The pocket square is the handkerchief worn in the breast pocket of a jacket — a small detail that introduces colour, texture and character. It completes a chest that would otherwise look bare, and quietly conveys the wearer's taste. In this entry, Mon Amie shares why the pocket square has held its place in the gentleman's wardrobe for more than a century, the common folds, and how to choose well.
What a pocket square does for a suit
From a distance, a dark suit is a flat plane. The pocket square breaks that plane in four ways:
- A note of colour: it brings prominence and balance to the outfit, particularly when the tie and shirt are both subdued.
- An expression of taste: the colour, the cloth and the fold you choose reflect your character — the observant will notice at once.
- Visual depth: the chest gains depth and life instead of dissolving into the cloth.
- A finished whole: a small detail with the power to lift an entire outfit.
Since the nineteenth century, the pocket square has been a mark of the well-dressed gentleman. It is not decoration for its own sake — it is evidence of care taken with every detail.
The value of a finishing detail
Why does Mon Amie always encourage clients to give thought to this small square of cloth? Because it offers four very practical benefits:
- Refinement: it lends composure in every setting, from the meeting room to the evening table.
- Visual balance: it settles the upper body and gives the eye a place to rest rather than pass over.
- Flexibility: with the same suit, changing only the square changes the mood — by season, by occasion or by temperament.
- Small change, large effect: a modest adjustment that makes a clear difference, at a cost that is almost nothing beside the suit itself.
Five common pocket square folds
Each fold carries its own spirit. You need not learn them all — two that suit your life are enough:
- Puff: soft and free, full and prominent — right for a patterned silk square and a festive atmosphere.
- One point: simple, elegant and the most versatile — the first fold to learn.
- Two point: balanced and refined, well suited to the office.
- Three point: formal and crisp, usually reserved for important occasions.
- TV fold: a flat fold showing one clean horizontal line, modern and decisive — at its best in white cotton or linen, and never wrong in a serious setting.
For newcomers, Mon Amie usually suggests beginning with a TV fold in white: discreet, professional and right with any business suit.
Where a pocket square belongs
- The office: a refined accent that shows composure and professionalism — choose white or a subdued colour, folded flat.
- Weddings: added formality that helps the groom or the guest stand out in the photographs.
- Events and evening receptions: an expression of personal style and a distinct impression — this is where patterned silk and the puff fold come into their own.
- Blazers and smart casual: it softens the outfit and adds ease and interest, even when you are not wearing a tie.
How to choose a pocket square
A few principles drawn from the craft:
- Cloth: silk, linen, cotton, wool, cashmere — silk for evening, linen and cotton for the office and daytime.
- Colour: harmonise with the tie and shirt, or contrast with them deliberately. One important note: the square should be a relative of the tie, not its twin — a matching tie-and-square set cut from the same cloth is the most common mistake.
- Pattern: keep it in conversation with the tie or the shirt, and avoid two patterns of the same scale side by side.
- Size: 30–33cm is standard, enough to hold a fold without bulking out the pocket.
- Placement: fold it gently, avoiding anything stiff or elaborate; the refinement lies in doing just enough.
A word from Mon Amie's artisans
In the workshop we still say among ourselves that one small accent in the right place always gives the chest more depth. When making to measure, the tailor sets the breast pocket straight and with enough opening for the square to sit naturally — because if the pocket is set crooked, no square will save it. The handkerchief only reaches its full effect on a suit that truly fits your body.
If you would like a suit whose chest is built to let a pocket square show at its best, book an appointment at one of Mon Amie's five showrooms in Ho Chi Minh City or call 0888.111.118. You may also read about the tailoring process at Mon Amie beforehand — where every small detail receives the same care as the pocket square itself.