If you think about it, the concept of pocket squares is kind of odd: a functionally useless piece of cloth in a functionally useless pocket. But of course, any self-respecting sharp dresser knows that clothes aren’t just about being functional—what’s life without a little style?
You might be surprised to learn, though, that while there have been stylish people around since clothes became a thing, pocket squares came onto the fashion stage relatively late. Handkerchiefs, pocket squares’ rustic ancestor, have been used since ancient times. But surprisingly, in the Western world, carrying a single handkerchief for nose-related issues only became popular during the Renaissance (before that time, they were usually used for wiping sweat from your face, or covering your head).
Among fans of pocket square lore, English King Richard II is typically credited with starting the trend of carrying around a quality piece of fabric to clean your nose—or to block it from your neighbors’ foul body odor.
Today, the legacy lives on, and not just because each one has had a particular pocket square fold named for him: As you likely know if you’re reading this, pocket squares are back in fashion. Look at a contemporary awards show red carpet and you’ll see sharply dressed celebrities like Jon Hamm (whose show “Mad Men” may be partially responsible for the pocket square renaissance), Justin Timberlake, Diddy, and Robert Downey Junior all wearing a ‘square. Will you take your place among them? You should.
5 Reasons to wear a pocket square
Some of us are reckless fashion adventurers, and others are more cautious about our sartorial choices. If you’re debating whether or not to sport a pocket square, here are five good reasons to start doing so immediately:
1. Join the ranks of some of recent history and fiction’s most dapper men
What do Jay Gatsby, Clark Gable, Don Draper, and Daniel Craig (as well as James Bond) have in common? They’re all sharp dressers – and all of them have worn pocket squares. Still dubious about the elegant touch of that square of folded handkerchief? Think about one of menswear’s darkest incarnations: the leisure suit. It has pockets, but certainly no pocket square!
2. The flourish
In bygone days, remarkable men had head-turning accessories, be it the helmet of a Viking warrior, the feather in the romantic troubadour’s cap, or the earring of a wealthy Renaissance-era noble. Unless you have a really unique job, it’s likely you can’t wear any of those things to spice up the daily grind. Luckily, the pocket square is a more subtle and modern way to add personality and elegance to what might otherwise be a suit like any other.
3. Escape the ordinary
In his famous short poem “In a Station of the Metro,” Ezra Pound observes, “The apparition of these faces in the crowd;/Petals on a wet, black bough.” If everyone were wearing pocket squares, the poem might just have a few more lines. Maybe imagery about flames or colorful birds would be involved. Pocket squares will get you noticed, either for their subtle elegance, or their flamboyant shades and folds. Turn the right head and your life might take a very different turn, as well.
4. Self-expression
We all have the clothes we “should” wear, and sometimes, no matter how unique we try to be, we still end up blending into the crowd. But why not make a bold statement that will set you apart? Of course, nothing that will get your boss to call security! A pocket square is an excellent way to be bold, while not rocking too many boats. Add a pocket square in any color or combination of colors you can imagine, to give your suit a dash of personality and uniqueness. Pocket squares may be fairly unusual today, but they’re backed with enough historical credentials to command both fascination, and respect.
5. Easy to procure, easy to get rid of.
Some great fashion statements are also great expenses. Not so with pocket squares. Those gentlemen blessed in the wallet department may choose to invest in designer handkerchiefs in fabrics like silk, but even a less well-off fellow can seek out interesting fabrics and patterns in affordable menswear stores. Economical and eminently portable, the pocket square lets you decide, from how to fold it, to whether or not you want to keep it on display, if there’s a moment you feel you’d like a little less attention. A pocket square does not have to be a lifelong commitment: give one a try today and see if it’s for you. We bet you’ll enjoy it—as will everyone who sets eyes on you.
We really want you to join the Revolution
For those of you who already know me, to put it short, I’m a hardcore freak when it comes to Pochettes. Last year, I started a small company, Glamorous Pochette, in Eastern Europe (where else? huh…) and today, is a big day.. it has been already one year and we are doing pretty good. So to celebrate this event, I would like to offer all you guys, dear ROK readers, a nice little gift—a 20% discount.
Our Pocket Squares are made in Italy, 100% pure silk/linen/cotton and, especially, they are hand rolled. So you are getting a top-class product, plus a gorgeous packaging—Your Pochette will come individually packaged in a custom white Glamorous Pochette Boxes. Keep it safe, so it can grace your suits for years to come.
- So head to our shop on Etsy.com/shop/Glamorous pochette.com
- Pick the Pocket Square you like,
- When checking out, use this coupon code: ROK14
- Boom! You get 20% off
- Job done. Happy days.
And I advice you to go for the Player Pocket Square. All the ladies will love it… and will try to steal it, I guarantee it. Every time I go out, there will a bitch in the club who will try to steal my Pocket Square. If you guys have any questions, I will be happy to help.
Glamorously yours,
Kamal.
Read Next: Here’s What You Should (And Shouldn’t) Do When Buying A New Suit
After reading Esther Vilars book I can never wear suit without thinking about what she wrote about them. They are outdated, uncomfortable clothes meant to turn men into drone like backdrops. Two square inches of “indiviual” cloth are not going to change that.
You can get comfortable suits.
I think what he’s trying to get it is, a woman basically told him that a suit is not going score him any brownie points with the women. Unfortunately, I’m inclined to agree.
Which sucks, too, because I have a suit that’s only good as a Blues Brothers/Men in Black costume.
