How To Fold A Handkerchief (Pocket Square)

 Some men may feel like learning how to fold a handkerchief is as useless as learning how to clean a LP. But if you want to be in fashion then you do need a handkerchief in your breast pocket. Think about it what would look better, a handkerchief stuffed in the pocket or one folded all nice. What lady wants you to hand her a wrinkled handkerchief? In this article we will tell you exactly how these pocket square handkerchiefs are folded.

How to Fold a Handkerchief Basics

Even though they are called both handkerchiefs and pocket squares they are actually two different things. Handkerchief is made of linen or cotton. They are well-defined. They look very sharp in your breast pocket.The pocket square can be any materials from silk to wool. These materials are softer and easier on the nose. The pocket square will give you a whole different look in your pocket then a handkerchief. The pocket square looks like a puff. There is a variety of folding styles. Here are a few easy ones:

• Presidential. This is thought to be the easiest fold, great for smaller pieces. You fold the handkerchief at right angles to fit it into the pocket.
• TV Fold. Yes, we said the TV fold. No, it does not look like a TV. But it is the fold that was used in films back in the forties and fifties. This is a standard fold. It is close to the Presidential fold but it is folded diagonally and the point is placed in the pocket
• One-Point Fold. For this fold, the handkerchief is also folded diagonally, but is tucked in the pocket so that the point is showing.

Intermediate Folds

Once you have got all of the basics down pat in folding a handkerchief then you can move on to a little more difficult ones. These are usually used with colored or patterned handkerchiefs.

• Two-Point Fold. In this instance, you fold the handkerchief off center so that the points don't completely overlap.
• Three-Point Fold. Fold the handkerchief into a triangle and then fold the corners up and across to make three even points.
• Four-Point Fold. The same as a three-point, except in this case the points are off center.

There are even more folds to use when you are ready to get even more fancy. Like the Cagney and Astaire. These are for the fancier look.

Why Use a Handkerchief

Today men and women wear handkerchiefs on their suits. They do this because it can take a dull suit and liven it up quite a bit. It can add that professional touch that you are looking for. Some people think it’s wrong and nasty to use these handkerchiefs for anything more then show. But come on that is what these handkerchiefs have been used for forever. They are better for the environment and once cleaned they can be used again. Image Source: (1)