A New Type of Pocket Square

We have talked about pocket squares and how they should be consistently worn with blazers and sport coats and suits. Pocket squares help set the suit apart from the rest reinforce your style and add an accent color to a wardrobe.

Our new favorite trick is to take an old blue, red or white bandana and turn it into a pocket square. It adds vintage color with a rebel biker flavor to the outfit.

It is shown here with a blue vintage bandana. But looks just as good with white or red bandanas. A set of three bandanas can be found on eBay for around $25.

Holiday Office Party

First and Foremost, I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday.

Pictures are in from the Holiday Office Party.  I wore a gray charcoal Hugo Boss suit, a white bespoke shirt and an Express wool plaid tie.  The tie is mainly gray and black with highlights of red and white.  This is paired with a red silk pocket square.  The silk compliments the wool tie well, as the different fabric add interest to the outfit.  The red in the square picks up the same color in the tie, helping to accent it, without being too much red, or looking too thought out.

A man never wants the outfit to look too planned, accidentally color coordinated and planned is the goal.  What I choose to call sprezzatura. 

Reader's Question: Pocket Squares

John O. from Los Angeles asks:

"Do you know any good and affordable sources for (1) silk paisley pocket squares, and (2) white linen pocket squares with hand-rolled edges?  I got my white linen squares from Schweitzer Linens, but for some reason the linen ones have machine hemmed edges.  The cotton ones seem to be hand rolled, but I didn't buy cotton ones (nor do I plan on buying any plain white cotton squares)."

Thanks John for the question.  I find that a great place to look for pocket squares is at Bloomingdales.  In store they have a wide selection of pocket squares, in the suit section near the ties.  It is one of the larger pocket square sections.  The Bloomingdales brand silk pocket square is sold for around $22.  It has hand rolled edges and come in great patterns and colors.  They also usually have a few pocket squares on sale as well, I have found some great ones for about $10 a square.  Good luck find a helpful sales person, but that story is told over and over again.

Online I find that a great place for affordable pocket squares is Sam Hober.  They make bespoke neckties as well as carry a huge selection of ready made ties & pocket squares.  I found a couple paisley pocket squares on the site that I felt were quite handsome.

This blue paisley is perfect for winter with its dark rich colors.  It is sold on Sam Hober for on only $35.  The coloring would be great to accent a dark red madder tie.  It would also compliment a gold or olive tie.  This square would work well with gray or navy suits well since it has such a universal navy base color.

The olive green paisley square above can also be found on Sam Hober.  It would go great with a navy or blue tie, gold or yellow tie and a dark red tie.  A bright red tie with this pocket square would look too Christmas like.  You could also wear it with a dark forest green necktie.  I think this square would pop out best in a navy suit, but you can never go wrong with a gray suit.

Sam Hober also has a beautiful hand rolled white linen pocket square.  This linen pocket square is sold for $40 and is a weave with considerable weight.  Some white linen pocket squares have much thicker and rougher thread, which makes the square less refined.  A white linen square should hold a crease well and add a clean, crisp, strip of color to a suit.

You might want to also check Lands End and Men's Wearhouse online.  Both of those retailers has pocket squares ranging from $15 to $10.  The Lands End pocket square is above and the Men's Wearhouse square is featured below.

A linen square should always be folded and ironed into a perfect square for display.  A silk pocket square should be dropped hap-hazardly into the breast pocket.  They should be worn differently and provide a different edge to the jacket and look.

Remember to email me your fashion questions to: Modern Dignified.

Holiday Office Party Attire, done the right way

The proper Holiday Office Party attire should be able to be accomplished with your current wardrobe. You want to make sure the outfit is professional, classic, modern and fun. It needs to be memorable without standing out and representative of your personal style. To make sure that you fit all the requirements, stick to the mainstay classics in your wardrobe.

Classic Charcoal Gray Suit - Stick with a perfectly tailored and trim fitting suit. Make sure it compliments you and actually fits. Go with a charcoal gray, it will go with anything. You should already know what suit I am describing; yes the "Money Suit". If you live in an area where the weather is appropriate, you might want to break out the flannel suit for this occasion, but remember there will be dancing. Trust me, there will be dancing.

Black Oxford Shoes - Wear the classic black oxford shoes. This is the perfect occasion to breakout the shoes that you wear to interviews, weddings and funerals. Now add Holiday Parties to that list.

Dress Shirt - Keep it classic. The well tailored, white dress shirt with medium spread pin point collar is the perfect call for the occasion.  Think of it as the base for your tie and pocket square selection. It also makes the transition to the after party very well. Just undue the collar roll up the sleeves and you can hang all night without looking like you walked out of a Christmas themed nightmare. Remember, there will be lots of pictures and some sent to your clients and vendors, keep it classic.

Tie - For the tie I would recommend a classic gray tie with hints of red or maroon or burgundy. This will give it a hint of the holidays without making it look like you've been dreaming of a white Christmas since July. I also think a solid dark red tie in a satin or silk would look great. If you are going with a pattern, keep it small and classic. A wool tie or silk knit would also look great, as the fabric would play well against the worsted wool suit. As always make sure the tie is 3" or skinnier. Since it is a party, you can go with a tie skinnier than normal, but please do yourself a favor and do not go down to the 2" tie.

Pocket Square - Have some fun, it is a party after all.  Go with a wool or silk red pocket square, patterned with other colors if it is wool.  If it is silk, go with a dark red and avoid the true red.  Another great option is the always appropriate white linen pocket square, worn off slightly off kilter.

Sprezzatura - Don't look too perfect.  That is an easy way too look like a nancy and have everyone hate you.  Mess something up a little bit.  Unbutton your cuffs, mess up the tie a bit, keep the pocket square sloppy.  No man should ever look perfect.

Socks - Have a lot of fun with your socks.  Make them brightly colored, striped, paisley, or another pattern.  Make them a different color than the suit and shirt.  Wear red, green, whatever.  This is a great opportunity to wear green and red plaid to go with the Christmas spirit, like the one above sold at Ben Silver.  It will be recognized and you will lauded for having pride in the season.

Day at the Ponies

A day at the race track is a perfect opportunity to wear a summer suit, linen or seersucker, a straw fedora or panama hat and country shoes (saddle shoes, bucks, etc.) or loafers.

The track is a great place to flaunt the ridiculous, yet make it seem normal. Once again, confidence is the key to pulling off a look that in the city would receive snickers and whispers. But at the track the outfit feels natural and fits into the environment just like blondes in Orange County.

I have to confess, I am in the gray hat and navy blazer (pictured). Not captured in this photo, I am also wearing tan and white seersucker slacks and a blue & white web belt.

I will be posting some more stellar outfits, as I see them. The rest of the outfits will be stellar, I am certainly not saying that mine is stellar.