And yes, I have a pocket square for it for formal occasions. Hasn’t scored me any brownie points yet.
Have you seen the woman he’s talking about? I would not take her advice on fashion trust me.
I can guarantee you that a suit will score you brownie points with everyone, not just women. You project a message about yourself, regardless of what you wear. It is your choice as to what message to broadcast.
When I wear a suit two things happen. I behave differently and people treat me differently. In fact, I have noticed the same woman treat me differently when I am wearing a suit versus when I am wearing jeans. One thing everyone does is take you seriously.
I think it just bothers me that the more and more men make an effort to be clean and proper, more and more women tell us we are pathetic. it’s like, effort scares women. Is it just because they can make fun of us? Honestly, I’ve looked at a suit as a means of reflecting how serious you are, but I have had moments where I was serious and women have laughed at me. it’s as though wearing a suit at all is just comedic for them. It’s like a physical representation of how serious you are in women find that laughable.
maybe it’s just my personal experience, but most of the women I have met even wearing a suit still mock me for no reason. That would pretty much explain why I’m at this website right now.
Well I would say this. If women laugh at you when you are wearing a suit its then something else is going on. I think that is for you to reflect upon.
That said, there two things you can do here. First, tell them to go fuck themselves. Second, you will never be worse off for taking steps to improve your appearance. Combine this with improving your professional qualifications, fitness and mind and people will fast run out of things to laugh at you about.
I have a feeling that women would laugh at you suit or no suit
It sounds like you surround yourself with low quality women, not just an average bitch or cunt. I’m guessing you live in NYC?
Chicago.
Gee, thanks the vode of confidence.
Yeah, they like men dressed as rednecks.
Pocket squares are smexy. If anyone should start a trend, it should be masculine men. Otherwise this will go the way of the fedora.
Spending significant time in a major city, subtle things like this signal class. It is almost impossible to find a tailored men’s jacket nowadays without a welted breast pocket.
And class repels women unfortunately.
You know, I think your being rejected by females so much has another explanation
Nope. Not unless I wore a pocket square.
These are very… flowery.
I would have said ‘flamboyant’ as a polite euphemism for ‘gay’ instead of ‘flowery’.
Used a pocket square on my suit for the first time this week…. got instant compliments. It is remarkable how this ‘little pointless detail’ really makes your style and masculinity rise above the ‘average’.
” It is remarkable how this ‘little pointless detail’ really makes your style and masculinity rise above the ‘average’”
Doesn’t mean anything unless it translates to actual sex, period.
Sex may not be the only thing a man may want to achieve, I hope you realize.
lol… I know right…
“Sex may not be the only thing a man may want to achieve, I hope you realize”
I agree, but with regards to women it should only be about sex.
In regards to women, yes.
You have a very limited mind.
“You have a very limited mind.”
OMG you’re so right! Let’s all get together and talk about our limited minds and feelings while we suck each other off [/SARCASM]
Actually I’m not into gay sex but thanks for offering.
That girl was right, there are a lot of closet homos on here.
The best use for the pocket square is to hand it to the woman you made cry with laughter.
The most stylish way to wipe off my dick after banging some girl in heat. That’s why I like the pocket square.
No way would I get my pocket square dirty. Her already wet panties do the job just fine.
Fuck is wrong with you? Use the curtain!
Wipe it on her sheets.If you were a real Alpha like yours truly she’d get a warm damp washcloth and do it for you.
Or have her suck the filth off your cock before you get dressed to get the fuck out of there
I reserve that for ATM..
Naw, I repocket the pussy stained square and waft it under another bitch’s nose, using the first pussy as bait. Works every time, – yours truly.
At a funeral recently I was told to put one in my coat pocket. Because somebody is going to be crying and I would be able to give it to them like a gentleman. My response was after somebody blows their nose in it, I sure as hell won’t want to take it back. I don’t get this. Its a throwback to 1964.
Well, really, you bring two: “one for show, and one for blow”–the second being a clean, cotton handkerchief that you put in your interior coat pocket. Never ever let a girl discharge any fluids that come out of her head (or elsewhere) onto a silk pocket square, ever.
Mistral
“And I advice you to go for the Player Pocket Square. All the ladies will love it… ”
No they won’t. Things like class and style are lost on today’s westernized female. If you want to sport a look the ‘ladies’ will love, sport any kind of ex-con attire. Some females in America will go as far as laughing at you and ask if your mother chose the pocket square.
So you’re saying that perhaps Kamal should offer “Prison Stripe” and “Orange Gitmo Jumpsuit” inspired pocket squares? 😉
Mistral
I would recommend staying away from anything of class. So things like prison tattoos are good, and any accessories that scream ‘violent piece of shit’ you have to remember that chicks are attracted to evil.
Evil… like Hannibal?
If you want to look evil then dress like a villain in a Bond film. At least you’ll get the high quality hot chicks.
Your sort of dressing evil will only get you the prison tattooed dyky looking meth smoking skanks with 3 kids on welfare.
Well fuck those bitches, your pocket square did you a favour. Call it Bitchbane because it drives the bitches away.
I won’t say that a pocket square will get you laid on its own but it is that subtle addition to your jacket that will set you apart and indicate a man with style. Women eat that shit up.
I have to ask though, if you think women like the ex-con look, exactly where are you hanging out?
The local probation/welfare office
I didn’t appreciate the ad at the end, but the article is right.
