How to Fold a Pocket Square

Before folding, it's worth knowing that fabric choice affects which folds work well. Crisp cotton and linen hold sharp, structured folds nicely, while silk is better suited to looser, more textured folds like the puff, since it doesn't hold a crease as well.

1. Lay the square flat, right side down.

2. Fold it in half, then in half again, so you have a smaller rectangle.

3. Fold it into thirds if needed to fit the width of your pocket.

4. Insert it into the breast pocket with the straight folded edge facing up, leaving about half an inch to an inch showing.

This is the cleanest, most formal option and pairs well with suits worn to interviews, weddings, or business settings.

1. Lay the square flat as a diamond, one corner pointing up.

2. Fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner, forming a triangle.

3. Fold the left and right corners in toward the center, slightly overlapping, to narrow the width to fit your pocket.

4. Fold the bottom up to the desired height for your pocket.

5. Insert with the point facing up, adjusting so a small peak of fabric shows above the pocket edge.

This fold works well for most semi-formal to formal occasions and looks intentional without being fussy.

1. Lay the square flat, then pinch the center of the fabric with one hand and let it drape down.

2. Gather the fabric loosely into your fist, keeping the puff shape you've formed at the top.

3. Tuck the gathered bottom into your pocket, adjusting the puffed top so it sits naturally above the pocket edge, not perfectly symmetrical.

This fold is more casual and works well with sport coats or less formal blazers, and is particularly suited to silk squares that don't hold crisp lines as well.

1. Lay the square flat as a diamond.

2. Fold the bottom point up about two-thirds of the way, leaving the top point exposed.

3. Fold the left and right sides behind, narrowing the width to your pocket size.

4. Fold the bottom up to fit the pocket depth.

5. Insert with the two points visible, one slightly higher than the other for a more casual, textured look.

- Practice on a table before your first attempt in the mirror, since it's easier to see and adjust the fold before it's tucked into a pocket.

- Don't match your pocket square exactly to your tie. A complementary color or pattern that relates without perfectly matching tends to look more intentional and less like a matching set bought off a rack.

- Less fabric showing is usually more elegant. A common beginner mistake is letting too much square show above the pocket, which can look overdone rather than polished.

- Reset the fold after wearing. Pocket squares lose their shape with movement over the course of a day, so refold before reuse rather than assuming the same fold holds indefinitely.

- Job interviews, weddings, formal business settings: the straight fold or one-point fold.

- Smart casual, dinner out, semi-formal events: the two-point fold or a neat puff.

- Casual blazers, creative industries, more relaxed settings: the puff fold, especially in a textured or patterned silk.

Once you've got two or three folds comfortably in your muscle memory, the pocket square stops being an intimidating extra step and becomes one of the easiest ways to adjust how formal or relaxed an outfit reads.