pattern if you wear purple.

[@unbeatableboy8826]

I have a blazer of light blue colur with same colour pants, what coluor of pocket square should I have to buy plz suggest me bro..

[@SartorialStyles]

I would probably go for a pastel yellow tone to underline the summery appearance of a light blue suit. Rust would be another phenomenal option, maybe in combination with some lighter grey tones. Honestly, blue is a very nice colour to combine because it looks good with many different pocket squares and ties. Just try it out and you'll see whether or not it works for you. :-)

[@unbeatableboy8826]

@@SartorialStyles thanks brudda

[@musabthegreat]

Hi, i have a question.... What should be the fabric of the pocket square... And what should be it's dimensions if you just want it to be a presidential fold. What fabric will not sink into the pocket and what is recommended

[@SartorialStyles]

As bigger as better, I would say. 40cm x 40cm is nice, 35cm x 35cm is great as well. Concerning fabrics, I realised that more "rugged" fabrics like cotton or linen stay up better than smooth fabrics like silk.

[@musabthegreat]

@@SartorialStyles thanks a lot!

[@VivekSharma-tc7qb]

Pocket square suggestion for floral printed jacket. (Rose n jasmine print over black background).. please help

[@SartorialStyles]

Maybe just go for the most simple option: white silk? I think any pattern would probably clash with the floral print, except some kind of micropattern or polka dots maybe.

[@VivekSharma-tc7qb]

@@SartorialStyles thanx mate!!

[@blastergaming667]

Please help me anyone my 2 peace suit black and white shirt and black formal shoes anyone suggest me best pocket square please 👀

[@Shakaal_ki_bua]

Navy blue suit
Will white pocket square work??

[@SartorialStyles]

Absolutely!

[@Shakaal_ki_bua]

@@SartorialStyles but which fold.

[@himanshujaiswal966]

My suits blue check pls u told me

[@SartorialStyles]

I'm sorry, what do you mean?