Pocket squares are a great way to get all of the benefits of pea cocking at the same time as getting all of the benefits of looking good in a suit.
Oh wait. You have to wear a suit?
Or a pocket t-shirt. ; )
Mistral
Sadly, you are right. A pocket square will not even register on her addled brain as she weighs whether to call the police on you because you are creepy or wonders what your dick will taste like and is jonesing to check her iPhone because she’s already gone 60 seconds since the last time.
In the end the guy just want to sell you his product, so he can live his life of debauchery in Poland, good for him.
But, Kamal, don’t come here trying to sell us some fake standard of fashion.
I think this looks way to effeminate for me to wear.
I agree, this article was more of an advertisement than anything else. I have lots of pocketsquares, and I sometimes wear them with my suits. The idea of the pocketsquare is to add a subtle splash of color to your suit. Your pocket square should never exactly match your tie. You don’t want to look like a tryhard, you want to look like you don’t give a fuck. If it doens’t completely match your outfit, great, but don’t go crazy and mismatch everything. You want to look like you just threw everything on and that it all went together is just a happy accident.
A guy who’s annoying, but knows how to wear a pocketsquare, is that Clinton guy on What Not to Wear. Go ahead, ROK, crucify me. I don’t care. I can only speak the truth. Leave it to gay men to keep men’s style alive during this Dark Age of men’s style in the Anglosphere. His pocketsquares add interest to his shirt/tie/suit colors without being too garish.
A great place to shop for pocketsquares (for cheap!) is the Tie Bar. They’re inexpensive but satisfactory quality. Silk pocketsquares will make you look more formal. They tend to be shinier as well. Cotton pocketsquares are less formal and have more of a matted look. Which you wear depends on whether you want to look more dressed up or casual.
http://www.thetiebar.com/pocket-squares
The pocket square pictured at the top of this article is undoubtedly a silk one. It’s puffed out of the pocket a little too obnoxious for my taste. Your square should be subtle, the main attraction is YOU, of course, not what you’re wearing.
So, you’re still living with mumsy then? Is this some sort of joke comment? Ex con attire? lol
I don’t wear pocket squares and whether you do or don’t is trivial but you should at least dress like a grown man. I have to wonder where you live and what sort of females you associate with.But I guess that on a blog where there are articles about being homeless and living in a box and where many of the comments were from people who did this and would also steal food out of females refrigerators I shouldn’t be surprised.
They have female refrigerators? How are they different to male refrigerators? Do they give birth to baby ‘fridges that you can store your beer in?
You Americans and your ideas of “class”, my hairy arse…
The actual ‘ladies’ may not love it indeed – because of the gaudy name, the cheapo designs, the contrived desperate sales-blurb, and perhaps they’ll spot it alright that they were glamourously outsourced to some unfortunate quarter of Central Europe.
Leave these for the used car salesmen and get a lightly used Hermès on ebay for a few quids more, if it’s ‘style’ what you’re after.
(Yep, i’m one of those shallow bitches who will judge you by your roulotté before you even get to open your mouth. Tough titty, deal with it.)
Modern Western civilization views a well dressed man as a homosexual and totally effeminate. You cannot rise above the herd, you must squander as they do or be viewed as a snobby elitist fag. Stick to the flip flops, stained shirt, and the “Big Lebowski” mentality. If you want, shit your pants, it adds some “pazazz” to the whole ensemble. The more of a slob and infant you are, the more dumb chicks will dig you for your “anti-establishment, rebellious” mentality (feel free to get some ironic care-free tattoos that do not make any sense). Though this ideology is totally hypocritical and couldn’t be any farther from the truth considering everyone has adopted and conformed to this look and perpetual adolescence mentality since 1969.
Sadly true. For the easy trailer-trash or ghetto fabulous lay…dress and display yourself like a counter culture turd.
The harder lays requires a demonstration of value. The business suit, the military uniform or professional outfit exudes ambition, focus and steady income. Yes…she’s sizing you up for provider potential. Like a moth to a flame. Pick and choose which you provide for and which you choose simply to provide for you.
Nah that’s always been more or less the case.
You can easily find French writings of the 16th-17th-18th centuries laughing about the overcoquettery and feminization of the marquis and other nobles.
It’s alway been considered effeminate and arrogant to take too much care of your look.
Is dropping in a conservative pocket square to complete your outfit taking too much care?
I’m not talking Oscar Wilde, the Dandies, and dressing as flamboyant gay as Liberace. I am talking about dressing like someone who didn’t just look like they rolled out of bed. Prior to 1950, I am pretty sure suits were required dress, even for the most sloppiest of men.
Not really. Regarding the common folk (not buisiness men, movie stars, or gangsters) they only wore them for great occasions, or on the sunday at church. Most of the time, they were wearing shirts, and normal pants.
They were definitely less sloppy than today, but a suit was not the standard set of clothes.
http://www.thelifenostalgic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/1940s-mens-fashion-3.jpg
http://legenoudeclaire.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/quai-des-brumes-extrait-jean-gabin-et-michc3a8le-morgan.jpg
I totally disagree, below are pictures of everyday life in Chicago 1940s. To counter your argument that it was only the “business, gangsters, and movie stars”, one of those photos is taken from the “Negro section” of Chicago, which of course was the poorest part of town. Regardless, everyone lived in the cities then and even less rich people, once white flight took off. Even amongst the poor (and it looks like children too in that one photo) wore suits. I can’t remember seeing that many suits in one area unless it was a wedding or a funeral. The jeans and t-shirt came into popularity with youthful rebellion becoming popular in the 1950s (think “Rebel Without a Cause”) and rebelling against the formal wear of the time. Plus, if you ever see really old people, many still dress like they did (most are dead) in suits and such.
In conclusion, there is no doubt more people wore suits and dressed formally back then compared to today’s slacker uniform, which was my original point.
To see more of these photos, type in “Chicago 1940” and search images:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a06000/8a06400/8a06473v.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXxzoGIqcjY/UDuVY19g9zI/AAAAAAAALok/trkFUCG7juA/s1600/John+Vachon+-+Waiting+for+street+car,+Chicago,+1940.jpg
http://s224.photobucket.com/user/champy12345/media/4×6%202010/NegrosectionofChicagoIllinois1940s4.jpg.html
Suits are great.
They wore sportswear (casual clothes to you newbs) and of course you wouldn’t wear a suit to the beach but this really isn’t about wearing suits but just looking a certain way.Personally I can tell more about a man when he’s in sportwear (casual) than in a suit. Suits are like uniforms and men who wear them to work are very similar but many neglect their sportswear look and this really tells me what they are about.
I hardly think putting on a few pieces of clothes is too much effort since you’re going to be dressing anyway.Things like blazers and sportcoats are just everyday garb and are just as comfortable as any other jacket if you had been wearing this since you were a kid and they fit correctly.
This post is so dead right. One of the main rules of style is to ‘not be over-dressed,’ so how do you step out in decent clothes and not break this rule? Meanwhile, grown men dress like eighth graders about to go out and play a game of tackle football in the grass. It’s sad because dressing yourself well is such a great way to live. It’s like the difference between guys who lift and those who don’t. Once you make lifting part of your life then you wonder how guys can miss out. Same with wearing blazers, ties, oxfords. I missed it for two decades and I see that as lost time. I mean that. That’s wasted time and how much of my behavior could have been better if I dressed like there was something at stake each day? I live overseas and get so much out of wearing good clothing. I’m already wondering what it would be like to do this back home which I’ve never done. My hometown buddies would get such a kick out of it. Like, HILARIOUS! What a character! I’m not talking about tophats, furs and canes or something. Just blazer/tie. It’s an upper-middle, upper class town too. Not some backwater. And I wonder if you would simply be attracting hostility if you took your gear on the road. Roadside diners etc. Maybe it’s not that bad but American has become such scum that I bet you’d get some angry glares which is so fricking sad and pretty much says it all. I’ve made this rant before and I apologize for the broken record.
A little off the topic; you live overseas? Where do you live and how are you able to be financially stable? I have been wanting to do this for years, but don’t want to give up the good paying job quite yet. Thank you.
I can’t claim I’m financially stable, but at least no debt. I have been living and teaching in Asia for years. Japan, HK, China, South Korea, Taiwan. Save your money as much as you can and then you can coast over here for a long while. You can save between a grand and possibly up to 2,500 a month if you work hard and budget yourself well. If you have a family then I don’t see how it could be enough money. Go to ESLcafe(dot)com and there is all kinds of info. If you’ve never had an interest in teaching then I can’t help you. I have the same question as you; How do you live overseas and find work (outside of teaching)? I don’t think too many companies will bite if you come at them simply wanting to live overseas, thus you wish to work for them. Most countries’ economies simply can’t compare to the USA, still. I taught in South America and one of my students was a high-level, skyscraper accountant on Brazi’s version of wall street. Pulled in 35K a year. Well off for Brazil but it doesn’t translate to our economy. Another factor is that countries don’t have a space for you in their upper class world; just all warm and ready for you because you’re American. It doesn’t work like that. Just like how we have Turkish surgeons working as doormen in the USA. Teaching is doable,anything else would be very tricky.
Whoa man, this is great! I have way more than you stated saved, so good to know. I plan on Taiwan first. Any thoughts on Taiwan?? Teaching is still doable; I thought that was over saturated? No? I was thinking of trying my hand at a business overseas, I have some close connections that know the language and run their own businesses in Taiwan. But how you describe economies make sense, I make good money here and am reluctant to give up the cozy cash flow and lifestyle…Shit, dilemma…I really got the wanderlust though…
Thanks again for the helpful feed back! I will keep you posted if I hear of work outside of teaching (blogging I heard is one, but the hell if I know how to get into that)…
Here is some faggy website that I am sure you have already read, but what the heck:
http://www.wanderingearl.com/42-ways-you-can-make-money-and-travel-the-world/
Hi and sorry for the delay. I lived in Taiwan about 17 years ago in Kaohsiung. At that time it was EXTREMELY polluted. I’ve lived in Hong Kong, Seoul, Shenzhen etc and nothing compares to Kaohsuing pollution. So that’s a factor. It must be somewhat cleaner but if they still motor around on scooters (I mean a hundred of them at every intersection all day long) then you’ll have to see how you feel about it. Other than that, Taiwan is very fun and sophisticated. It’s a good place to learn mandarin and I’ve heard some good things about it recently from a colleague. You always hear that teaching is getting saturated but if you’re willing to come to the country for a job search then it seems like something will fall into place pretty soon. I think there are teachers dedicated enough to protecting their cities that they spread the word on ESLcafe that there are simply no jobs, to keep people out. Or maybe they’re telling the truth. I am in South Korea, a place that seriously does not like middle age teachers and I still have kept myself busy 6 days a week for nearly two years. Japan is maybe a good option for you as a teacher. If you’re up around middle age then a room full of asshole kids might really suck for you. Japan might offer more one one teaching to adults and college kids. You like to dress yourself well, I’m assuming, so that can get you going in Japan where that is more or less required. You can separate yourself from the twenty something asshats if you’re willing to dress and work in Japan. Japanese girls will be the most fun also. Maybe avoid downtown Tokyo or Osaka where everyone wants to be and choose another city. Then specialize in one on one teaching. That might be my next move. I’m sick to death of kids. Let me know if you have any more questions. Mainland China, while hell, is very fun and also probably the best place to go if you want to hustle up your own business. It’s the Wild West and, ironically, very free.
Dang, I would be right around there (Tainan). Good to know. Nice words of encouragement. I did one on one teaching as a side job in Budapest, it seems like a great way to go and close to running your own business (making your own hours). Interesting points on China being the Wild West. I would love Japan and have thought of going, buying a motorcycle there, and traveling around Japan searching for a town/city to settle in. Then do the one on one teaching. Japanese women are beautiful. Thanks for the tips! Good luck to ya and nice chatting!
A little gay for my tastes. 6’2″ 230 lbs guys don’t pull off ‘dapper’
Don’t be immature. There is nothing gay about it.
However anyone thinking of adopting this manly and stylish mode of fashion might want to familiarise themselves with the following before blazing the trail –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handkerchief_code
It’s not immature to recognize that some styles, with your build and facial structure, will make you appear flamboyantly homosexual.
Not every style works for every person.
When your ‘look’ resembles ’80s biker/wrestler’, ‘dapper’ just doesn’t cut it. ‘ex con’, ‘MC enforcer’, or ‘ex-athlete/bodyguard’ in a suit are close, but dapper? I would never pull it off for the same reason I will never go clean-shaven. Some styles just…don’t…work for some people.
nobody has pulled off a bowler since patrick mcnee in the avengers I think, but if you can do it, it could look brilliant (although you might look like you were peacocking).
Every style definitely doesn’t work for everyone, which is why you have to feel comfortable with whatever you do. No reason a hanky has to indicate a fetish – what matters I guess is deportment, confidence of deportment, and the wider ‘gestalt’
Don’t need to peacock, since I am seldom ‘on the hunt’ and most clubbies don’t meet my style requirements. But changing my own look sounds appealing.
For you. Charcoal grey suit, crisp white shirt, burgundy tie, simple white cotton pocket square, folded finely into your breast-pocket, black oxford shoes… and a bowler hat.
There is a pocket square for everyone. You don’t need to wear a garish pink puff but I can guarantee that one I described will set off your outfit perfectly.
Cheers!
At your size, you can wear whatever the fuck you like on your head. No one will say anything. At least not to your face.
Got to agree with you there. I’m quite lean as such the douche bag look will only get me cleaned up. It’s best to work to your strengths rather than weaknesses.
good point. The only people that tend to ‘brace me’ are bouncers or people looking for a fight.
The down side, is that I could never get a job as a bouncer. club owners would take one look at me and say “That guys going to get attacked by every drunk looking to prove a point.” Scary is useful, but too scary gets you a bit more attention than you like.
It’s nice to get hit on at gyms though. The only problem is that fully a third of the propositions are from guys.
Dude you’ve got to change your gym! Or stop wearing the leotard whatever works! lol!
I have to say, based on what I know about you, only a suicidal moron would look for a fight with you. But I guess there is no shortage of those. Another guy, about your size, was telling me that people seem to pick him out for fights even though they have no chance. I guess they see you as a major hunting trophy.
I knew it! This blog has many closet homos
It could be the leotard but most likely it’s the yoga suit
You know you shouldn’t really call attention to yourself, remember that the gays in germany pre-nazi did the same thing, thus providing easy-to-find lists of the ‘priviledged’ for the SS to round up.
Usually it’s drunk dudes. and I don’t pound them because _I_ would go to jail for being a bully. I know little dudes don’t understand it, but ‘big privilege’ comes with a lot of nasty down sides.
I’d venture to say that not even half of the homosexuals who clog up this site’s comments section are “closeted”. Take the “wimmins is bitches” attitude and add the “I’m so manly and I hate manginas”, and poof! {pun intended} these guys are all foreskin-lickers. Straight guys only pop onto this site for good, hearty laughs at the expense of the commenters.
Brigadon is my father, and never have I uttered such shame-inducing words.
It might come across as ‘fapper’
like a gorilla in a 3 piece suit.
Reason #6 – blowing out boogers, snot, and/or cocaine
God damnit this isn’t the type of article we need on RoK. Fashion trends are fucking fluid, nobody gives a fuck if you’re wearing a pocket square… it’s simply outdated and young men nowadays are almost NEVER in a situation where fucking pocket squares are going to come into play as a significant indicator of an attractive man. Lately I have seen less and less well-written articles about the concept of masculinity and more articles like this bullshit “5 ways to superficially boost your perceived attractiveness…” to yourself only, mind you; just because you think something is attractive doesn’t mean others will agree. It is disappointing to see this great website degrade to the likes of buzzfeed or some other vapid blog. It is clear the demographic of this board has shifted to blue-pill pretenders from beginning red-pillers who seek wisdom, and I am thoroughly disappointed. I will continue to offer my opinion and will start my own blog soon, however, which I will post a link too.
No doubt bro…Alpha comes in many forms…most of them quite far removed from silk shirts and pocket squares. Dirty jeans and a leather motorcycle jacket will outscore a gay handkerchief every day of the week. Did this guy Kamal never see Easy Rider or what?
No it won’t mate. Women salivate over well-dressed men. Dressing well is an external indicator of your internal strength and confidence. Any fool can throw on a biker jacket and jeans but dressing with style? That takes work and balls.
Entirely subjective, I suppose. Maybe chicks in London or New York want the suit. Here in California, a suit means you’re a square, hopelessly uncool, and almost definitely a lawyer or insurance salesman. And the kind of skinny tailored italian style suits you see in Vanity Fair, especially if combined with twee affectations like pocket squares, means youre almost certainly gay.
Well I didn’t say “suit”. I rarely wear a suit. But I do frequently wear a blazer. To me, a blazer is incomplete without the pocket-square. I wear my blazer out to work and sometimes out on the town. What are people wearing to work or to dinner in Cali? Jeans?
I do sometimes rock the biker jacket and jeans. As you say it does look good on a muscular male. But I must say, the reception I get wearing the jacket pales beside the one I get wearing the blazer.
I know what you mean about square though. Some people look more like suit is wearing them than the other way round. You have to look good naked to look good in a suit or in a blazer.
Haha you’re right the only time I’d wear a suit is for a wedding or some other formal occasion.
Same viewpoint for me.
The short answer is yes…jeans suffice in almost any situation. If you are trying to not look like a dirtbag, then a nice collared shirt is as far as you need to go. I am a consultant at a mid-sized engineering firm and there are only two types of people who wear suits, coats, blazers, or jackets of any type: the elderly and the salesmen.
Same goes for dinners out, even at the nicest restaurants in San Francisco, only 1 in about 20 guys will be wearing a jacket. The ratio skews higher in the really old-school stuffy places, but the vast majority have ditched it. And good riddance.
Horses for courses, though, as you Brits might say, it wouldnt do in New York, professionally or socially. It would be career suicide to show up to an engineering job in jeans in Korea. And on the other hand, show up ANYWHERE in a suit in Hawaii and youll be laughed out of the room.
I think that is a shame. Jeans at work? To me, unless you work in an artisan coffee house, you should at least be wearing smart looking chinos minimum and a collared shirt (not a polo shirt!). Frankly, I never turn up to work without a tie (I work in banking) although guys in business suits frequently do.
It says a lot that the salesmen wear suits.
I think it is sad too that people will turn up to a top restaurant dressed for a night “in” wearing jeans and a t-shirt. To go to the effort of visiting a fine establishment and to make no effort with your appearance seems absurd. But it matches my view of the common American. He makes no effort with his appearance, health or physique. Generally he is lazy and slovenly and eventually this will be reflected in his work.
Personally though, I can confirm how well you will be treated if you turn up to a restaurant smartly dressed. People will fall over themselves trying to help you and the women will practically wet themselves. I know what you mean by “stuffy” but a suit doesn’t have to be stuffy. Buy a fashionable suit from a good brand, make sure it is well tailored and you will look great.
This site, in part, is about self-improvement. Dressing well is an easy one. It is a shame there is such resistance to this.
There are other types of suits besides Italian and American. The British suits and jacket combos, tend to be rugged and masculine. More so than the Italian suits.
It’s not about the spoon, or suit. It’s more of an attitude and general impression and this is true in Cal. and everywhere else regardless of how you’re dressed or what sort of clothes are more common in the area.You can take 2 men both wearing shoes,socks, trousers or jeans, and a shirt or polo shirt, and they may give off entirely different impressions. One may just look ordinary while the other somehow in a subtle way appears superior.Even in areas where there are farms, vineyards, or ranches the wealthier rancher doesn’t go around in bib overalls and a Walmart barn coat.There’s this hierarchy everywhere whether in the city or country and it’s all based on class regardless of dress styles and the people in the area know who’s who.
Studies have shown that people get and size up a visual impression within 30 seconds even before you open your mouth and that that impression stays with them even if they learn it was an incorrect one for up to 5 years.Look at films where you first see the actor and he’s dressed like a tramp and then in another film where he looks like he’s the head of a company. All you knew about this same person was initially visual, it’s just how people think.
Why would you ditch a comfortable sportscoat or blazer? It is cool in SF and you have to wear something other than a T shirt.Regardless of what is more commonly worn in various areas people can still tell the quality and there are expensive shops in SF.
I’ve met far more men with strength and confidence in a shirt and jeans than a suit. A suit seems more like false confidence; to put one on and walk the streets doesn’t take much confidence.
“Jeans at work? To me, unless you work in an artisan coffee house, you should at least be wearing smart looking chinos minimum and a collared shirt (not a polo shirt!).”
Dude, there are a shit ton of different jobs on Earth. Plenty respectable jobs do not require any form of khaki or button down shirt.
Parochialism was always an English specialty, and you’re doing your best to keep it that way apparently. Just because people are not conforming to YOUR narrow view of “well dressed” doesn’t mean they aren’t well dressed.
Secondly, your dig against America is frankly absurd, given that you are posting it on a computer and internet invented, designed, and produced by Americans. If you were paying any attention at all, you’d know that the SF bay area is not only one of the cultural epicenters of casual dress, its also the healthiest region of America, with some of the longest life expectancy, lowest obesity rates, and healthiest children in the nation. San Francisco itself regularly is in the top 10 cities for the same metrics, as well as personal fitness, active lifestyles, and educational attainment. The technology we produce makes the modern world function, so yes, that attitude is eventually reflected in our work.
This site is about self-improvement, you’re right, and taking off your blinders to the wider world around you is a much bigger part of that than the clothes in your closet.
Every hot chick in the States I’ve seen always gravitates to guys on bikes and who has drugs. Your remark about the suits is correct on how men are perceived. As well I too get very suspicious because of the author is promoting his company.
Yeah, they got killed at the end because they looked like dirty hippies.If they looked like businessmen and were driving cars instead of motorcycles they would have lived and got their drugs to where they were going.
They sold the drugs in the beginning, they had the cash. They were killed because they were free spirits, and did what ever (and dressed however) they liked, and people hated it, much like you. It pissed people off to see 2 truly free careless men, to see what freedom really is, then to look at yourself and know you are bought and sold everyday while these guys just ride motorcycles, dress how the like, grow their hair and live by their own rules. Fonda and Hopper were about as alpha as you can get.
It was how they looked which is what this article is about, how you look. Two carefree men travelling around the country is not going to get you killed There was a TV show around 10 years before Easy Rider called Route 66 where two guys did that in their Corvette.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_66_%28TV_series%29
To me, and Jack Nicolson, the look reflected them; they were free spirits. People did not like that.
Stop moaning. This is great advice and you are a poorer man for your lack of imagination.
Mystery wrote about peacocking, wearing something unusual so that women will open you with a dismissive & rude shit test.
However, every single woman tends to open you with a variant of the same shit test, so after a while it is very easy to pass this test… Without having had to do much work with the opener… It really is almost a game cheat.
Mystery wore weird hats, but a nice pocket square could qualify.
Mystery looked like a stumblebum in that cheap dollar store hat lol I guess he’s married now to an ordinary female and pushing that baby stroller.Probably didn’t make any money with his pickup books and bootcamps and has settled down to a beta life doing magic tricks at kid’s birthday parties.His pickup nonsense didn’t work which is what pissed off those anti pickup guys who paid him like Rodger.
Well what the fuck am I supposed to fill my breast pocket with when I’m working on cars?! Here here, brother. This site is going to shit and it is sad. Waiting for the next article on here was like X-mas eve as a kid. Now it is x-mas eve as a divorced homeless father of 8.
Maybe that’d work in France but not in the US.
Nope, not in France neither.
Pocket squares are the perfect accessory. Such a tiny little thing but it takes your outfit to another level. The problem is most guys would need to completely re-vamp their wardrobe in order to utilize them. i.e., start wearing blazers more often or suits.
Gentlemen, take a few hundred bucks and pick up a couple blazers and some pocket squares. Never go out again wearing just jeans and a button up shirt.
If you’re going to do jeans then do them with a shirt, blazer and pocket square. You can also do a nice designer v-neck instead of a button up shirt. This should be the minimum for going out.
And your outfit needs to be congruent to your gaming persona
This will change based on your outfit.
My opinion? The older you get, the better you should dress. Nothing worse than a 40 year old man dressed like a teenager. As such, as you move into your 40s you should be stepping out in a blazer or something equivalent.
1) I’m all for dressing well, but in this day and age dressing like that is clownish. I never wear a suit or tie or anything close to that because I don’t live in a serious society. These artifacts are from a bygone epoch.
2) I haven’t dated or talked to a woman who actually cared what I wore. They may say they care, but they don’t.
3) I think one should dress differently but not over the top of one’s peers. I usually expect someone who dresses exoticly to back it up with a fascinating personality. Which has resulted in disappointment on my end 9 out of 10 times.
Well, it didn’t take long to go from one discreet banner tucked up in a corner to a full length infomercial disguised as programming, did it?
It’s not. I didn’t pay a penny to Roosh or what so ever. The guys running this amazing site wanted to help and give a push. That’s it. So stop complaining, and be happy that 99,99% content of this site, is free. Not to mention Roosh’s blog. Whatever man.
Advertisement? Check.
Buzzfeed worthy article? Check.
Really, ROK? What’s next? “5 reasons to start wearing a fedora today”?
Underwear is next.Too many guys are neglecting this and wearing those ugly tightie whities
Pocket square will impress other men in business, and asian american women with class who compliment my appearance, don’t expect the savages of society to compliment your pocket square.
That’s good right? Who gives a shit about what savages think?
you are on here way too much. i mean just about every comment has you shoving your fucking hanky down people’s throats. chill, englishbob, chil
Choke on it bitch!!!
I am. We all are.
Try to relax man. We are all fine.
Dude you gotta stop with this frenchy fashion blog shit. “unique and exquisite silk squares from Morroco”?
You might as well set up your Grindr profile with your ass in the air.
Do these guys sell fedoras too?
#CMON
genuinely surprised by all the negative comments about this article, this article reminds my of some of the early articles published by roosh back when rok was launched. kamal, keep doing your thing and congrats on your success. good to see someone doing what we all talk about here on rok: having a side gig and perusing entrepreneurialism
I am not surprised at all.In fact, when I saw the title of the article I knew ignorant comments would follow. Its interesting because I was having a debate on another article about how the majority of men are simply too weak minded to take advantages of opportunities for self-improvement. Strong men are born strong. Weak men are born weak and must either follow the strong, or band together and plunder the strong.
In this case, we see resistance from the weak to a message of self-improvement coming from the strong. This is because to embark upon self-improvement is to admit your own flaws and admit you need improvement. Much easier to denigrate the man who suggests ways you can become better.
Second, it takes a strong willed man to step aside from the herd, to raise his head above the parapet. You put yourself at risk of ridicule and criticism. Few men can handle this.
“…Justin Timberlake, Diddy, and Robert Downey Junior all wearing a ‘square. Will you take your place among them? You should.”
You see that kind of thinking is not “stepping outside the herd” in my book. Quite the contrary.
It’s like getting a maori tattoo because Famous-actor (don’t have any exemple in mind) has one, or for women, dying their hair pink and pierce themselves because Famous-singer (don’t know shit about pop music).
Hmm, three extraordinarily successful men. They must be doing something right. Are they within or without the herd?You are setting up a straw man here. Nobody claimed them as inspirations.
Furthermore, it seems illogical to point out a few men who quite dramatically stand out from the pack and use them as example of staying within the safety of the herd.
That’s ridiculous. Its nothing like that at all. Picking up a conservative pocket-square that costs a couple dollars to complete your outfit is a minor effort but it distinguishes you. Its the small things that count. I’d rather make the comparison to politicians who manage to look scruffy in their suits, none of whom bother with a pocket square. They look terrible.
Thanks, man. I really appreciate.
Entertaining comments, clearly split into for and against factions. I think it’s good for a man to be able to adapt to different styles and environments. I see nothing wrong with being able to sport a rough tough style when appropriate, as well as a classier, more dapper style when it’s called for. Be like water, my friends.
I’ll sum up this article for you : he wants you to buy his napkins.
I look at a suit as just another costume to wear for interviews and business.
I see more and more of those pocket squares on the streets of downtown SF, and to me it’s nothing other than a sure sign of pompous douche, who tries way too hard. Pocket squares just seem to be so out of context today. I am sure that some people can pull it off in specific, limited circumstances (mostly on a theater stage), but just walking around with a pocket square is almost as cheesy as wearing a three piece suit to a club.
Depends on the club. And although I don’t wear pocket squares if they are so out of context why are you seeing them.
I think we are seeing them because there are always plenty of people out there who are “out of context”, hence Ed Hardy, Affliction, etc…
Those are kid companies. I was thinking more along the line of Paul Stewart with the pocket square thing.
http://www.paulstuart.com/home.cfm
Hey, guys, suiting up may not be your thing–Lord knows I am far more likely to wear Carhartt than Armani–but in some arenas, suiting up pays off. If you find yourself in such a milieu–business dinner, wedding reception–why not add a dash of dashing? Particularly if you can also support an ROK contributor?
A woman I know (one we’d all happily bang–slender, zero tats or non-standard piercings and not overly fucked in the head) once mentioned to me that a good, well-tailored suit on a man was, to her, like lingerie on a pretty girl was, to me. Food for thought.
So if you’re never going to dress in anything more formal than Levi’s and a crewneck, fine. But if are, this is good intel.
To each his own,
Mistral
Kamal the man – damn you must be a good salesman, the poetry, the historical references, you’ve got it down. Hell, I bet you could sell thongs to a convent. I’d like to read the pitch.
But seriously, I learned the importance of dress early on. Barely drinking age, I’d walk into a club pennyless, but dressed like a million dollars, fake Cartier tank watch, the whole bit. It didn’t take long to figure the link between appearance and ‘licence’ to accost or approach any female. Once I found a sequined gold men’s belt that looked like a huge 100k gaudy gold waist chain when worn. Then I saw something similar worn by a celebrity host of some awards and decided to wear the belt where previously I thought to myself ‘no one wears this shit – not even a retarded wannabe pimp for Halloween’.
So I went to the club that night dressed like a million dollar peacock. Got tanked as usual, danced around, hit up, chatted up etc, and probably forgot I was wearing the belt. The dance floor had a second raised platform level for ‘confident’ show offs which I hadn’t ever scaled. Then I got a fair 8 to dance and she PULLED ME up to the platform.
Whatever came over me, my brain suddenly began working right and I pointed to another girl down on the lower floor and she came up. Soon I had an honest to god HO TRAIN of 4 girls dancing up there with me. IT HAD TO BE THE BELT.
Me with mediocre ass game, but still like anything else, game is learned in leaps and bounds, but you never know when. A white guy like me getting a ho train going, and to think at 20, when the previous summer before (at 19) that I looked and dressed like OPIE. I was unemployed but still I was high off that for days.
Bitches in clubs are always trying to steal my silk pocket squares. Now I just tell them a quick bj in the bathroom and it’s all theirs. Then I just go back to the bar and start gaming again.
Dang son, as a fellow dude I must say you are one cool dude with all them bitches and pocket squares. Say, would you be interested in oral from a hairy male such as myself?
Starting to think this site is for gay dudes.
are there really men arguing about the butchness of a pocket square right now. this is the silliest shit in the world
Mmmm such a masculine article, this is definitely a masculine sight. God I love men! I love my stylish pocket squares. Sports! Mysoginy! Mmmm masculine to the max, fellow males!
Anyone interested in unlunricated buttsex to celebrate us being masculine men?? 😀
I try and rock a pocket square daily. My favorite place to find them is this Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TScustomsuits?section_id=11771932&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2
Lots of homophobia here…calm down, it’s just prettiness, it won’t kill you, plus, it’s literally just an Etsy plug, it’s no one’s genuine opinion.